...quiet, about a lot of things...
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
On The Bus
I love words and phrases, almost as much as I like gestures and glances. I spend alot of time, just observing the ritual dances of everyday life. The small things, people have done so often, they no longer remember why they ever did,in the first place.
This goes for expressions. Ask any one of my kids..my own, or borrowed, I am filled with verbal tid bits, I've gathered over time. Like someone said once, I love a well turned phrase. Doesn't have to be deep or potent, just strike the right cord.
Today I had the chance to see some of these oddities passed on to a new generation...Rachel, came to work with me today, and helped me with my kids...during one reading session, one of the girls said to me, "Now listen here Missy...." Rachel stopped to laughed out loud, adding "My mom says that ALL THE TIME" the first grader said "I know...all the time!" Rachel also had the pleasure of hearing other MOMisms repeated back to her,through the day...such as "Quick like a bunny," "Mr.Man" and the ever popular "silly goose"...to which one of my autistic kids say, every time..."I'm not a goose, I'm a boy." this will become locked in my vault of memories...
and that's what these phrases become to me...memories, that I relive every day..
I drove Maggie to get some dance stuff, for her recital tonight. We're always in a hurry...and I'm always speeding...as I ran through a yellow...(yes yellow I swear!!) light..both of us reached up and grazed the ceiling of my car with our fingers. Something I've done since....before I drove myself. I've passed it to her now, and it as normal to her as tying her shoes....
Some of my phrases are odder and have people trying to figure out what the heck?? Such as ISHH KA BIBBLe (kinda yucky, or harem scarem) picked up from a sister in law...or the word CHONIES (I think from cachones...means panties in spanish.) picked up from Rachels god mother.
Probably some of the oddest and least linear, came from an old boyfriend of long ago. He would say things like MEE POCKEE (for my pocket)in a very bad cockney accent..which I still can hear today. But he left me with one phrase I've used time and time again...always getting blank stares back until I explain.
This much loved phrase is "On the bus". This means, like minded, cool, in the know, copacetic...kinda on the MAGIC BUS..from the Who. This phrase came from a time when I knew him, while he was attending a VERY LIBERAL college on the West Coast. People were either on the bus....or not. He may have started it, or just repeated it, but many are the times, I have used this expression to convey admiration and understanding.
My kindergarten teacher(one I work with), is a very on the bus kinda gal...she must only be 25, this is her first year of teaching. Her boyfriend is a snowboard instructor.. so you get the drift...she's cool and young and well, ON THE BUS!
I made the mistake of using this expression to her, in a very noisy kinder class room... and her response was.. "OH NO!! H (autistic boy) missed his BUS??? (the special ed bus)" No,no,no I said explaining what I had meant...a compliment to her... We were laughing as I walked to H out to his bus, holdin his hand in mine....She and I were laughing pretty hard... NO no, not THAT BUS!!!
H called to me as he boarded his ride home that day..."Hey, Miss Wendy... I'm on the bus!!! HUH!" I called back "H, my Friend, YOU SURE ARE!!"
This goes for expressions. Ask any one of my kids..my own, or borrowed, I am filled with verbal tid bits, I've gathered over time. Like someone said once, I love a well turned phrase. Doesn't have to be deep or potent, just strike the right cord.
Today I had the chance to see some of these oddities passed on to a new generation...Rachel, came to work with me today, and helped me with my kids...during one reading session, one of the girls said to me, "Now listen here Missy...." Rachel stopped to laughed out loud, adding "My mom says that ALL THE TIME" the first grader said "I know...all the time!" Rachel also had the pleasure of hearing other MOMisms repeated back to her,through the day...such as "Quick like a bunny," "Mr.Man" and the ever popular "silly goose"...to which one of my autistic kids say, every time..."I'm not a goose, I'm a boy." this will become locked in my vault of memories...
and that's what these phrases become to me...memories, that I relive every day..
I drove Maggie to get some dance stuff, for her recital tonight. We're always in a hurry...and I'm always speeding...as I ran through a yellow...(yes yellow I swear!!) light..both of us reached up and grazed the ceiling of my car with our fingers. Something I've done since....before I drove myself. I've passed it to her now, and it as normal to her as tying her shoes....
Some of my phrases are odder and have people trying to figure out what the heck?? Such as ISHH KA BIBBLe (kinda yucky, or harem scarem) picked up from a sister in law...or the word CHONIES (I think from cachones...means panties in spanish.) picked up from Rachels god mother.
Probably some of the oddest and least linear, came from an old boyfriend of long ago. He would say things like MEE POCKEE (for my pocket)in a very bad cockney accent..which I still can hear today. But he left me with one phrase I've used time and time again...always getting blank stares back until I explain.
This much loved phrase is "On the bus". This means, like minded, cool, in the know, copacetic...kinda on the MAGIC BUS..from the Who. This phrase came from a time when I knew him, while he was attending a VERY LIBERAL college on the West Coast. People were either on the bus....or not. He may have started it, or just repeated it, but many are the times, I have used this expression to convey admiration and understanding.
My kindergarten teacher(one I work with), is a very on the bus kinda gal...she must only be 25, this is her first year of teaching. Her boyfriend is a snowboard instructor.. so you get the drift...she's cool and young and well, ON THE BUS!
I made the mistake of using this expression to her, in a very noisy kinder class room... and her response was.. "OH NO!! H (autistic boy) missed his BUS??? (the special ed bus)" No,no,no I said explaining what I had meant...a compliment to her... We were laughing as I walked to H out to his bus, holdin his hand in mine....She and I were laughing pretty hard... NO no, not THAT BUS!!!
H called to me as he boarded his ride home that day..."Hey, Miss Wendy... I'm on the bus!!! HUH!" I called back "H, my Friend, YOU SURE ARE!!"
3 Comments:
I'm always amazed when some strange phrase pops out of my mouth and I have to track it back to the source. This is a great read. Thanks.
This is such an entertaining post - kind of spurs me to think of some phrases I use or my mother and her mother uses /used ...
Hey Wendy,
I love your on-the-bus muse(s)--I read the FOB (friend-of-Bill) one too. Great fun, and evocative (I have my own code words and phrases--as do we all, I'm sure. Some are personal, some familial, some from certain "chapters" of my life) and I could see how you were completely snagged when I used yours, especially in a completely isolated phrase.
I don't think I have personally meant it in quite the same way you did--until now. Now that I've read your musings I'll forever (and happily) hear an echo of coolness in the phrase.
Love how that works.
One phrase you used I do have a similar code or personal language word for: "Ish"...meaning icky with a slightly condensending tone to it, in addition to the simple ick-factor. A pal from 20-years ago always used it. Our friendship has lapsed, but not the phrase.
Thanks for visiting, and circling the wagons!
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