No Offense...

My brother Joey used to rent an apartment when he first got married and this morning while talking to him and his ex-wife JoAnn, they were laughing and telling me about the landlord. She always, and they said always, used the phrase "no offense" when she had anything to say. Example, "no offense, have a good day", "no offense, good night", "no offense, thanks for the rent check". They would tell their friends and make jokes constantly during their time together. "No offense, but that was a good dinner hon", "no offense I'm leaving for work", etc.

One day a couple of JoAnn's friends were in a supermarket and ran into the "no offense lady" at the checkout line. They could hardly contain themselves. She was with her children and even when speaking to them she would actually say, "no offense little Johnny or Judy, but you're misbehaving", "no offense cashier person, thank you". JoAnn's friends called JoAnn as soon as they could to say they met the "no offense lady".

Now that's a little strange. I've heard people say certain things all the time, people in my family, my friends and myself. I know you have people like that in your life. Just people who seem to say the same thing all the time, it's part of every conversation. I myself hate that I say "you know" and "like" way too much, but those seem to be words a lot of people use. And, like, that's not good, you know!

But "no offense"? Really, have you ever heard anyone using that phrase in day-to-day conversations?! Well unless of course you've run into the "no offense lady" shopping somewhere. I can't imagine where this woman would have picked up that phrase. Seems a little dark, like something bad must have happened in her life.

I have used the phrase "no offense" but I use it when it's correct. As in "no offense but you need a mint"!

During the "Valley Girl" era, "like" and "you know" was the "wassup" and "sup" of today.

Not that I was a Valley Girl but I totally was into their phrases, found them funny. "Gag me with a spoon"! I remember my father joking with me about that one and he loved when I said "grody to the max", got a big kick out of that one, just as he got a kick from my younger brother using "word" or "word up" which was a popular phrase during his young teens.

When in California during the Valley Girl craze I had this picture taken at Universal Studios, it was like totally awesome, like, you know, totally cool! It fit me at the time.

Unfortunately "like" and "you know" stayed with me. Again I can't stand that I can't stop it!!!! Just is what I say, but thank goodness I don't use "no offense", again seems kinda dark, like, it's, you know.

This morning I had to call one of my friends. I knew she uses a certain phrase all the time but I couldn't remember what it was. Called her up, and she's a yapper, love her, but a yapper! So as I'm listening to her go on about something, I really couldn't tell you, I just kept saying "yeah, yeah", cause I'm really not listening, I'm waiting for that phrase. Took about a minute but she said "none the less" and I had to write it down right away, cause she's still yapping and I'm going to forget!

So, no offense, but none the less, you know, like, I gotta go start my day and all!