Twenty-three skiddoo!

When Maggie first told me about her book, No One Cares What You Had for Lunch: 100 Ideas for Your Blog, I thought, that’s going to be a great resource--for someone else. For the lame-o who can’t come up with a single topic to post about. Not to put those losers down! But such a book—wonderful as it would undoubtedly be—would nonetheless not be of use to myself, the greatest creative mind of the 21st century.

As in most things, I have been proven wrong. It’s a goldmine of inspiration even for the veteran blogger who thinks she knows her way around these parts. In fact it may be even more useful for such a person, who might be feeling a tad blocked these days, who may be thinking, “I’ve been writing this damn thing for two and a half years and I’ve covered every topic under the sun. I DESERVE TO TELL THEM ABOUT MY LUNCH.”

(Leftover shepherd’s pie and a Fun-Sized Twix bar. See? Haven’t you gained something from knowing that?)

The topic I’ve chosen from Maggie’s book is #14, “Watch Your Language,” in which I am to list some archaic words or phrases I wish would come back into popular use. I have many of these, as I find living in the present highly distasteful. Here are a few:

Vo- dee-oh-do. Sometimes “Vo-dee-oh-do-do.” Either way, it’s a winner. This was used to great effect in the Little Rascals to describe some colorful and suspicious individuals. “They were a couple of vo-dee-oh-dos.” According to Google it was also used in "Laverne and Shirley" as a euphemism for sex, but no one wants to imagine either Laverne or Shirley in that way, so let’s go with the former useage.

Jackanapes and cock of the walk. Preferably used together. “He thinks he’s a real cock of the walk, but I say he’s nothing but a jackanapes.”

Conniptions. No one talks about anyone having conniptions anymore. That’s a shame. I myself make it a habit of having a conniption at least once a day, just to give someone the opportunity to use this glorious word.

…see? I believe everyone should end every statement with “see?” It’ll make you sound like a character in Double Indemnity. At the very least, you’ll sound like my Grandpa. Either way I will love you.

What olde-timey words or phrases would you like to come back? Place your requests here!

Comments

[pd]

I totally used conniption in conversation yesterday.

High fives!

[LOD]

I want to see "consarnit," "dagnabbit," and other colorful terms used by grumpy old gold prospectors.

[braine]

Absquatulate. Anything hobos used to do is worth doing! Still a favorite, but so seldom get to use it.

[kyran]

I have been waiting YEARS for someone to ask me that!

Mine is "Swell." But only if used without irony.

[anita]

hullabaloo

[lunac718]

People still use "..see?". Well, when I say people, I mean gangsta rappers. And it's pronounced "...nahmsayin?".

[Kyran]

oh, and talk about parallel thinking. my husband challenged me the other day to write a post using "conniption" and "whatnot". maybe now I can link to this and be (partially) off the hook.

Swell!

[zuhl]

I bought her book as well, somewhat sheepishly, too. To me it kind of felt like I shouldn't *need* the "crutch." Kind of like breaking down and joining a dating service.

And I say, "Just dandy!"(without irony as per kyran, above) when responding to questions about my state of being. i.e., "How are you, Jon?" "Just dandy, thanks!"

And I have conniptions ALL THE TIME.

Apparently I was born in the wrong century.

[Bertha]

I like "n'ere-do-well"! Once, my husband and I got ticketed while on vacation for driving through a police checkpoint unbuckled...I kind of "forgot" to pay the tickets when we got home, until I got a warrant notice in the mail some months later. I called up the courthouse to find out what I needed to do to pay the ticket. Apparently in this one-horse town, the 95 year-old judge also answers the phones and when I explained our situation he crustily remarked that my husband and I were "a coupla n'ere-do-wells" for shirking our ticket paying responsibilities. It was pretty much the highlight of my life.

[Mir]

I would like to bring back ZOWIE as an exclamation. It's so wholesome sounding.

[Jonathon]

Ugh. I hate Shepard's Pie! How do you stand it???

[carosgram]

I've been having conniption fits for years. I wish 'gay' meant fun as in "I had a gay ole' time at the party last night". The lack of a diverse vocabulary is one of the curses of big media society. Instead of raising everyone's ability to accurately describe thoughts, events, people and feelings we have dumbed down so that the only words people use are 'nice', 'sad', 'bad', and 'like'.

[J~]

I'm fond of skidaddle myself. I also like dagnabbit!

[melita]

"Cinch" or, better yet, the adjective form, "cinchy."

Oh, how I'd love to hear my 4-year-old daughter say these words: "Pee in the toilet?--that's cinchy!"

Instead, there's been a lot of lollygagging in that department.

[Karen Rani]

"Dadblammit!" My fave from the 50's. Oh and on Leave It To Beaver, Wally used to always say to Beav, "Dad's gonna holler atcha for that, Beav."
Holler is a great word in that context.
It looks like I'm not alone in using conniption. I have conniption fits all the time. :)

[mom on a wire]

I like calling groups of men "fellas". And I would like to call them fellas after saying "gee". "Gee, fellas, looks like you have a few more grapes to peel before I can let you go home..."

[Amy at Fannfare]

My mother, when things are a mess, says they are all scattywampus. I'd just like for folks not to look at me so funny when I say it!

[Mary]

I like using "Fie!" as a curse word. Makes me sound all Shakespearean and it's a nice recovery if I start using another F word and realize I shouldn't.

"Zounds!" is just silly, though.

[korijane]

My mom uses the word conniption all the time. She also uses "cockamamie" and when she's really mad she exclaims "poopie-monster!" My mom's awesome.

[E]

The 'vapors'. Why doesn't anyone get them anymore? I'm thinking they might be worth some really good prescription drugs.

[Alicia A.]

My husband's family calls everything crummy. "That outfit looks crummy on you."

But my favorite of late is "For cryin' in a milk bucket!"

[Molly]

I don't know if you had this in the US, but here in the UK in the 1980s kids used to say "skill!" to mean "excellent!" or "cool!". I think everyone should add this to their vocabulary immediately!

[Matt]

My parents use "caddywumpus" to describe things that are a mess (I wonder if its regional alternates or something, Amy at Fannfare). I also like "higglety-pigglety." My folks also used "conniption" all the time. You know what no one has anymore? "Moxie." People should have more moxie.

[Kari]

>>But such a book—wonderful as it would undoubtedly be—would nonetheless not be of use to myself, the greatest creative mind of the 21st century.

Except that in the interview regarding said book, Maggie pimped your blog! (Alas, it was an answer to the question, "What's the best blog that nobody reads?")

[MissusB]

Shenanigans is always a good word. I am also a regular user of swell and conniption.

[Anne Prince]

All sixes and sevens. As in "How are you feeling? Oh, I'm all sixes and sevens today". My grandmother used to say that all the time.

I am also prone to conniptions.

[Sara]

I'd like to hear "cad" to describe dastardly men. And I give a second to "fie". As for conniption, comeonna my house because it's used frequently here. It might be nice to hear "egads!" now and again as well.

[Lauren]

I'd like to see "pell nell" or "willy nilly" come back. Not that that stops me from using them anyway.

[HWilliams]

Being from a small town in Texas, I hear lots of stuff folks apparently don't say anymore. However I'm partial to "pert near". I hope I spelled it right because I've never seen it written. It means "almost". "Growing like topsy" is another favorite. I could go on but I'll spare everyone.

[Kasey]

Oh this is all really good stuff! I used to read the Ramona Quimby books when I was a kid and I always loved that Ramona and Beatrice didn't fight or argue, they had quarrels. In that same vein, I also like it when people have rows. My husband and I like to travel waaaay back in time on occasion and call each other ye. As in "Have ye had lunch yet?" or "Do ye want to go to a movie?"

[Star Shine]

I love that you titled this post "Twenty-three Skidoo!" I was once told that the expression got its start when the Flatiron Bldg. in NYC was being constructed on 23rd street. Passersby would stop to gawk at the glorious piece of architecture (my favorite in nyc!) and policemen would shout "Twenty-three skidoo!" to get people to keep walking.

[motherbumper]

Has anyone said DAGNABBIT yet? 'cause I love to say me some dagnabbit ('specially when prospecting for gold).

[The Dutchess of Kickball]

I distincly remember watching the eposide of Laverne and Shirley where they are talking about vo-dee-oh-do. Good memories of Nick at Night in college!

[Uppahand]

Confoundit!!!

[Frema]

Necking. When I was a kid, I was prone to devouring cheesy pop music, a la Jeffrey Osborne's "Baby, Stay with Me Tonight." He talked about necking, and I thought it sounded very adult.

My husband is fond of "keen."

[Leslie]

I like "gee willickers," and when people refer to jail as "the pokey." My absolute favorite is "hogwash."

Motherbummper: I say "dagnabbit" all the time!

[CJ]

"That's Bully!"

[braine]

Star Shine, in New York we are of the understanding that it was lurking crowds of lagabouts near the Flatiron who came up with the phrase. Apparently the wind there was wont to gust upward suddenly, causing the flashing of ankles when unprepared women walked by in their dresses. The coppers would chase these ruffians off, whereupon the rogues would execute the 23 Skidoo and take off down 23rd St.

Lagabouts, wont, coppers, ruffians, rogues...why not?

[the patriarch]

Gals - only suitable female equivilant to guys

Clams - hey pal, you got the 20 clams you owe me?

Ragamuffin

Scram

Poppycock

[MeL]

My husband constantly rolls his eyes at me when I tell our preschooler he needs to "mind" me better. Apparently it makes me sound old-timey or somesuch nonsense.

I have conniption fits regularly, as well. And when there are "little pitchers" present, I am apt to call something "cockamamie" rather than use the more colorful terms reserved for adult company.. Because I don't think I could handle being the one whose kid teaches the other preschoolers to say 'clusterfuck'.

[el-e-e]

How about "Criminy!" I say that one a lot.

And in the '90s I loved the term "Tool." "That freshman biology teacher was such a tool," for instance.

:)

[AEMom]

I say conniption all the time: "Boys! If you don't stop it RIGHT NOW, Mommy's going to have a conniption!"

[R]

a few years ago, before my husband was my husband, he insisted that "P'shaw" was a popular saying. Currently. I suppose we could work on making it so...

[Mom Nancy]

Conniption fits are alive and well around here as well.

My husband and I have adopted "KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS!" from Anchorman.

[Rae]

I love (and this is neither old nor out of date, but in a dialect that we don't use on this side of the world) when British people say "Isn't it?" after a sentence. Or, "Innt it?" Or "Innit?" Depending in the accent.

[Weeze]

My neighbor said "Zowie!" to me when I came into the lobby looking particularly fine the other day.

I vote for druthers. People should have their druthers more often.

[gnightgirl]

"Horsefeathers!" Also fun to pronounce "Horth-fezzers"

[Charmaine]

My husband's from a large old-timers family that have passed down some good ol' ones, (so ancient the sayings that most people don't know what their origin are), like bumbershoots and hoopies / umbrellas and vehicles. I'm also fond of referring to a loss of memory as being due to aluminum buildup: gotta stop cooking with that doggone aluminum cookware.

[onbeelay]

I don't think I hear "daper" enough.

As in, "Gee, you look daper tonight honey, what with that top hat and cane and all."

or perhaps "gussied"
As in," now I'm going to have to go and get all gussied up too"

The one I use the most though that people roll their eyes at?
Bees Knee's and Cat's Meow

I could give you an Earful if you'd let me I suppose.

I think I got too attached to "The Great Gatsby" as a teen...

[Xdm]

Now that The Dudes is repeating what we say, I have incoprated the following into my daily life:
1) Jeepers!
2) Jiminy!

It is sort of fun and much better than "f*cking sh*t!"

(Other versions, Jumpin Jiminy, Jeepers Creepers, etc.)