How to “America!”
If you ever have a face-to-face conversation with me, it will likely take you all of six minutes to realize that I have some very “unique” language and vocabulary.
I use words like “fantastical” on a regular basis.
I occasionally throw a “fo-shizzle” in there, although I know it is so 2011.
I call my 3-year-old daughter “My Tiny Human” and have said the phrase “That’s my jam” so much that my friends are now insisting that I change it up and say “That’s my marmalade” or “That’s my jelly” (I talk more about this on the Army Wife Talk Radio show I recently hosted for AWN. Listen to it here).
One other slightly unique habit I have with my vocab is to take “normal” words and make them into a verb.
My forever favorite? America!
Granted, this is not completely my brainchild. I think the movie The Other Guys with Will Ferrell made saying “America!” as an exclamation trendy. But, because I’m an overachiever, I take it a step further.
And as a military spouse, knowing how to America! is, in my opinion, a key to resiliency.
So here are a few tips, tricks and suggestions on how to America! as a milspouse:
1. Use the word America! frequently, regardless of context.
I think the word America! has the potential to be one of the most widely-used and effective words in the English language. Consider the possibilities. Someone asks you how your weekend was? America! They congratulate you on solving a tough life problem? America! Finally got your husband’s coffee thermos lid unscrewed two weeks into the deployment? America! (That last one is completely hypothetical, of course…)
We can also use it in less-than-positive situations, like when all the kids are sick and the hubby is TDY. Sigh. America. See? Such diversity and potential. Let’s start a movement!
2. When in doubt, hashtag it.
This one ties closely into the first tip, only it takes it to the virtual realm. A friend shares on Facebook that she had her baby? I’d say that calls for a big ol’ congratulations comment, followed by #America! Someone achieves a fitness goal, lands a new job, or inherits a fortune from a long-lost uncle? Definite #America! opportunity. If you’re feeling salty, you can even put it on major life milestones, like how we did on my husband’s re-enlistment cake.
(Sidenote: He discovered that the hashtag/pound sign’s “technical” name is “octothorp.” As the picture below indicates, my hubby is committed to his #America! habits…)
4. Find and share all the America! memes you can.
When it comes to shared activities, my husband and I don’t have a lot of common interests. Fortunately, our weirdness and love of America! provide a great avenue for connection, especially in the realm of sharing America! memes. In fact, it’s one of our favorite past times. Please note that you get extra America! points if you share a meme that includes one or more of the following: Chuck Norris, a bald eagle, or the words “pew-pew-pew.”
5. Re-enlist in the military “indef,” then kiss in front of the American flag.
Because, well duh—#America!
Readers, how do you “America!”? Join the conversation and leave a comment.
