Goo goo g'cheugy

I am hopelessly out of date with respect to…well, just about everything. What I’m referring to now, specifically, is slang. This, is honestly, to be fully expected. I mean, ffs, I’m in my goddamn mid-60s, I’ve been deaf for nearly 20 years and I don’t get outta the house (‘cept to MGH and the Y) much.

Hi, my name is Donna and I’m age-appropriately cheugy.

Cheugy
     adjective
pronounced CHEW-gee (dunno if the ‘g’ is hard or soft)
: out of date and trying too hard.

Dina is ridiculously cheugy. I mean…she wears skinny jeans STILL, went to Disney on her honeymoon and has one of those stupid Eat, Pray, Love signs on her kitchen wall.

Other things that are cheugy?
Side parts, infinity scarfs, energy drinks, Axe body spray, cargo shorts and, sadly, glitter tumbler cups (I love those!).

A person who is cheugy is a cheug.

Ummmmm:
     I am the egg man
     They are the egg men
     I am the cheug man
     Goo goo g'joob

Bet
     interjection
: term of affirmation, agreement, or approval along the lines of “Cool!” or “I’m down!” It can also suggest doubt or disbelief: “Yeah, sure.”

Me: My next brain surgery is scheduled for April ninth.
Friend: Bet!

Whether this theoretical friend is expressing supportive enthusiasm for me finally getting the monster meningioma out of my head OR telling me that they don’t believe I’m going in for more bean excavation so soon, is unknown.

Snatched
     adjective
“fierce” or “on point,” particularly when it comes to someone’s hair, makeup, and physical appearance. 

Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad were completely snatched at the Oscars.

Question—are “on pont” replacing “on-fleek?”

On-fleek
     adjective
flawlessly styled, groomed, etc.

Cybill’s outfit and makeup were totally on-fleek.

I imagine this won’t come as a surprise, I’m much more comfortable with slang from the 20th century. More so, the lingo used in the earlier part of the 1900s. Why? I’m not entirely sure but I suspect it might come from being rilly keen on films that came out in the ‘30s and ‘40s (hello Mae West, W.C. Fields, Bogart, Bacall, Bette Davis, etc.). I was wild about The Andrew Sisters, hard bop and jitterbugging.

While scrolling along (NOT doomscrolling) I found Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary which originally came out in 1938. It’s an introduction to the slang of musicians working in Harlem at that time. Some words and phrases you probably already know and some are wonderful trips into the past. More than a few became part of standard speech (e.g., chick=girl, freeby=no charge/free, have a ball=enjoy yourself). In any case, the site’s well worth a perusal. I’ve got to check the library—I’m hooked now and want to read through the whole collection.

I find it amusing and disturbing that my fascination, way back in the 1970s, with all things 1940s would be like current 12 to 20 year olds immersing themselves in all things 1990s. Jesus be bop Christ, that’s only 30 years ago. For my grandnieces, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, The Matrix, Good Fellas—grunge, indie films and flannel shirts might evoke a cool, better, more fun, “long ago past” era. History.

My youth is now the stuff of history books. Jesust on an off-time jive, I’m feeling old.