Nullify "Nice" and Abolish "Awesome"

Because, as I see it, "nice" and "awesome" are two of the most overused words in the English language, I taught a course with the above title several times at two community colleges in the Seattle area a few years back. Although the number of people who took the classes wasn't that large, most of the students were enthusiastic about the experience. My main purpose in teaching the class was showing how using a wider variety of words can be so satisfying, in many different ways.

You might find George Carlin's "Have a Nice Day" sketch illuminating--and amusing: you should be able to access it by googling "George Carlin" + "Have a Nice Day" + "You Tube"

Some testimonials about the class:
                                "Your vibrant personality made the class interesting and put everyone at ease."
                                "Thanks to you for such a stimulating two evenings. I haven't had so much word fun since I was learning Pig Latin."
                                 "That was a fun class. It was worth the money to find one word that describes my boss: irascible."
                                 "I was truly inspired by the class and impressed with you as an instructor."
                                 "Totally rad class."        

One of my students' assignments was to read something in a newspaper, magazine, or book--or something online--and to write down words they either (a) know but never use in their speaking or writing or (b) don't know the meaning of, but would like to know more about and use.

I contacted then-Seattle Post-Intelligencer sports columnist Art Thiel (who now writes independently) and told him that I always found a number of precise, evocative, and colorful words in his columns, and that I was encouraging my students to use the kind of expressive words he did.

His response, in part: "Astonishment. Huzzahs. Gesticulations. Sometimes I wonder if anyone cares that language is a wondrous tool to be celebrated. You do. I want your class to be made mandatory for all students. To whom do I write? This is a life-saving thing. Yours in the eradication of triteness."

I'm not planning to revive the class anytime soon (maybe someday), but Art's words really inspired me and convinced me that my efforts were worthwhile.

So now I've started this blog as a prelude to a book I'm writing that will include my trenchant (I hope), irreverent, and wide-ranging ruminations on the English language and how we can have more fun using it (just try saying "Bluto Blutarsky" without smiling).