The perils of living with valismort

[valis2]

Fact about me you need to know for this entry: I can't remember nouns. Seriously. (Ask julian_black if you don't believe me.) I can't remember the proper names of things at least one out of every four times. When it's a verb, it's not so bad, because I can usually redirect through a slightly different verb for a similar effect. (Think "jumping" instead of "leaping," for example.) But for nouns, sometimes there is only one proper name that will do.

I do try to think my sentences through a little more carefully when I'm around new people or at work. But around really good friends and (especially) the husband, I will often stick a placeholder into the sentence where the unremembered word is because I need to get the entire phrase out before I forget it.

At this point, Husband knows what I mean at least four times out of five. There are several nonsense words that end up rolling off my tongue and acting as placeholders. One of them is "Shna Shna Higby," which is entirely burned into my brain because there was once a magazine in the front of my car for seven months with Sha Sha Higby on the cover (she's a performance artist).

Now that you have the [far too detailed] background on yet another of my eccentricities, I can reveal this exchange between Husband and myself just moments ago:

Valis: Can you take this detritus to the Shna Shna Higby for me? [Detritus = an empty root beer bottle and a glass, but I couldn't remember the word for bottle; Shna Shna Higby = kitchen]
Husband: For you, my dear, I would venture into the depths of Shna Shna Higby itself.

Comments

[venivincere]

Oh, my heavens. You have far more interesting noun-substitutes than I do. All mine have evolved from that one plain useful word "thingy". To whit:

Thingy
Thinger
Thingamajig
Thingy-Bob
Thingy-Bobble
Thingy McBobble Yew

The last few I always find embarassing; you're the first person to know about them other than my poor, poor son, who's been exposed since birth. :-D

[valis2.livejournal.com]

bwahaha!! "Thingy" totally reminds me of a MP sketch where they want to tax...thingy. You know, *wink*, thingy! *snort*

A few of my other noun-substitutes (rendered phonetically):

Meeblit mepps
Meebler
Shna
Bibbly
Murp de murr

It's a wonder that anyone (including myself) ever knows what I'm talking about, really.

[earthenwood.livejournal.com]

This is a fascinating glimpse into the mind of Valis!

I also want to tell you I remember that magazine and that name, hee hee!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

And by "fascinating" I'm certain you mean "frightening," lol.

That magazine cover is burned into my brain! I looked at that cover every day for months. The name just won't go away, no matter how hard I try...

[innerslytherin]

LOL and in my family we just rely on "watchamacallit" and "thingamabob" with an occasional foray into "thingummy".

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Not only do I use words, but sometimes I even substitute hand gestures for some items. Years ago I worked with a really cool co-worker and I asked her to get something for me--and I just made these weird motions with my hands. She went and retrieved them and was halfway back before she groaned and said, "Damnit, I knew exactly what you meant!"

Oh, and I do say "thingamajig" quite often as well. ;)

[kitschicat.livejournal.com]

Oh, I am well acquainted with this quirk of yours, and it's one of the reasons I adore you so. :)

Snarrrrf!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

ahahahah!! Yes, Snarrrf! I totally forgot about that one.

Honestly, I'm starting to think I would have fit in quite well with the Smurfs. "I'd like to smurf a glass of smurf!"

[svartalfur.livejournal.com]

Wow. I always thought I was alone with this. My "Shna Shna Higby" is "Tralala Schlumpf Schlumpf" (Schlumpf is the German word for smurf). Your husband is so very cool! :D

[valis2.livejournal.com]

OMG I AM SO STEALING "Tralala Schlumpf Schlumpf"!!!

If I can remember it, that is. lol.

Husband is, indeed, a keeper. ;)

[julian-black.livejournal.com]

USE YOUR WORDS, VALIS. LOL.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

ahahaha!! But I can't remember them! *snort*

[vanityfair00.livejournal.com]

I forget words all the time! And the longer I am in a foreign country the more it starts to happen. But usually I just sit there trying to think of the word until I have forgotten the rest of the sentence. My favorite dialogue to come out of this problem...

Me: So I took one of those IQ tests today and my verbal score was the lowest. I thought that was odd since I write and all, but then my score for...uh...you know...
Dad: Yes?
Me: Where you can see the shapes and what should be the next logical one...you know...spay...
Dad: Spatial Organization? *looks at me pointedly*
Me:Shutup, okay.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I don't even have the excuse of knowing other languages, lol! I'm just useless.

And that dialogue? I have that exact experience all. the. time. :)

*hugs*

[tjwritter.livejournal.com]

*loves your quirks*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

eeee! Hooray! Though, of course, you might not feel so warmly about them if you were subjected to them every day of the week...lol!

[florence-craye.livejournal.com]

This entry is irredeemably cute!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

ahahah!! That rocks!

Husband was telling me that I do other silly things, too. I can't remember what they are right now, but I'll call him later and write up another little entry when he reminds me.

[dark-cygnet.livejournal.com]

You gotcha a good man right there. *swansmooches*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

hee! Yes, absolutely! He has gotten so used to the noun-substitution that it doesn't faze him at all. ;)

*lionsmooches*

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

That piece of conversation is so cute!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

He really is a sweetheart, honestly! ;)

[verdenia.livejournal.com]

That is awesomely hilarious!

Oh, the Higby.

Detritus is an excellent word for many occasions. :P

*HUGS*!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Higby is contagious. Soon you'll be saying it all the time!

*GIANT HUGS OF JOY AND VERDENIANESS*

[verdenia.livejournal.com]

The *HUGS*, they are rampant and *FULL of JOY* and yes, *VERDENIANESS*!

Leetsauce.

Super Poke has inspired me to *throw an octopus at you*.
Heh. :D

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Super Poke has inspired me to *throw an octopus at you*.

eee! Don't hurt the octopomus!!! We loves it and snuggles it...

[verdenia.livejournal.com]

When I said "throw", I meant, "toss gently, so that you may catch it and snuggle it"
XD

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, fantastic! *catches the sweet lil cephalopodomus and gives it snuggles*