So I had surgery a few days ago and my wife heard me in the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I was walking to get some exercise and noticed the paper towel holder was empty,” I said, “so I was replacing them.”
“You’re not supposed to be doing that,” she chastised.
“Alright,” I responded, “then I’m going back to my office to write the great American novel so I can make millions with spin-off movies and soundtracks and fan fiction will appropriate my characters and violate the established canon of their universe.”
And I thought, wouldn’t that be cool!
© Copyright 2016 by Kevin Fraleigh.
5 thoughts on “So I Had Surgery A Few Days Ago…”
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Why does the word ‘so’ begin every conversation nowadays?
Seems like every time a journalist, actor, or, politician,(and now, a novelist) opens his mouth, out comes the word ‘so’ to begin a sentence! lol
Kevin, can you tell us the etiology of this new grammar? 🙂
Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Beginning sentences with “so” does seem to be prevalent in media these days, and I do find it annoying when it is used repetitively. Conversely, “so” conveys a certain sense of informality, as if before initiating a statement or question, you’re already involved in it. The wonderful thing about the English language it that is not static and is constantly in state of flux. The challenge for writers is to encourage its evolution to a form that is contemporary to the culture that it serves.
Thanks for your reply. Do you have any idea how this trend may have started?
Awhile back, I noticed that congressional hearings and investigations on C-SPAN
were loaded with this new grammar—used ‘repetitively’ as you say. Maybe we can blame it on the government like many do for everything else. lol
Best wishes!
Not sure when it started exactly, but this piece from NPR was from 2015: http://www.npr.org/2015/09/03/432732859/so-whats-the-big-deal-with-starting-a-sentence-with-so.
And one from Business Insider from 2014: http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-why-everyone-is-starting-sentences-with-the-word-so-2014-5.
So just Google ‘why does every sentence start with so’ and you might find an even more definitive answer!
Thanks, again, Kevin! I will read the articles you posted! 🙂