It is. Dusty D has taken to appending this phrase to almost every sentence I utter. This is my attempt to appeal to the younger generation and seem "with-it," and relevant to their interests. It's my ploy to make them more receptive to the historical pearls I dispense, and influence them to become the next generation of flag-bearers in the historical and preservationisteral cause. Pretty sly, eh? But it works!
"When doing a charcoal tombstone rubbing, I blow the dust off and promptly apply spray fixative--because that's how I roll."
"I always wear latex gloves when handling 19th-century glass-plate negatives--because that's how I roll."
"I take my own paper to the Halle Library microfilm readers, so I'm not being a paper pig--because"--well, you get the idea.
I think it's working. So aside from my Value World wardrobe and slightly spongy midriff, I'm down with those young folks, yessir. It's just part of my long-range history-boosting plan. I can see the admiration, or something, in their eyes when I bust out this phrase, before nonchalantly sashaying off to the Archives. Try it yourself and see if I'm wrong. Nosir.
When you mess up (which I'm sure you never do :)), be sure to say, "My bad." I tend to say "how we roll in this class" and "my bad" at school and since those are just a teeny bit "out" with my kids, it seems to delight them when I say it. I think they know that I'm really trying, but just haven't quite gotten it yet....
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read the Mark Kurlansky books -- "Salt" and "Cod?" He does a kind of history going from the micro to the macro that I think you'd really enjoy. The subtitle of Cod is A Biography of The Fish That Changed The World.
ReplyDelete...you can also add 'seriously?' in a cute, sarcastic-y way to everything to be uber-hip.....as in, "Seriously? You want to pay $5 for that knish? Seriously?"
ReplyDeleteTeacher Patti: I love it!
ReplyDeleteI also use "not!" at the end of sentences for that same faded-slang effect! :D
Lisele: Mark Kurlansky is second only to David Halberstam in this house in terms of writing idols.
ReplyDeleteDidja also read Kurlansky's "The Big Oyster"? I wish he'd hurry up and write more!
Larissa: You have to admit, that's a pricey knish.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you might gnash your teeth and lash out with, "Gosh, that's a brash price for a knish nosh!"