Monday, October 6, 2008

The dame can't help it

Just as my oldest sons are entering their awkward phase, I've hit an unexpected awkward stage in my life in which I feel self-conscious when I hear myself using the word "girl" to describe my friends. It just doesn't sound right to say, "This girl at Bible study said the funniest thing today," to my husband and then turn to my 12-year-old and ask, "Who was that girl you were talking to after football today?'
I mean, we're all around age 40, and I can't use the same word to describe my friends and my kids' friends, can I? I need a new word for everyday use, I guess, but I can't use "lady" for obvious reasons and I don't like "gal" because I hate how it sounds. "Girl" has been perfect for so long, and everything else is either too formal (woman, female, milady) or too loose (chick, babe, broad, etc.) I may have to make up my own word, unless you have suggestions...

2 comments:

Sheryl Smith-Rodgers said...

I'd say just go with whatever noun you wanna say in the "heat of the moment."

A sweet older lady (she may be 80 but looks 70) whom I've known for years often strolls by our house with her dog, Little Bit, in the mornings and evenings. "Hey, girls!" I'll holler at them sometimes when they amble by. Mrs. Collins always smiles.

Anonymous said...

Some five-year-olds say that the best all round girl is a gril.

 
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