Just a Little Word Game

I am a person who has spent my entire life in a constant state of curiosity, with an insatiable need to know. Everything.

While I am painfully aware that my brain refuses to admit it does not have the room to know and retain everything, the fire my brain keeps lit for knowing continues to burn, and it would see refuses be extinguished.

OK, I will admit, science is not my “thing.” Most of what goes on in the sciences frightens me or simply slips over my head, so I tend to pretend it’s a foreign language, one which I don’t need to learn or even know about. Those who know me at all know keeping up with the Jones, (whoever they are) is not my “thing” either.

Here’s something you may or may not know about me. I do like to keep up with the language of the day. Well, perhaps I should say the “in” language, the language the younger one’s use. (younger than me that is).

If it makes you feel any better, I have 10 grandchildren (whom I refer to as my Grands) all of whom try to keep me in the proverbial loop.

So, in keeping with what I hope is YOUR wild curiosity; I offer you the following challenge of the day. Do not panic if you don’t recognize most or any of these challenges. I hereby give you permission to ask any teenager. Or, if all else fails, just ask Google!

Ready? Take a deep breath: only for a second or two, then breathe normally. For goodness sakes, don’t faint. Hold whatever fainting caused by frustration until you have completed the challenge and have seen your score.

Your challenge: How many of these words/concepts can you honestly say you know of or you have used in your everyday life? And go!

Spotify, gifs, meme, Threads, Facebook, Instagram, X, Reddit, Bluesky, Snapchat, Tik Tok, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Discord, Truth Social, Webchat, YouTube, Pinterest, meow talk, jib jab, emoji, Google, Shazam it, podcast, Facetime, Airbnb, Twitch, Gmail, jacked up, woke …

Don’t stop, you are not nearly done yet. And don’t cheat by asking a teenager!

Hotmail, Marco Polo, Hinge, Bumble, eHarmony, match, coach, JDate, Libby hoopla, Pandora, couch surfing, Tinder, OK Cupid, Uber.

Nope, not done yet, keep going. Perhaps a stiff drink is in order.

Lyft, PayPal, Zelle, Telegram, Tumbler, Messenger, Gen X, Gen Z, Gen Alpha, marlin, Waze, Yelp, Yuka, Zillow, Shutterfly, Etsy, Substack, Open Table, Resy, eBay, VRBO, Viator, Agoda.

How are you doing so far? Have you noticed that some words seem familiar, however, those that do, are not used the “old” way? Take for example messenger, couch as in couch surfing, hinge, match, thread, bad actors (and here I do not refer to Broadway), Tik Tok does not refer to a clock, just to name a few.

Trust me when I tell you, this is not a complete list. There are so many more, too many for my brain to absorb. I encourage you to create your own “in” words. If you use them often enough others will begin to use them and then you, too, can be listed in our word game challenge. Congratulations to those who did not faint, to those that did, try and try again!