The slower I move, the faster the world changes. Do you ever feel that way? It isn’t that I feel old — at least not most of the time. Well, at least not half the time. Okay, it depends on the day. It’s that I feel so out of date: who are those Academy Award nominees I have never heard of, and what is an influencer — and who are they?
For example, I feel so clueless when I receive a text or email from a younger person — someone under 50 — and it’s sprinkled with mysterious acronyms. I have to look them up on the Internet, or as a last resort, ask my adult children what they mean.
I’m not a total idiot — okay, it depends on the day — because I do know some of the acronyms that have been around for a while: TMI — too much information, ETA — estimated time of arrival, FYI — for your information, or the one you often hear about adolescents: PDA — public displays of affection, but can also describe my wife and me when we are “smooching” in the parking lot. Okay, that is TMI!
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Instead of my usual Brain Tease, here are 10 multiple-choice questions to see how current you are in understanding Texting Acronyms. You can find all 20 questions on the website www.briddles.com/quiz/slang-chat.
1. What does “BRB” stand for?
a) Be Right Back
b) Big Red Button
c) Bring Real Beverages
2. “IDK”?
a) I Don’t Know
b) I Don’t Kneel
c) I Do Know
3. “IMO”?
a) Inside My Office
b) In My Opinion
c) In More Opportunities
4. “ROFL”?
a) Reaching Out For Love
b) Running Out of Fun Laughs
c) Rolling On the Floor Laughing
5. “BFF”?
a) Big Family Feast
b) Bright Future Ahead
c) Best Friends Forever
6. “TTYL”?
a) Time To Take Your Lunch
b) Talk To You Later
c) Tell Them You’re Leaving
7. “BTW”?
a) Beyond The Words
b) Behind The Wall
c) By The Way
8. “SMH”
a) So Much Happiness
b) Send Me Hugs
c) Shaking My Head
9. “OMW”?
a) Oh My Word
b) On My Way
c) Only Making Waves
10. “ICYMI”?
a) I Could Yearn More Insight
b) In Coming Years My Involvement
c) In Case You Missed It
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For about the last 10 years, I have bought raffle tickets to enter all the year’s “Remember When” winners into the Mid-Columbia Senior Center’s annual Holiday Bazaar Quilt Raffle, wishing and hoping that one would win. And finally, this year we have a WINNER! Kim Birge is the lucky winner of a beautiful quilt made by the Mid-Columbia Senior Center Quilters. The next drawing will be held at the MCSC’s Annual Cherry Festival Breakfast in April.
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The name of the writer known as the “father of the Western novel” and wrote the best-selling novel, “Riders of the Purple Sage” (1912), is Zane Grey. I will mention everyone who submitted the correct answer next week, since I needed to submit this column early due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
And last week, while watching Minnie Pearl joking with banjo-playing Grandpa Jones on Hee Haw, I missed Rose Schulz.
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This television sitcom, which aired from 1963-1971, told the story of a poor backwoods family from the Ozark Mountains who moved to California after striking oil on their land.
For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this television series that was the No. 1 series during its first two seasons? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-980-4645, or send it with a recording of the theme song played by Flatt and Scruggs.
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Well, it’s been another week, deciding when to put on the snow tires. Until we meet again, as my wife often affectionately reminds me, “Don’t try to be humble. You aren’t that good.”
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“If you want an interesting party, combine cocktails and a fresh box of crayons for everyone.”
—Robert Fulghum
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Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through Friday unless otherwise noted.
Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) — Wednesdays with music on second and fourth Wednesdays; Mt. Hood Town Hall (541-308-5997) — Tuesdays; Hood River Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center (541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333).
For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services: Goldendale office (509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).
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