WELL, HEY THERE! Come on in, sit down. Can I getcha anything? A coffee? Glass of wine? Bagel bites from the garage fridge? You sure? OK, well, you just let me know. Welcome to this handy guide to Midwestern conversation. Whether you're looking to become a Midwesterner yourself, trying to communicate better with a middle-American loved one, preparing for a trip to the heartland (bring a jacket!) or just brushing up on your hometown lingo, this dictionary of common phrases is for you. So take off your coat and stay awhile.
"Ope! Lemme just squeeze right past ya."
Excuse me. I am already mid-squeeze but have gotten close enough that I need to acknowledge our proximity. I'll come and say goodbye to you before I leave.
"Jeez Louise."
I am outraged, exhausted and baffled all at once. I will now sigh and shake my head three times.
"Yeah, no."
No.
"No, yeah."
Yeah.
"You betcha."
One hundred percent. Absolutely. I could not respond in a more affirmative manner.
"Mm-hmm. Yeah. You betcha."
I am finished with this conversation. I stopped listening some time ago. Let's wrap this up.
"Ope! Here I come again!"
I need to get by you again, so I'm using our newfound familiarity to make it less awkward for both of us. If I see you in the parking lot, I'll wave enthusiastically.
"He's a real nice guy."
Denne historien er fra March/April 2024-utgaven av Reader's Digest US.
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Denne historien er fra March/April 2024-utgaven av Reader's Digest US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Do You Kiss Your Dog? - Find out how gross your questionable habits really are, according to health experts
I admit it, when it comes to food, I have some eeew-inducing practices, like skimming mold off old cheddar and feeding the rest to my unsuspecting family. We're still alive, so how bad can it be? Because our gross human habits fall somewhere along the spectrum from mildly cringeworthy to full-on repulsive, I reached out to experts to find out where some common behaviors land on the gross-o-meter.
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Today’s physicians are burned out and battered by spreadsheets. We patients suffer too. America's doctors are in crisis. Six in 10 physicians say they're burned out, with burnout rates for some specialties, such as primary care, reaching 70%. When polled by the American Medical Association, 40% of doctors said they were considering leaving their practices in the next two years. Another study, conducted by health-care industry publisher Elsevier, revealed concerns about mental health and burnout: 63% of med students in the United States reported that they had no intention of practicing clinical medicine after graduation and will instead work as lab researchers or academics. This is despite a predicted shortage of 124,000 physicians over the next 10 years.
Now Hear This
Losing your hearing suddenly, even if there is no pain, is always urgent
Go for the Gumbo
The soulful stew synonymous with Louisiana is delicious anywhere you eat it
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
Pinned by a giant boulder, a hiker had two choices: panic or gut it out. He did both.
Fathers of the Bride
A young woman finds a unique way to honor the many men who helped her survive her childhood
MY SMART PET
These clever critters are some smart C-O-O-K-I-E-S
How Hobbies Help Us
Far from a waste of time, pastimes are good for body, brain and spirit
1+1 = MORE (or LESS)
A math whiz encourages you to play with your numbers
That Kind of Time
A dressing-room encounter made me get real about aging
