Superfluous superlatives

I probably realised recently that I probably use the word probably too much…probably mostly in spoken form but I realised it when I left someone an 11 word note that used “probably” twice. I’ve probably been rather self conscience of it since then and have probably stopped myself from using the word many times since then, though I feel I probably still use it too much – oddest part: I don’t even like the word.

Anyway still busy wrapping up two papers this week (one a week usually taxes my system). I realized I’m laying out like 100 pages in a week and a half. Will get to run back to Nelson for a few days. Just wanted to check in and leave some random thoughts.

Another thing that bothers me (‘cause I know you lay awake at night worried about what bothers me) is superfluous use of exaggeration and superlatives. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not claiming to be any better than anyone else on this, it’s just one of those things that really gets under my skin. Like when someone says, “the car raced past at 1,000 miles an hour,” or “it was the funniest joke I’ve ever heard,” or…? (better examples I can’t think of at the moment).

Saw a crazy documentary the other day on a very rare case of a guy who has a 7-second memory, like the great movie Momento. He literally couldn’t carry on a conversation, read a book, or watch TV because mid-sentence he’d forget what was being said, let alone pages later.

He was unable to function on his own because he had no concept of whether he’d eaten, how to cook, or where his front door was for that matter. It was pretty staggering to try and imagine. It actually called into question some pretty basic notions of what makes us individuals and what makes up our unique personalities etc. Am I just the sum of my memories and experiences?