Say What??? New and Improved "Lingo"

Ok, so I've been know to throw around a big word or two along the way. However, I'm finding I'm totally out of my element with many sayings and symbols I'm running across these days. I don't want to believe that I'm too old to learn new tricks..I'm not a dog ferheavenssake. I shall study and prevail in this brave new world!

This one is a new favorite.. I wanted some descriptions/clarification of "widgets". Again, I went to Wikipedia, my research source for all things curious..

• Widget (economics), a placeholder name for an object or, more specifically, a mechanical or other manufactured device
• Widget (beer), a small bead-like device placed in the bottom of cans and bottles of beer to aid in the generation of froth
• Widget (comics), a character in Marvel Comics

Or....

• GUI widget, a component of a graphical user interface with which a user interacts
• Widget toolkit, a software library containing a collection of GUI widgets that collaborate when used in the construction of applications

• Web widget, a physically-inspired applet on the web

Does this clarify it to anyone? I personally like the "Web widget" description, but now I have to look up 'applet' to understand how it can be physically-inspired. Do we want our 'applets' physically inspired? Someone must. I am so not technically savvy yet, but I'm a-workin'-on-it! I also like the "Beer widget" This one I understand and the next time I'm out with someone who's drinking beer, I just might say "I'm just throwing this out there, but would you like a 'beer widget'?" Do you think I'll get slapped? "I said 'widget' not 'wedgie'" Sheesh... Soooo sensitive!

I'm not sure I'm any clearer, could be a 'collection of GUI widgets that collaborate'.... or could be a cartoon character... or could be a bead... great. Could it be less specific? I must say, however, just saying 'widget' is fun. "Hey, buddy, you got a widget stain on the back of your pants!"

Have you ever said an otherwise ordinary word you might use everyday until it just sounds strange? Plump is one of those words to me. Plump. Plump. It's really more of a sound than a word. Lets move on.

Call me "old" but I remember this as a 'pound sign' used when weighing fruits and veggies at the grocery store...not a link to more information or used as something to used to denote dissatisfaction.

I don't even know what this is really called, When I was taking typing in High School the teacher called it the 'at/each' symbol..and I remember it, too, as being used in the grocery store to denote buying several cans for a special price.. (ie: Lima beans.. 4 @ $.69) You could only get four at that price. The fifth was $.72. Not such a bargain so you only grabbed four. I think this might be an extra good buy if you liked Lima Beans.. which you know I do not, so I would carefully and sneakily put them back on the shelf when mom wasn't watching. And, voila! Look how she stayed within her shopping budget...$2.79 savings!! Ice cream cone money!!

So now I use it to tag, respond, and give credit to and for on Twitter and BlipFm. Complicated, but still better than Lima Beans.

Man, this world is moving fast. One day it's microwave ovens, then Widgets.. Widgets. Widgets. Can I ever get tired of saying this? Ok so you are tired of it, so I will let it go till you're not listening. Plug your ears.. *whispering* widget. Ok unplug your ears.

How did we communicate in the last millenia without these words? I guess it's the same as denoting the passage of time.. Before IPhones..After IPhones when once it was before dinosaurs/after dinosaurs.

Someday our kids will tell their kids.. "Johnnie, when I was your age all we had was IPhones and Widgets and hashtags". Be prepared for eye-rolling and "not that tired old story again..moooom. sheesh."

My parents said they were happy to have shoes to walk to school in the snow... it was uphill both ways.

Welcome to the brave new world, Candie, and as my friend the counselor says.. "Put on your big-girl panties and deal with it!"