Honey, do you know where the “thing” is? You know, that thing we just used this morning?
Dear reader: a confession – I’m getting old. Okay, older. How can I tell? Well beyond the wrinkles and age spots, would you believe memory problems? Of course you would, particularly if you share my main concern: words. Or more precisely, the loss of them.
Increasingly I find that when I reach for a word, usually a noun, s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g as high and as far as I can – it’s just not there! I may try to disguise the disappearance of the word by substituting another one, a synonym. But sometimes even that is difficult. (If you don’t know a word, how can a thesaurus find its synonym?)
So instead, I’ll use the ubiquitous: “the thing.” As in “Have you seen the thing? You know, that thing we ordered from Whatsits-R-Us?” “I hope that new thing works; what’s it called again?” And I pray my partner* knows what the heck I mean. 😬
Lately I find myself attempting to describe the function or action or activity of the word. For example, “Where’s the thing that we use to remove cat hair from our coats?” (Answer: it’s called – what is it called?! Lint roller? Hair-remover tape? 😄) “Where are those things we put on folders, you know, with the name of the contents printed on them?” (Answer: labels!)
In sum, I think you get the idea. The – the – what’s that thing we say when something’s finished? – end! The end!
*Thanks to John Boone for his help with some of these words! 😜
Crossed Eyes and Dotted Tees 
Ugh, yeah, it’s starting for me. Sympathies.
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One good think – I think – is that it seems to advance very slowly… insidiously… argh!
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Yeah, I’m getting worried.
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Look – I just noticed I wrote to you: “One good think” instead of “thing.” Major eye roll. 😁 Sighh…
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I’m in the same boat and thankful I had an excellent vocabulary to begin with.
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That’s a good thing! 😀
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Yes, I know exactly where that thing that does that thing is. It’s in the thing room. 😉 And if you can’t find it there, you can order a new one from Things-R-Us.
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Sounds like the perfect thing! 😁
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🤣🤣🤣 oh yes that thing is alive and well in my house. Often misplaced but things do turn up once you look for the thing on the thing under the thing.
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Yes! And sometimes, my guy says, when you look for the thing on the thing under the thing, you find the *other* thing you were looking for! 😀
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😂😂😂
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You are preaching to the tone-deaf choir here. I’m sure there are entire arias devoted to the forgotten, the nonsensical, the tip-of-the-tongue twister frustration that is growing older. If only I could remember the words to the song.
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You’re so right! It’s the scourge of our golden-oldie years! Ha…
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Yeah, it happens. Mine happened before I started getting (got?) old for other reasons, but I know the problem of not being able to find the right word. I like the word ‘thingy’ over ‘thing’ – that’s when I remember it!
I found your blog via Luanne’s writer one.
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“Thingies” are small “things.” I think. 😀
Oh! Thanks for telling me re Luanne being the source! Must thank her! 🙂
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