UHM I just wanted to point out UHM that there’s a new phenomenon out there, taking over communication.  It used to be “like” that was taking over but I think a lot of people did not get the job for which they interviewed because every third word they said was, “like”.  I know I said I would never hire a person who used that word as a stall tactic when there was really no vocabulary skill.  There must have been others.  Thank GOD that has waned to some extend.  But NOW….OMG.

UH, now, UHM UH it has become popular to use the UHM UH pause that someone must have thought was charming or informal in conversation.  THAT person started it.  But NOW….it just makes people sound…dare I say it?  Unintelligent.  That’s not the word I wanted to use, but it’ll do.  I hear this all the time now and it makes me crazy.  It’s not just once in a while.  It seems like once someone starts doing that speech stall tactic, it worms its way into the brain and oh no, you can’t have a conversation with these people!  And…people are often like mules on the cart path, and they COPY copy copy.  It’s UM ridiculous.

Yeah, I’m UHM UH obsessive about using at least reasonably good speaking skills, I admit it.  But come on.  Most everyone has a college education these days, and they TEACH communication skills there.  I don’t THINK that’s been replaced by some kind of useless UM UH garbage.  Yeah, keep the cute accent and colloquialisms; I find them wonderfully charming and interesting.  Lose the UMs and the UHs.

Yeah, I know, you do you and I do me.  But UH don’t talk to me if you use that ridiculous UH UHM crap.  I’m begging you.  And if you are doing that, please.  Count how many times in a phone conversation you do it.  Then call that person back and ask them how much they enjoy your calls.  I dare you.