I’m sure this happens to everyone. You go through phases where you use a particular word or figure of speech as if there’s no tomorrow. Eventually, they may seem like they’re threatening to take over your speech and will never be excised. Years later, you run into or hear from someone that you haven’t for a while and they’re still using things in their speech that you gave up years ago and had long forgotten about. I hadn’t seen my sister in years and was surprised to hear her say “I made a dragonoid!”* and “er-ee-uh”** for example
The most recent example is “fellows”. A perfectly acceptable and charming word for people that I had beaten out of me by Iowans in college through incessant mockery and teasing… Steve is keeping it real.
*from a happy meal ad
**from Papa Smurf, perhaps?
Eric Brightwell 