The words fiasco and debacle are terrific words.  However, they sometimes can be used haphazardly in certain situations.  Never actually being aware of how strong these words are, I am guilty of abusing them without acknowledging their official meanings.  Throughout the last two weeks, I have tossed these words out of my mouth like a salad shooter or balls exiting a pitching machine.  I feel as though I’ve been unfair and wish to apologize to these words.  This is not easy……I’ve never had to do this before.  Here it goes:  Sorry, Mr.and Mrs. Fiasco.  Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Debacle.  That hurt, but now I feel a little better.

Official Ridiculous Definitions: Fiasco: “a complete ridiculous failure”.

Debacle: “a crushing defeat” or 2, “a ruinous collapse”.

My father used to watch Monday Night Football with us and was agitated with words so commonly used from commentators such as “unbelievable” and “incredible”.  A wide receiver catching a ball across the field is not incredible or unbelievable when it occurs several times a game.  A talented and wonderful play…..yes, but not incredible or unbelievable.  Let’s save those terms for someone who jumps off the top of the Empire State Building without a parachute, lands on his or her feet without a scratch, and then heads for some good Italian food.  That’s both unbelievable and incredible.

Let me explain where this may or may not be going.  My wife and I were assisting the move of one of our dear friends moving from Spokane, Washington to Los Angeles, California.  Since we reside in Seattle, Washington and my friend lived in Spokane, our only choice was to facilitate communication between the moving company and our friend while he painstakingly placed all of his precious belongings in packages, boxes and bags. (I stole that line from my man, Dr. Suess……Grinch).  It  wasn’t an easy task for all of us, but I can’t really consider it a fiasco or debacle.  If he doesn’t arrive safely in LA, then we may choose such words.  Otherwise, it was simply a boiling mess.  I don’t believe it was a ruinous collapse, crushing defeat, or a complete failure, it was simply a time to help clean up.

The next time I complain and moan about vacuuming our dog’s hair, I will refrain from using the phrases, “This is a (bleeping) fiasco”.  Or, “What a (bleeping) debacle”.  I’ll merely yank the remaining hairs off the top of my head, and think, “This is a mess”.

Those messes can be easily cleaned up without punching a fist through a wall.  I’m old enough and wise enough to know that just costs me more money and, more importantly, cell phones and remote controls.

Godspeed to my friend…..I hope he makes it