Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Uff da!

For those of you who did not grow up in a largely Scandahoovian Midwestern town, Wikipedia offers this explanation of "uff da' for you:

Uff da is an exclamation of Norwegian origin that is relatively common in the Upper Midwestern states of the United States. It roughly means "drats," "oops!" or "ouch!", especially if the "ouch!" is an empathetic one.

In Norwegian Midwestern USA cultures, "Uff Da" translates into: "I am overwhelmed."

"Uff da" is often used in the Upper Midwest as a term for sensory overload. It can be used as an expression of surprise, astonishment, exhaustion, relief and sometimes dismay. The term has been heard among men when a particularly attractive woman enters a room. Conversely, many Roto-rooter and septic system repair trucks have "Uff da" proudly painted on the back.

I've seen the "uff da" Roto-rooter trucks. Very amusing.

I am having an uff da kind of week. So much to do, so much to do. Looks like the timing belt is shot on the car - EEEK. Planned obsolescence at 100K is fine and dandy, but jeez louise! Did it really have to coincide with the brakes taking a mechanical dirt nap? I think the time has come for me to have to sell something I really prize - my 1929 Soviet charity auction poster. It's got wrinkles, it's not mint, but it is freakin' cool and a rare creature, for certain. Modern Russian paper stinks - paper of the 20s? It's amazing it isn't a handful of itchy dust! It goes beyond ephemera, frankly, and into the category of "lucky to have survived its own printing."

My sister found this poster - and its twin - in the bottom of a box at a garage sale in Iowa many moons ago. A couple of weeks ago, her husband took the twin poster (also framed) to Antiques Roadshow, where it was appraised.

And I'm bummed to say, it would pretty much cover the cost of the damn timing belt. Grrr!

I told a friend today, it's just a thing. Yeah, a thing with a tie to a very unique era in history - and with great design - but it's a thing, nonetheless. The thought of it in the hands of another Sovietica fan will make me happy at some point, but not quite yet.

In other news, I'm up to my neck in projects at work. I was at the office until 10 tonight (after which I stopped at the Burger King on Connecticut and insisted on my money back for the moldy-bunned chicken club they sold me at lunch. I think they were surprised when I handed them the offending sandwich, which I kept in my office fridge today. Yummy.) I anticipate being at work about that late for the next couple of nights. My brain will be fried by Saturday, I guarantee.

Our stunningly cool weather will turn back to hellfire by the weekend, changing DC from a pale imitation of San Francisco to a fairly accurate depiction of Hades once again. Well, it is August. I can't grumble too much, I suppose.

Other than that, I'm keeping head above water. A little crankier right now, but a bright spot popped up in my day today. My friend Lunesse had her baby! Hooray, Lunesse! You and DLJ will be great parents. Can't wait to see the first photos!

And speaking of photos, the Sasquatch and I took a brain break at the Montgomery County fair last Saturday night - just a couple of hours on photo safari, but it was a blast. I'll pull out my best photos and post them here tomorrow. Corndogs and neon and lots of skanky chicks with bleached hair, big knockers and very visible tramp stamps. Ahhh, America!

Off to bed now.






2 comments:

Chuck said...

Hmmm...I don't know that phrase, but Wisconsin had mostly German immigrants, not Swedish. Had I lived in Minnesota, I'm sure it would be more familiar to me. Oh, and good luck with your car...I know maintenance expenses when you're already short on cash do suck even worse than normal.

Sudiegirl said...

Tramp stamps.

GOOD ONE!