Linguistics, Semantics, and Other Awesome Words

Retirement: a concept that, post- or current recession (whether you're an optimist or a realist), probably has to be retired. In this case, though, I'm not referring to myself--I don't want to retire--but to certain overused, underage words. To wit:

Awesome.
Amazing. 
Cooooooooool.


I love these words. I've used them since I became aware of them back in the Tedolithic Period--that would be 1989, the year Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure came out. Linguistics experts would argue that modern "Awesome!"-speak can be traced back as far as 1982, when Frank Zappa's "Valley Girl" single created a whole new language, but I think dude-speak really took off as commonplace with B&T. Discuss.

Since I'm old mature enough to have been around for both, I wonder if it's time for me to stop using these words. For one thing, words like amazing are now very un-amazing, having been overused into impotence. For another, I wonder if someone with grey streaks in her hair--no matter how adorable they may be--sounds stupid when saying, "That's ah-MAAAAAYZING!" Or worse: Giving someone the thumbs-up of approval while intoning, "Awesome." I mean, who the f*c% am I, Keanu Reeves?

Even Kee, as those of us who worked in the teen mag world used to lovingly refer to him, probably does not say "Awesome." Yes, even Cool Breeze Over the Mountain probably wanted to sound like an adult at some point. And what a fine adult he's turned into...

... Jeez, where was I? Oh yes! My question: Woman over 40. Hair greying beautifully. Opens mouth and says, "Awesome" or "amazing." Wrong? Meh? Who cares? Discuss.

Besos, chicas fabulosas y hermano hotcha.

PS: I think I can still use "cool," since that's been around since the Jazz Age. Si? No?