A Geographic Apology

James,

I am penning this message to offer my sincerest apologies for not giving you full backing on your recent condemnation of the overuse of the phrase "I'm just sayin'."

I've come to realize that the reason I didn't pay the proper credence to your point is that it's not actually something people where I am say that much in casual conversation. In other words, I'm not worn out on it because I haven't really heard it to the same extent that you have.

Folks around here have similar sentiments, and are just as likely to punctuate an insulting statement with some sort of flippant rejoinder designed to absolve them of any hateful intent as people up North -- it's just that here in the South they're more likely to use a different qualifier as a closing.

I had never considered that these ideas were regional, but apparently they are.

For example, where you live -- a person might say:

"The Sky is Blue. Water is wet. I'm just sayin'."

While down here it's more like:

"The Sky is Blue. Something about water. Tim Tebow is the Greatest Human Being that
has ever existed. His smile cures cancer, and birds sing whenever he flushes the toilet."

So you can easily see how I could get confused as to your claims of the phrase being used to death.

However, my noticeable taste for blogs and web pages with a decidedly New York spin has recently led me to discovering the newsfeed/cluckfest that is Jezebel -- and within like a week of reading the talkback comments on their posts, I'm officially ready to say that I'm totally burned out on "I'm just sayin'." -- and will die happy if I never have to hear it again.

I apologize for ever doubting you. It won't happen again.

Sincerely,
-Daniel

p.s. -- Unless of course you get that Rancor tattoo on your head. Just sayin'.

[Listening to:   Skindred – "Killing Me" ]