I am so sick of hearing this word being used on TV that I want to throw up. What is it? Amazing. I heard it at least five times last night on American Idol. It's being used so much that it's become a crutch word, a word that people use when they can't think of anything else intelligent to say. "I had such an amazing experience." Sound faniliar? How about this. "He's such an amazing person." Can we not come up with other adjectives to describe people, places or events any more? Use a dictionary or thesaurus. Please!

When I wrote my first draft of The Chimes of Yawrana, I was guilty of overusing words. At least I recognized what I did wrong and corrected the mess. Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. I don't know how this word caught on, but the madness needs to stop. I'm starting the protest here.