The Not-So-Little-Drummer Boy went back to school earlier this week. After several days of concentrated effort, I have mostly exorcised the inappropriate use of the word "like" from my vocabulary.

At one point while he was here, I challenged him to go an entire day without saying "like." "I can't do it," he replied. "I've tried." In frustration, I growled "You sound like a Californian!"

There was a stunned silence. Then my born-in-Palo Alto, raised-in-Mountain View son answered, "Mom... I am a Californian."

Oh, yeah. Forgot about that.