Yet another strange part of American culture I will never understand: when grown adults end phone conversations by saying "Hmm hmm bye."

Maybe I'm overreacting, but it drives me crazy! You've surely heard it done, maybe you're even an offender yourself. Housewives and cheerleaders maybe, but it's really weird when your brother's soccer coach says it. Or your best friend's dad--the last time that happened I was so thrown off by the fact that a 40-year old man would giggle before ending the call that in my disorientated state I called out, "I love you!"

. . . and then hung up. Can you say AWKWARD?!?!


Unfortunately, there's nothing being done to stop the madness. Even my poor, impressionable baby brother, Peter, has fallen prey to this evil. And he's not even two years old! But Peter does it a little differently: he picks up the phone, smashes his face into it, and shouts, "Bye! Hahaha HAHA!" before slamming it down. Oh the places he'll go. . .