Not that old-school after all.

[rsadelle]

I just went to Safeway for cake (yes, I am the kind of woman who will drive to the grocery store at 8:00 for a single slice of cake. Bad for my health and the environment, I know. But fudge iced cake: sogood.) The female half of the couple in front of me (Demographics: They were older than high school, under forty. I think they were younger than me, but I'm no good at that sort of thing.) in line leaned over the little slide your card thing and shelf to watch my slice of cake as it went all the way down the conveyor belt, and then said, "That looks hella good."

Apparently "hella" is still current. It's one of only two northern-southern California regionalisms that I know about, and certainly my favorite.

Just a week or so ago I read a comment online from someone who said she'd never heard "hella" until she moved to Southern California and heard it from people from Northern California. I wish I could remember where or why I read that.

(This junk food entry is taking the place of the real entries and emails I'm not writing. And, darn, if I'd waited until tomorrow, it would have been exactly a month between entries.)

Comments

[j-crew-guy.livejournal.com]

The first time I heard "hella" was when I visited Mike at UC Santa Cruz. And it was used by girls from Northern California, of course. hee.

[rsadelle]

I'm actually from Northern California, and we certainly used it in high school. I can still see ex-friend Laura saying, "He's hella fine."

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

I still hella quite a lot on campus, though before I moved here I thought it was actually a South-Parkism; I didn't realize it was a NoCalism.

Which Safeway has cake by the slice?

[rsadelle]

You win! This is where I read that comment, and I found it again by googling hella southpark.

I usually go to the one on Mangrove. I would guess the other ones also carry cake by the slice. (They're large slices.)

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you could interpret my sentence even though I seem to have left out the verb. >:-( It's been a long day. But I'm glad you found the quote.

Hmm, I don't recall ever seeing cake by the slice at the Nord Safeway, but I don't know that I've ever looked closely at their baked goods. (I know it's the worst Safeway in town, but it's also only a ten minute walk from my house).

Do you have any idea when you and the fanboys are going to the movie this weekend, btw? Saturday or Sunday?

[rsadelle]

You'll have to look and report back!

I don't know, but I can ask them and see if they have any intention of early planning.

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Why do I suspect early planning is unlikely?

I'm mainly asking because it looks like my Saturday is getting nibbled away by work stuff.

[rsadelle]

It's always possible!