‘Exciting’ has lost its meaning

Wow, can I just begin by saying how incredibly excited I am to be given this opportunity to write about such an awesomely exciting subject. Don’t worry, this isn’t the start of some interminable Oscars-worthy speech. In truth, I’m not remotely ‘excited’ at the prospect of writing this article about the overuse of the word ‘exciting’. That’s because I’m an adult and adults tend to temper their enthusiasm with cold, hard reality. 

The last time I felt genuine excitement, as in jumping around the room wild-eyed and whooping, was as a child when I awoke to find one of my dad’s old socks stuffed with toys draped over the end of my bed. For children, everything is exciting because everything is new and filled with possibilities, even an old sock. Grown-ups, on the other hand, are beset by disappointment, cynicism and doubt, making it hard to muster anything more than mild bemusement.