Smarmy

Phoney, fake, insincere, feh...

So, I am sitting trying to think of something exciting to write about, or if not exciting, to stop complaining and try a new tact of seeing the glass half full instead of getting annoyed because I have to get up to refill the glass. And into my head pops the word, “smarmy.”

Yes, I know this happens alot with me.

Random words just POP into my head.

Honestly, I don’t know if this is a cranky old lady thing or evidence of a greater underlying issue of entropy and decay.

But I am getting a kick out of how the word sounds.

I keep repeating it to myself.

SSSS…MMMM…AAAA…RRRR…MMMM…YYYY…

But why this word of all the words in the english language?

I think it’s because election season is upon us, and it is giving me really bad creepy vibes. (No arguing in the comments. I will delete anything untoward.)

Oh, yes, televangelists are smarmy. Looking for something to watch Sunday morning in between news talk shows, and you still come across these pretenders. Those that pray on the vulnerable and afraid, these people are contemptible, down right horrible to use people’s fear of God to bilk them out of money.

(And yes, I should avoid the news talk shows and I might not channel smarmy so much anymore.)

Maybe I keep thinking of smarmy, because I keep getting emails from unknown sources offering me jobs. They can’t even spell or use proper grammar, but yeah, I want to work for you. And yes, I know they are all scams.

(This reminds me of an episode with a new vice principal at the boys high school, back so many years ago. He sent out a letter introducing himself to the parents. One of the women in town, sent it back with grammar, and spelling corrections marked in red ink. Yep, the letter was that bad, and the school board still kept him around for years. The hubby thought it was a mean thing for this woman to do. I was more upset that our school district couldn’t find anyone other than this ignoramus to teach our children. Remember this man had to have a Master’s Degree in education to get this job, too. And everyone thinks the issues with higher education just started this past year.)

Maybe I channel the word smarmy because I watch the news conferences held by the State Department and White House. I simply can’t decide who is worse, the reporters or the communication people. The journalists, if you can call them that, keep asking the same questions over and over again, and the government reps keep giving the same answer. It’s as if simply because you don’t get the answer you want the first time, ask again and expect a different answer. This staged inanity is simply another version of what Einstein called, “insanity.”

Maybe my brain ponders the word smarmy, because of the ridiculous number of heat waves we have had so far this year, and the intensity of the hurricanes. I joke that the northeastern part of the US, where I live, has now become a new tropical zone. My flowering plants (hydrangea and hibiscus) look amazing, by the way. But this heat, keeps getting me to think of the stereotypical tattoo sleeved florida used car salesman who swelters under the sun trying to get you buy a piece of junk that will break down within 5 miles of leaving the lot. Hence, smarmy.

Ok, apologies to florida…it’s not the state’s fault that it’s known for crocodiles, swamps (what’s left of it anyway), pythons, red necks, cocaine and octogenarians (Ok, maybe it is the state’s fault). Read a report the other day, something important to us folks walking around with our AARP cards, that south florida, Miami Dade and the Boca area, are now some of the most expensive areas in which to retire. So much for looking to go to the Sunshine State once that pension and social security kicks in. Not sure what is going to end up being affordable for us old folks other than East Palestine, Pa. (By the way, I feel really bad for the people there. They can’t sell their homes, and they are all getting really sick, and no government agency, or company, seems to be doing anything to help them.)

Maybe I keep thinking of smarmy, because I keep getting people coming to my front door trying to sell me stuff like in the olden days of the traveling salesman. They are mostly youngmen, and they do back up when I open the front door with my greyhound at my side. (Even when she smiles she shows some pretty big canines, and if you didn’t know she is just a spoiled brat, you would back up too.) I do feel bad for them. I don’t see them as scammers, truly just trying to make a living, but nobody really goes door to door anymore. Today everyone just sends flyers in the snail mail. Scammers send emails.

That reminds me, watch your really elderly. The evil SMARMY bastards buy people’s information off the dark web and convince grandma and grandpa that their bank accounts are going to be closed down if they don’t transfer money to them. (“There was a mistake and you now owe the bank money…etc”) They tell people they have to give them cash and the elderly go out, get cash and the creeps show up at their door for the money. Or they ask them to transfer the money to them using the coinstar machines in the supermarket. (There was a case where a financial advisor in her 50s actually fell for the scam, too. No offense to her, but if she is that gullible at 50, there is no way I would let her touch my money -If I had any that is….)

And just in case you are wondering, I am not including the pro-Hamas protestors (schools, organizations, list makers, professionals) in this list of smarmy. These garbage people aren’t smarmy, calling them smarmy would be an insult to the smarmy. These individuals are total unadulterated sociopathic fucking low life antisemitic c**ts just like their heroes Sinwar, Haniyeh and the murdering psychotics who took part in October 7.

Also smarmy is not for the human traffickers, drug cartels, or child and animal abusers. Those too are vile human garbage that should be locked up and put in cages where they belong, and left there to rot.

Yes, this post has obviously has taken a turn to the dark side. I know. Well, it is Tisha B’Av, a Jewish holiday when we remember all the evil that has befallen the Jewish People during human history. Sadly, it is also a long list.

But now back to smarmy.

I guess smarmy resides throughout life in the recesses of civilized society. There has always been those who skirt the rules, a stereotypical loser who tries to make it rich without having to put in the real work. That is smarmy. Those who think they have “je ne sais quoi,” but in real life, have “je ne sais don’t…”