If I had to pick one set of words that have spewed out of my mouth more often than any other, my guess is that you would have heard, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME? ”  or “ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!! ” the most.

“You let the dog eat your $400 retainer!! A.R.E.  Y.O.U.  kidding me?!!! ”

Standing on the pull-over lane on a major highway in the 100 degree heat with a dead van as I said to Paul, “You took the panel off of the van (while I am driving) and pulled apart those wires. ARE YOU FREAKIN’ KIDDING ME!!! ”

“Are you kidding me? ” upon finding out that Andre was systematically going through the house and using everyone else’s toothbrushes when he couldn’t find his own.

On seeing Andre go into an outhouse sans sucker and returning from it with a lollipop in his mouth that he found on the outhouse floor. “Ohhh, gross, are you kidding me!”

Are you kidding me?!!! has become my mantra in regards to my slightly crazy mixed-up life.  Judicious use of “Are you kidding me?!!! ” makes me just that much closer to winning  THE MOTHER OF THE YEAR AWARD because I use it in place of “Oh, FUCK!” (my first inclination) in front of the elementary school just about every single day.

“Are you kidding me, you forgot your lunch again!”

“What do you mean you forgot your homework? Are you kidding me!”

“No, I don’t care if you tell your teacher you are on strike due to an increase in homework. Are you kidding me?!!! Yes, that is the way Democracy works and yes you have rights so go exercise them and get out of the car! NOW!”

The “Are you kidding me” phrase was also one of the first thoughts that ran through my head when B stated me might want a D.I.V.O.R.C.E. ….as in “are you kidding me????? ” you think you can manage this loony bin by yourself…”are you f’ing kidding me!!!!! ”

As much as I have used this phrase throughout my life, no one has used those words better than John Stewart when mocking the Republican party. His “Are You Kidding Me” tirades are classic. Mine too. Therefore, in honor of my extensive use of these perfect tell-all-end-all words, I have decided to give them the glory that we both deserve: