Dirty Harry had "Go ahead, make my day."

Rodney Dangerfield says he gets "no respect."

Bill Clinton said, "I didn’t inhale," and "So, you want to be a White House intern?"

People live and die by what I like to call their "catch phrases." These little lines make us automatically think of the person who said them, and how we can use them in our own lives. I mean who would ever think about Dirty Harry, and not think about "making someone’s day?

These phrases often are picked up by the masses and become clichés of sorts. But, to me, there is still a thrill in hearing the original speaker say his famous line.

Please add to your list of catch phrases, "That’s precious."

You can attribute it to me, because to me everything is just, well, precious.

If you don’t believe me, ask any of my friends who have to listen to my daily rantings. Well, they may not actually be listening, but they do feign polite interest while I’m on one of my tirades. But I’m sure you don’t care about that.

Anyway, a typical conversation with me goes something like this:

Alice: Hey, friend, how are you?

Friend: Oh, I’m fine. I met the man of my dreams last night.

Alice: Well, that’s precious.

OK, that’s not so bad, but look at scenario two. Same friend, different conversation.

Alice: Hey, friend, how are you?

Friend: Oh, I was just diagnosed with a rare STD (guess "friend" must have caught it from the guy of her dreams), I failed my history test, and I’m doubting my sanity.

Alice: Well, that’s precious.

Hey, it’s not that I’m insensitive. I just think it’s great that she wants to share with me (precious), even if it is information I would rather swallow my own tongue than listen to again.

To me, everything is precious. Small children, cuddly pets, and steak dinners all are precious.

My friends, sunny days, great dance songs are precious.

Shirtless joggers, cold beer and fat people are precious.

Pick-up trucks, hot dogs and fresh bouquets are precious.

I’m not sure when I picked up the word, and why I use it as frequently as I do.

It probably has to do with my Southern heritage. My mama did try to teach me how to be considerate and gracious.

Of course, this was before the whole "motorcycle mama" phenomena, but that is a different column altogether.

Anyway, I didn’t think any of that crap stuck, but apparently the word "precious" stayed in my vocabulary.

For example, last quarter in my Journalism 504 class, my professor, Dr. Lee, would get just a little obnoxious. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Dr. Lee. I think he’s precious, but every once in a while he gets a little crazy. (Don’t be scared if you have him – he’s a lot of fun!)

However, while he was trying to teach us about communication law, he would use colorful examples.

Dr. Lee: Let’s say I go around and tell everybody that (then he would intently scan the room until his eyes rested on me) ALICE has syphilis. Would that be slander?

Alice (thinking): Well, that’s just precious that he used me in an example. Although, I hope no one really thinks that I have syphilis. A hint for those of you taking Dr. Lee this quarter: That is slander. Whenever the word syphilis comes up, say SLANDER.

In fact, every time Dr. Lee is in the middle of a lecture, someone just randomly scream out "Slander," and someone else yell, "That’s precious."

For those of you who don’t have Dr. Lee feel free to do it to any professor – just for fun.

So, here I am on a beautiful spring day, doing what I love best – writing a column and sharing my life with my favorite people in the whole world – all of you.

I can’t imagine anything I would rather be doing.

Isn’t that precious?

– Alice Coggin is a staff writer for The Red and Black. Her
column appears each Friday.