WTF?

Epic

When I was a kid, that word was used to describe movies. Not your typical, run-of-the-mill films, I’m talking about movies such as Superman – The Motion Picture, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Die Hard. Films now called “Blockbusters”. (Which is odd to me: what makes a Blockbuster a Blockbuster? Whose block is being busted?)

Today, my daughter uses “Epic” to describe a successful event. Whether it’s a good grade on a test or finding matching socks.

Songs and books are also called "Epic", but I can get behind those since they can be considered creative works like the epic films of my day.

Then she tells me about the variation on that theme: the “Epic Fail”.

When a skateboarder falls on his face, or a nervous kid drops the ball during a game, or someone asking for a date is shot down, these are examples of the “Epic Fail”.

I hated getting laughed at when I fell on my face, dropped the ball, and got shot down. So I can only imagine how it would feel to have those things be called “Epic Fail’s”.

To me, the most recent things I firmly believe earned the right to be called “Epic” are the Lord of the Rings movies.

“Epic Fail’s” would be the Transformers trilogy, or the Star Wars Prequels (all of which, I believe, are “Blockbusters”).