Perception at Play

Here are a list of words people seldom use, but when they do - a certain importance hangs on each one... as well as the user:

1) Red Eye - You're not taking the red eye flight from San Francisco or LA unless you're REALLY important. You need to get somewhere - and your schedule is just TOO packed and busy to use up 5 hours of a "normal-person's day."

2) Jet Lagged - Often the result of taking the 'Red Eye' - and even though I arrive at destination half-asleep, you should cater to me because I'm soooooo 'Jet-lagged' (aka - multicultural, time-zone hopping, important).

3) Pate - Ordering this at a restaurant will make you feel super important and privileged, and will often impress your fellow patrons. But if you REALLY liked pate - wouldn't it be in your fridge?

4) Maid - when you use 'maid' instead of 'housekeeper' or 'cleaning lady' - you evoke the sense that you're super-rich - like the Drummonds on "Diff'rent Strokes" and this person makes your meals.

5) Acupuncture - I know first-hand how this little word can impress. People admire your bravery for submitting yourself to natural healing and holistic approaches - not to mention the associated cost with some of these treatments. Little do they know it's not as expensive as you think when a caucasian guy named Ron - with no formal training or certificates or diplomas - randomly shoves needles into you. But your 'acupunture' appointments sure make you sound important and enlightened!

6) Barneys. No one uses this word unless they live in New York - and if you shop here - that makes you sound super-hip and trendy. But then again, if you live in NYC, aren't you supposed to be super-hip and trendy?

7) The Shuttle. No one who doesn't fly between DC, Boston, or NYC knows what the shuttle is... so using this in conversation makes you sound like part of a club... a secret "shuttle" club.

8) Car Service. Before I lived in NYC, when I would talk with my NY friends over the phone - sometimes they would say things like "I'm taking the car service" or "I need to get a car service." I imagined this as a personal limo service - thinking my friends were soooooo important. Little did I know anyone in NYC can get a car service, and it's either by a company named "Carmel" or by a guy who plays DR music WAY TOO LOUD, and tries to repeatedly hit on you by using his homemade business card.

What other ones are out there?