Night Owl Cards

I'm not in the habit of saying "dude" in conversation, unless I'm discussing "some random dude". I'm told that "dude" has been a regular part of the language among young people since the 1950s. I came across it, like many did, in the 1980s. While younger people will cite "Dude, Where's My Car" and "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," as well as "The Big Lebowski," my first "dude" association is Jeff Spicoli from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." I think I heard "dude" so much around 1982 that I officially became sick of the word back then. Calling each other "dude" has since become rampant. People like my daughter's best friend use it often and for everything. There is even a wikihow page that gives tips on how to stop saying "dude". (One of its items of advice: "move to another country.") But "dude" as a greeting or excl...