Wanna hook up? (No, that's not what it means)

Since I'm writing a young-adult novels, I'm on a listserv (that's a newsgroup, to you usenet veterans) for young-adult writers. Sometimes, we authors post questions about teen lingo.

I wanted to know about teen dating terms, because my main character has a boy she really has the hots for (he's a poet and a loner, naturally...)

So I posted this to the group:

Hi. I'm wondering about teen terms for dating. I know that kids say "hooking up" these days, and that can mean anything from kissing to sex (I think). But do they still use "going out" for dating, or "making out" for kissing etc? Any other terms I should know?

Here are some responses:

Subject: Re: teen terms
According to my 17 yo teen, kids "go out" or are "going out," but she neveruses the terms "going WITH" or "steady" even if they are steady dating for along time. They're always just "going out." She also never uses the term"dating." :-)

Subject: Re: teen terms
Ditto in Florida in the world of 11 to 13 year olds. "Going out" is what I used to think of as "going steady" and, at least with the 11-year-olds, doesn't seem to involve actually "going" anywhere.-- Phyllis.

Subject: Re: Hooking up
Teens still say "making out," but the term "parking" is archaic. Then there's the silly slang like "tongue tango" and "swapping spit."

Subject: Re: Hooking up
"Going with someone" is dating with commitment.
And "talking" is the stage right before you commit, when you are actually dating, kissing, and doing everything that is still considered "slightly innocent."
I think the term "talking" is a bit more urban. But it'll be used like, "Oh, yeah, we hung out Friday night, but we're just talking."

Subject: Re: Hooking up
Last weekend we had a party and my mom was saying how they went to some place and got "High." But when she says it she means drinking alcohol. So I said, "Ma, you have to stop using that in mixed company because it means drugs to most people." And she said all of her friends know what it means.
So see there, two different generations, two different phrases, two people who won't let go of their phraseology. LOL

Just thought you folks would find that interesting.

No bull

A guy wrote to me the other day saying he likes hearing about New York life from my blog. So here's another slice:

I went to Nobu Wednesday evening. It's the swanky NYC restaurant that I often joke about with a certain friend of mine because it's where wealthy Wall Street dudes bring their dates. There was an article in NEW YORK Magazine a few years ago about how the recession was hurting guys who couldn't afford to take women to Nobu. That just broke my heart. Also, in the movie "Kissing Jessica Stein" (which I love; it's quite funny), Jessica gets a message from her mom on her answering machine: "Honey, your dad got us reservations at Nobu, and not at 5:30 this time!" I remember a bunch of people in the theater laughed, but one guy in my row said to his wife, "I don't get it."

Well, normally I don't get it either. But hey, thanks to the generosity of a good friend and her momma, we went. (And no, the friend is not a Wall Street fella, although I'm sure a few of them are nice.)

So, the food was delicious and interesting. They brought lots of small fish-based dishes for us to try, one at a time. I also had a fig martini.

Highly recommended.