Wednesday, February 09, 2011

What's a Dirty Bit? Again I Find Myself Out of Touch.

First it was a G6 and now it's a Dirty Bit.

I couldn't help myself when I first heard Dirty Bit in the Black Eyed Peas "Time of my Life" song. And when I looked it up was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't the only one captivated with yelling it out spontaneously, like the Anti-Jared. I, too, hated the remake (no offense) but eventually it grew on me but mostly because I think I look forward to "Dirty Bit."

Me likey "Dirty Bit."

I can't stop saying the word.

I say it at completely inappropriate times and I say it completely out of context. Although I haven't the faintest what the context for it might be. But I have a great imagination so there are lots of places that the "dirty bit" might fit, at least in my own vocabulary.

For instance: he's a player. Therefore, he's got a dirty bit.

Or, I'm about to say something naughty so cover your ears. Dirty bit coming. You've been warned.

But it's not enough to say "Dirty Bit" as if in a proclamation of such; you can't just say it in an "I declare!" type of way, ("I declare DIR-TY BIT!") No. It doesn't work that way and deems the word completely ineffective.

It has to be said quickly, as if in one word, and in a low monotone. Like a computer might say it. You might even put your chin to your chest and pucker your lips a little while you say it. Like Goldmember when he says, "KC and the Sunshine Band" or the little kid, "Brick," from "The Middle" might whisper a word he likes after he has already said it out loud once (if you watch that show.)

Dirtybit.

The best usage of "dirty bit", I've found, comes when no one has said anything for a while and there is a big long empty space that needs to be filled.

Or if you have nothing better for a status update.

Or you want to harass someone's "wall," especially if you haven't spoken to them in a while.

Or in a text while you know that someone is in a meeting.

Dirty bit makes no sense in any context, but it works.

Don't ask me how.

Sometimes when I'm snuggling with the husband on the couch.

"Dirtybit."

And he will repeat, as if in an acknowledgement in his own computervoice, "dirtybit."

It doesn't mean anything.

It just is.

Dirtybit.

So I guess you're wondering what the heck it is anyway, right? And I, the completely out of touch couponing mini-van mom who hadn't the faintest what a g6 and a stickle or shizzle or whatever those words that they say in the cheesestick song were but went and did the research on has gone and researched again. WHAT IS  DIRTY BIT?

With my husband looking over my shoulder watching me Google and coming up empty for at least 20 minutes, sifting through pages and pages of theories on the Dirty Bit, like: that it's actually supposed to be "dirty bitc*" but they left off the "ch." (That's not it.) Then I got lost in tech forums describing a dirty bit and how to clean them or turn up the volume on them and as someone who is completely tech-less and will eventually totally be passed up by future generations in computer usage understanding and is already slipping down the slope as we speak, just saw a bunch of gobbledygook and mental question marks.

Coming up empty. But the question automatically comes up when I search so I know again I am not alone in my wonderment of the dirty bit.

So then after scrolling to at least the 4th page, I found the answer straight from the horse's mouth from one of the Black Eyed Peas to the question, "What is a Dirty Bit?" (Thank you, reporter, for just coming out and asking.)

The answer is:
"It’s saying the beginning in a different way. It’s going back to the beginning, and dirty bit is eight bit, and that’s how technology started. So dirty bit, going back to the beginning when you used to play Atari and those graphics."
OK, so it still makes only a little sense to me but it is still fun to say inappropriately and so I do.

Dirty bit.

Just in case you were wondering.

You're welcome.

6 comments:

april said...

This totally reminds me of that time at dinner at fitbloggin. Thea knows what I'm talking about.

Kirsten said...

And now you've done the research and I still don't get it. But okay. Whatever. :)

Bari said...

Boy, you really did your research! I am going to continue believing that a dirty bit is a naughty bit, KWIM?

Roo said...

I prefer to think it's naughty too. ;)

LC said...

I saw your tweet and I was REALLY confused! Too funny!

Joanna said...

I actually saw an interview with Will.I.Am asking him that question. He said the whole album "The Beginning" is in memory of when music began... 8 tracks, records, etc. He gave the explanation that the 8-bit "dirty bit" was the true technology revolution - thus, being the "beginning" of what has happened since.

Their last album "The E.N.D." (Energy Never Dies) is a celebration of how far technology has come..no more CDs, but MP3s and iTunes. Downloading music from the internet rather than buying it... mixing music to create new tunes.

As you can tell, I'm a HUGE Black Eyed Peas fan.. hopefully my little chunk of useless pop culture knowledge helps through some light on "dirty bit". ;)

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