Wherever We Land

If you’ve watched any of our YouTube videos, you’ve probably heard it. That little, sneaky, utterly pointless sound that slips out of my mouth without permission unless I have slyly edited it out. Yes, I’m talking about “um.” The word (is it even a word?) that’s been haunting my speech for as long as I can remember.

It’s like my go-to filler. I can be explaining something about our latest camping adventure, talking about the best way to set up a tent, or giving a heartfelt message about why nature is so important, and then… “um.” It swoops in like an uninvited guest. I could be mid-sentence, on the verge of delivering some truly profound camping advice, and what comes out is, “So, um, when you’re setting up the tent, um, make sure the poles, um, are… sturdy?” Great advice, right? Super clear. Thanks, “um.”

Now, the question we all need to ask is this: Is “um” even a word? I’m not entirely sure, but that hasn’t stopped me from using it like it’s going out of style. In fact, it’s become such a regular part of my vocabulary that even our YouTube videos are sprinkled with it. You could play a drinking game with the number of “ums” in our videos, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re prepared to, um… drink a lot.

But here’s the thing: I think it’s time I break up with “um.” That’s right, I’m ready to kick it out of my speech, my vocabulary, and yes, even our YouTube videos. “Um” has overstayed its welcome. It’s like the friend who shows up to every party but never brings any snacks — annoying, unnecessary, and kind of a buzzkill.

Of course, breaking up with “um” is not going to be easy. I’ve said it daily for, well… let’s just say I’m pretty sure it’s embedded into my DNA at this point. And getting through a YouTube video without it? That’s going to take some serious effort. But I’m determined. With practice, I’m sure I can retrain my brain to pause instead of throwing out “um” like a verbal life raft.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there will be some awkward moments. You might see me blink a few more times on camera, staring into space as I search for my next word. I may even start replacing “um” with other random noises, like, “So, uh… when you’re camping, uh…” But hey, at least it’ll be a step in the right direction, right?

So here’s to less “um” and more clarity in both my everyday conversations and our YouTube videos. Will it be easy? Um… probably not. But I’m ready to give it a shot, one “um”-free video at a time.

Now, I just have to figure out what to say next without using you know what.