breathtaking.

I'm so not sure why I'm making this such a big deal; I guess I tend to mix and mingle with men of "few words."  But I went out on a limb and sent this photo to a friend and he responded that I was "breathtaking."  So I decided to do my own research on the word:


?Breathtaking: [breth-tey-king] –adjective

• thrillingly beautiful
• remarkable
• astonishing
• exciting

Origin: 1875-80

So I'm wondering, what happened in the late 1870's that caused someone to coin the word "breathtaking"?

• Stalin was born (yeah, that guy)
• The lightbulb, telephone & phonograph was invented
• Gold is discovered in South Dakota
• Rockefeller organizes the Standard Oil Trust

But I'm not quite sure my looks would exactly fit into that category of landmark events that were probably breathtaking in a sense.

Then again, maybe the word came to fruition at a wedding where a groom was overcome with emotion upon seeing his bride, and the following exchange occurred at the reception:

Groom: I, I just don't know what to say. You, you are just...

Bride: Oh dear.

Groom: When I'm around you, I can barely breathe

Bride: Like you've lost your breath?

Groom: Like you've taken it away.. You're breath-taking.

But I'm 100% positive I don't fit there either.
But maybe I just gotta learn how to take a compliment.


Pass me an inhaler.