Somewhere on Twitter there is a tweet with an incredibly funny and accurate description of an extreme eye-roll.
It was along the lines of an eye-roll going so far that he or she was checking the back of his or her brain. I wish I could remember it because it really did make me LOL.
The eye-roll is a magnificent gesture.
Children develop the roll early, instinctively. Teenagers have it down to a fine art. Parents may only see said child/teen retreating, but you can feel it and hear it. You know how rolly it is. Mainly because it was one of your own silent youthful protests.
“Don’t you roll your eyes at me,” you (probably) shout as they walk away.
The first time there may be a bit of surprise that you knew they were doing it. Kind of reinforced the “mom (or dad) knows everything)” line. But it doesn’t stop the roll, and since they know you know, it’s not such a big step to do it before turning away.
And we don't grow out of it. Silent communication with a person near you while one of you is on a phone call with someone who has obviously lost the plot. Same with a fellow roller when you’re in the company of the idiot family member/friend going on an old, tired rant or making a new foolish observation.
It is clearly a thing: I was delighted when my boss sent me an eye-roll emoji which I didn’t know existed and is now my favourite.
Politicians and public personae are mammoth eye-roll instigators – they actually want us to believe what they’re telling us, when we have banked knowledge about spin and downright lies?
Eye-rolls get me through a day’s emails, and boy, do we get some doozies.
There are so many that tell you to Hurry! Hurry! There is only one day to get this incredible deal on something you don’t need at this amazing price! Or the ones that suggest your life can’t be complete and you will never ever have joy or happiness if you don’t sign up/become a member/join the gang/buy that thing.
Some of the items being sold in these special deals are so eye-roll inducing you also have to shake your head at the same time. Now that’s a workout.
Similar, it seems, to Sir Paul McCartney’s eye yoga.
According to a recent Bang Showbiz report, the 78-year-old Beatles singer learnt from a yoga instructor in India to give his eyes a workout and has been regularly doing so, something which he thinks has aided his vision.
“He explained that your eyes are muscles,” said McCartney. “Your ears aren't, so you can't exercise your ears.
"But your eyes, you can. So head still. And then you look up as far as you can, one, two, three, go back to the middle, then down, back to the middle. You do three lots of that then go to the left and the right. Now you've got a cross, up and down, and sideways, now you do the diagonals."
With all the eye yoga I do I should have 20-20 vision, but I sure don’t, so I reckon that ruins that theory.
But I wish I could give all my other muscles the workout I give my eyes. Then we’d really be on a roll.
- Lindsay Slogrove is the news editor
The Independent on Saturday