A WORD EPIDEMIC.

Why do so many people suddenly begin their sentences with "so"? "So, I spent the weekend at home." It's a constant usage on Jeopardy during the contestant interviews. Even experts being interviewed on talk shows often start speaking with "so". Why is it so ubiquitous these days? Where did I begin? I have been on a drive to get everyone to drop the superfluous "why" after the word "reason". I can't deal with another word epidemic. Not when the totally incorrect phrase,  "If I would have known" is still raging throughout the nation.