Thank God It’s Freakin’ Friday
Let’s talk about my use of the word “freakin’” up there in the title. Do you know that there’s no part of me that would rather use the real f-word? It seems like everyone I read has paid blogging gigs on other sites (I’m trying not to wonder why I can’t get one of those) and they always mention that that site will have less cursing or some such effect. Meaning, that their personal blog is where the cussing is. And while I use the words “ass” and “hell” and “crap” a lot – I’m not one for the f-word or the g-d combination. Do you think that’s why I’m not getting the other writing jobs? Should I be more of a sailor here?
In my normal speech I use those same PG-rated curse words quite often. Probably too often. I actually said “I hate that shit” at work yesterday. Since I work for people who don’t care too much, it wasn’t a big deal, but it’s probably not something that should flow so freely from my mouth. But, I don’t rely on the f-word or g-d combination much at all. I do periodically throw the f-word out, but it’s in extreme situations. Like when someone gives me a coke instead of a diet coke at a restaurant. (Just kidding.) (Maybe.)
In other words – I curse here like I do in my speech. Often with the mild words, but not much at all with the extreme words. And the funny thing is? I’m not sure why. I’m not at all conservative in body or politics, but in language? I am? My Dad didn’t curse a lot growing up (at all, possibly) so maybe I just grew up without that seeming normal. But, if I try to type the f-word, or if I say it, I feel bad. I wonder if anyone reading or hearing just got offended. If a first-time visitor leaves because I openly pronounce my support of GLBT Rights, then that’s fine. They probably wouldn’t enjoy it here anyway. But if they leave because they didn’t like that I used the f-word? I would feel stupid. Language is powerful and I don’t want to forget that. I don’t want to make the language G-rated since that’s just not me. I love the word “jackass” – I can’t control that. But there are other words that carry an emotional punch and I don’t want to throw that punch to an audience unexpectedly.
(Let me say, I am not offended by the f-word. Those of you who use it freely? Are kind of my idols, I’ll be honest. I sometimes wish I could do that because some stories I tell seem like they could use a good dose of extreme profanity.)
I guess it all boils down to this: I have some very fascinating and mind-opening things to say about boob sweat. I would hate for someone to miss out on that because they were offended by my language. It would be a tragedy of epic proportions. I want to keep the language mild enough so that everyone sticks around long enough to hear me talk about how awesome Super Target is. It’s mind-expansive stuff going on here, and I don’t want to scare people away.
Let me just say that – besides my thinking your blog is so freakin’ pretty – it is here where I first learned of the term “boob sweat” and have cherished its use, ever since ;o)
I know exactly what you mean. I do use the ‘eff’ word in real life, mostly when driving, but not often. I get a bad feeling, too, because in my book? It’s totally the WORST curse word. But that’s why it’s so much fun to use it. See, yesterday I even twittered using it, and that’s totally unlike me. But, in my defense, I was very frustrated, and it was much safer for me to use it out in Twitterland than say, over the phone, with frustrating people.
But you? are too funny.
My deeply profound thought on this is…..you write how you feel comfortable. If you instinctively feel a post needs profanity, then go for it. But if your natural way of speaking and writing is not to use it, then why would you do otherwise? We read you for your “voice” after all.
I curse ALOT. Even at work. Not like every other word, nor has anyone accused me of swearing like a sailor. However, those words fly out of my mouth quite a darn bit. however when I am posting on my blog? or someone else’s? I try not to do it….I don’t want to offend anyone. I guess that is it.
I am the same with you about your whole post!! I rarely use the “big one” (unless i am drunk, then its no holds barred!!). My parents rarely swore, and I think that was a good way to raise children (obviously, cuz i turned out perfect, right?) I have friends who swear allthetime in front of their kids and it drives me nuts–they don’t even know they did it until i point it out (cuz i am good friend like that)
Actually, confession to make . . . . I am ahem33ahem and I still don’t say the big one infront of my parents, purely out of respect. Its a stupid word.
@magpie – I don’t even say mild ones often in front of my Dad. Now, my mom cusses so I don’t worry too much in front of her, but my Dad? Maybe a “jackass” or something – but nothing major. I’m afraid he’ll ground me.
I swear like a sailor. And sometimes, on my blawg, I feel bad because there are days where I’m using cuss words every third or fourth word. And I think “there are better ways to say you’re effing pissed off!”
I’ve actually gotten better (if you can believe it) since I’m around kids more, with my niece and nephews. And I don’t work in professional sports anymore. Where you are shunned if you don’t swear. Yeah. I’ll blame it on that.
The mister and I were JUST talking about this last night. He feels like I’ve picked up his way of speaking, which sort of makes sense because we spend so much time together. The problem is that he curses like a sailor. A cussy, filthy-mouthed sailor. I mean, my mom curses a lot too so maybe that’s why I picked up on it so fast, but I really should slow down, both IRL and on my blog.
Plus it makes it so much better when you DO drop an f-bomb, because then it’s like, “whoa.” Like when my sister, who’s kind of religious, does it I’m like “she must be REALLY mad.”
Will you all hate me when I say that I appreciate that you don’t use the F word on your blog all the time??!! (Okay, maybe you won’t hate me…but you’ll make fun of me behind my back. That’s okay. I’m used to it.)
I will say that last year at school I read your site and Amalah daily. Now she is blocked by the filters for adult language. So I don’t read her as often because I don’t get online at home because the service is so slow.
I am glad you don’t use the real word or I would be able to read you here.
I cuss a lot more in real life than I do on my blog. Mostly because my parents read my blog, and I don’t like dropping the f-bomb too much around them. Once I tried to just not care and put the Big F in the title of a post, and I ended up feeling stupid about it for the rest of the day. I figure it’s just not worth the extra stress.
However I did just write an entire post about shit. So apparently I have no qualms about the rest of the 4-letter words.
I drop the f-bomb once in a while. I don’t mind when it’s used once in a while, but when it gets to the every other word in a sentence it can become quite annoying. Or, let’s say, every third word because for one of my friends it’s “word g-d f word gd f word f f gd word” (you get the message). That’s when I have to cringe inwardly and back away slowly…hey…got work to do…
Anyway, I didn’t really notice that you didn’t use it often so that just means you are writing the way you talk/think and that’s the best way!
I’m the same way when it comes to language use. I just don’t see the need to use the extreme profanity unless something is very, very wrong. It may slip out from time to time in the real world, but I never use those on my blog. However, jackass is totally acceptable as it has sort of become my hubby’s pet name.
I don’t curse at all. I grew up in a home where neither of my parents did either. My mom always said that if a person needed to use those words it was simply because they weren’t smart enough to think of any other words to use to get their point across. Now, I don’t necessarily agree with that but maybe that’s why I don’t use that language. My kids are often around the computer when I’m online and yours is one of the few blogs I read in their presense. They even read your entries at times themselves. So, I for one am glad your language isn’t too strong.
argh everything you write is so dead on that I have to comment before I even finish reading! lol. I barely ever write the f word, and I never write “g-d” because I’m religious…and even though I write about…really dirty things…I still find it hard to swear on paper. In person I say “f” a lot, and I swear a LOT worse, but I hardly ever say anything pertaining to God – the religion thing.
I curse like a sailor. Since having children I have made a VERY serious effort to watch the potty talk. I have succeeded pretty well, for the most part! But they are more likely to repeat words like” crap” and “damn”. Not too often, but my youngest said “crap” after hearing me say it. In front of my mother. If looks could kill I totally would be dead right now. She was PISSED!
I don’t hold it against people. We just are who we are. And sometimes nothing gets the point across like a good ” FUCK”.
But that is my opinion.
I wrote about this too, about how I don’t usually curse much in real life (I work in patient care, and for some strange reason people expect you to be professional or something) but if I am around someone who cusses or watch a movie with a lot of smack talk, I suddenly want to swear like an effing sailor. Because I am such a suseptible sheep. I made up stupid swear word replacements, because I find it funnier and more creative. I swear to Bob.
I am horrible. I curse like a nasty truck-driver or salior. It flies outta my mouth rather often. Pick a word and I probably use it several times a day. I try very hard to substitute my nasty mouth with more benign words… like Friggin, Freakin, Holy Moly and so on.
Sometimes I sound like a complete loon because I’ll scream out something like… “Holy Mother Freaking Kitchen Chairs Already!!!!!” My kids will looks at me strange and laugh, lol. But I am trying because my salior mouth is bad bad bad, lol.
And I try not to write cuss words too. I am much better at curbing that then I am at curbing my mouth…. but the effort is there… and I figure I have to get credit for trying right?!
I’m the same way with my dad. I don’t think he has ever heard me cuss. My mother on the other hand, when I cuss around her, it makes her laugh hysterically.
There are just some things that are still true of folks in the south. Our kids say yes ma’am and no sir – and Mama only cusses when it’s truly called for – which is to say on rare occasions. And we know when we hear it, that it’s a big deal. We use a lot of colorful expressions in the south so maybe we just have others ways of getting our point across the majority of the time.