OT: What's with non-potty mouths?

[QuikSand]

Serious topic, really - not just a knock-off of someone else's...

I am amused by people who make serious efforts to go out of their way to use faux-curse words like "darn" and "friggin" when in an adult setting.

Okay - I understand that when around children, or even in an environment when you might be, it makes sense to avoid inappropriate language. I can handle that.

But when you're among adults, and you choose to use a not-quite-curse word... what do you accomplish? Okay, you said "friggin" instead of "fucking" -- got it. Why is the word "fucking" bad to say? Presumably because it has connotations of an act that is inappropriarte to discuss in polite conversation, right? It's not the order of the letters that makes it impolite - it's the meaning of the word. If that's true, though, why would it be okay to use another word that transparently has the exact same meaning and connotation -- but is just a different set of letters?

Maybe a clearer example -- why should "crap" be acceptable where "shit" is not?


A have a long list of things that make little sense to me... this is on there.

[rkmsuf]

And you can sleep?

Actually you, Powell and Ashcroft should have a little pow-wow...

BTW I agree with the line of reasoning...

[j25352857]

it bugs me.. especially when watching movies on tv that are rated R... they can say bitch but they edit out shit or cock... I don't get it

[Kodos]

Is QuikSand really friggin' George Carlin?

[Fritz]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Actually you, Powell and Ashcroft should have a little pow-wow...

in full Indian regalia

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Fritz

in full Indian regalia

If you can hold it a Redskin Park all the better...

[Ksyrup]

I say frigging and freaking instead of fucking because my wife gets pissed when I say fucking. If she's not around, all bets are off.

I think it has to do with what we were taught as kids. Sometimes those lessons about what is appropriate and what is not, do not completely leave us. For some people, like my wife, the word "fuck" is WAY over the line of what is appropriate, even as an adult.

On a somewhat related note, I'm curious about what words or phrases people have come up with to cover up "swearing situations" in front of kids - situations in which, if a child was not present, you would otherwise let the expletives fly. I supposed this is aimed primarily at parents, but not necessarily. Anyway, in the past going-on-5 years that my daughter has been around, I've developed a few:

Snuffalufagus = Son of a bitch
Jinkies = Dammit, Shit, Fuck
Good Gravy = Good God, Good Lord, Jesus, Jesus H. Christ on a Popsicle Stick, etc.
Woobafa = WTF
Flapjack - Jackass, MF'er, Bastard, etc.

I can't be the only one who does this - right?

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Serious topic, really - not just a knock-off of someone else's...

I am amused by people who make serious efforts to go out of their way to use faux-curse words like "darn" and "friggin" when in an adult setting.

Okay - I understand that when around children, or even in an environment when you might be, it makes sense to avoid inappropriate language. I can handle that.

But when you're among adults, and you choose to use a not-quite-curse word... what do you accomplish? Okay, you said "friggin" instead of "fucking" -- got it. Why is the word "fucking" bad to say? Presumably because it has connotations of an act that is inappropriarte to discuss in polite conversation, right? It's not the order of the letters that makes it impolite - it's the meaning of the word. If that's true, though, why would it be okay to use another word that transparently has the exact same meaning and connotation -- but is just a different set of letters?

Maybe a clearer example -- why should "crap" be acceptable where "shit" is not?


A have a long list of things that make little sense to me... this is on there.

To me it's the strength of the given words and what I want to accomplish with what I'm saying. Around here I use both depending. Some emotions don't deserve a full fuck but in my mind as I'm constructing the sentence a frick or sometimes flip or frigging is appropriate.

I don't really have any rules about this per se; it's all in how it sounds internally to me.

I do know one thing, however, when the hammer strikes the thumb straight on then frick or flip or frig is simply not a powerful enough word to convey the true impact of the situation and only a good FUCK!!!!
will do even if I'm in an fundamentalist all girls elementary bible study group with the head whatever he's called in that setting guy and all his spinster assistants around. I think they'd all be able to relate deep down even if they couldn't admit it.

[rkmsuf]

In times when it's called for I have no time for substitution.

I don't swear much around the fam at all and not much in general but on the isolated occasion I let the expletive fly...we are taking hammer to the thumb, nail through the foot stuff...I feel justified in keeping it real.

Other than that the swearing is confined to the golf course...

[Alan T]

My wife and I made sure to cut out cussing anywhere a few years ago. Not because we got offended by others doing it, or think its terribly horrible, or such. Sure, some profanity is fairly offensive, but that is not why we chose to do this.

Instead, what we found was in moments of tenseness, or times when we get really frustrated, human nature leads you to say certain phrases just on an impulse. With our kids, this was really not a good example to give, even if accidental. We had to virtually retrain ourselves to try to not even really think cuss words to avoid that situation.

Do I care if others cuss on this message board? no.. I dont really care if others cuss around me as long as my kids are not present. But that is my viewpoint on why we chose to say things like 'oh darn'. Is it really better than saying something else? Probably not when you get down to thinking about it, but its less likely to lead our kids following our example to offend someone else..

[Buzzbee]

Kids grow up to cuss as adults. Why can't kids cuss as kids? Why is it taboo for a kid to hear or say a cuss word?

[Young Drachma]

I started cussing in the first grade. Everybody thought I was super cool because I was talking like an "adult" when I was young (I mean, kids I went to school with).

It's interesting, because I've long outgrown it and while I certainly can devolve into a tirade of swears if I want to, I've always worked to expand my vocabulary.

I think parents should encourage their kids to not to be vulgar. But I think demystifying swearing would be good. 'course, I think the same for alcohol. Not drugs, though.

[Buzzbee]

QS - To offer up a somewhat more serious response, I think the primary answer is courtesy to others, whether it applies or not.

As kids we are taught not to cuss. Why? Well, I'm not quite sure, but I think it is for a few reasons, the main one is so that our parents aren't perceived as being bad parents. A good parent can control their kids and their kids are well behaved. Their kids go to church, they don't cuss, they do their homework, make good grades, blah blah blah. A secondary reason kids are generally taught not to cuss is because there are others who may be OFFENDED by foul language. I think it is this second reason that people tend to use toned down curse words. Yes, we are on an adult message board, but there may be people here who might prefer to not be inundated by curse words. Yes, they can leave if they don't like it, but if a "fuck" isn't really called for, why not use friggin instead.

Also, while I believe the vast majority of posters here are adults (in age only, not necessarily maturity) this board is accessible to any and all ages. As a result, some may choose to hold their tongues a bit.

Or, there just might be people who prefer not to swear, for whatever fucking reason.

[sabotai]

'Fuck' is probably the word I say the most on a daily basis. It basically has lost all "cuss" properties for me. TO me, it's just a regular fucking word.

But, I don't say it (in fact , I hardly talk) when I'm around people I don't know too well. Because I don't know how they'd react to it (or the multitude of non-PC things that spew out of my mouth when I don't hold back). I do it because I don't want to offend others. Because when that happens, I generally have to deal with their pissy attitudes, and I'm never in the mood to deal with that.

To those who know me and hang out with me, and I'm comfortable being around them, we swear like motherfuckers.

[lurker]

Maybe the lack of a "real" swear word shows that you have control? I don't know, I just think I respect people more if they can control themselves not to swear.

There's this new managerial type guy here at work who uses the word fuck all the time. It's annoying, because it seems like he's trying to show us younger people that he's one of us or something (that's probably not just from his swearing, though). It also makes him seem kind of immature, like he's still stuck in the high school phase of thinking swearing makes you so cool. He gets this "oh, I'm such a rebel" look on his face when he says that. A lot of these comments might come from my really not liking him at all anyway.

But essentially, I think swearing is more of a signal of how vulgar a person you are. It may or may not be true, but it's the impression that is given off.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I think my approach is pretty similar to Axxon's.

Fuck is the most versatile word in the English language, can be used in a variety of ways from light-hearted to deadly serious. And I'd feel safe to say I've used it in every conceivable way. But ... I try to keep my usage of it to a reasonable minimum (it ain't easy, it's pretty much my most frequent 1st reaction to a lot of situations), really for no reason other than to prevent diminishing its effectiveness.

[zums]

I think more to the point is not completely cutting out swearing, but why do people in certain situations use friggin instead of fuckin? If you feel fuck is not appropriate for the situation then there is no reason to believe friggin is. They have the same meaning. Its like tire vs. wheel, house vs. home, crap vs. shit, vagina vs. cunt, etc... Why are some words acceptible while others are not when the person hearing them knows they mean the same thing??

-zums

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I think my approach is pretty similar to Axxon's.

Fuck is the most versatile word in the English language, can be used in a variety of ways from light-hearted to deadly serious. And I'd feel safe to say I've used it in every conceivable way. But ... I try to keep my usage of it to a reasonable minimum (it ain't easy, it's pretty much my most frequent 1st reaction to a lot of situations), really for no reason other than to prevent diminishing its effectiveness.

Ewww... I feel dirty. I'm agreeing with Jon

But, for me it's all about not weakening the word. If you say "fuck" every five minutes, then what do you say when you really want people to know you're pissed or whatever "fuckity fuckity fuck fuck in the fuck" or something else completely asinine? Give that word some oomph behind it. Wasn't there some old saying about profanity being the crutch of a weak mind?

SI

[Craptacular]

I swore a few times at the office today and nearly went "Office Space" on one of our printers. Good times.

[Poli]

I don't curse personally. I'm good for the occassional "darn", "friggin", "bull crap", and my new favorite, "Jeeber Dee".

Jeeber's name has taken a life of it's own in my language.

Obviously, being in the Navy, I hear a lot of cursing, workplace or not. To me, it distracts from whatever anyone is saying, and I absolutely won't listen to you at all if you curse directly at me. I don't mind hearing it, otherwise.

I have heard the "intent" argument before at work (since I don't use the normal 'curse' words, darn sea lawyers) and at church. It's a legit argument, so I try to not say things like that. To be honest, it's never entered my mind that when I say darn that I really mean anything else than, well, darn.

Cursing is actually getting attacked in the Navy now. Our commanding officer's policy on the Nimitz and here at Great Lakes is that you don't do it. Recruit Training Command (RTC) has the same. In fact, you don't want to get caught swearing at a recruit at RTC, no matter what the context.

Curse like a sailor? Not in today's Navy.

[sabotai]

then what do you say when you really want people to know you're pissed

What do the people who don't curse at all say when they want someone to know they're pissed. It's all in the tone.

[sovereignstar]

Anybody remember when Ralphie's dad in "Christmas Story" went to work on his furnace in the basement. Yeah, that's my dad.

I now have a penchant for being able to mix-and-match any combination of swear words on the spot.

Don't believe me you cock-knocking-slut-fucking-son-of-a-dirty-bitch?

[Axxon]

I have another way of looking at this.

Lets ask the following question.

Why do people say happy? Why do they say cheerful? They could just say ecstatic?

After all

If that's true, though, why would it be okay to use another word that transparently has the exact same meaning and connotation -- but is just a different set of letters?

They're all synonyms. While the differences in the above examples may be clearer to the average person, I think some of us are saying we recognize that there are differences in the various curse word synonyms and choose the word that most closely matches what meaning we're trying to get across.

[cuervo72]

Well, I reserve the actual words for when I *really* mean them. Personally, I use the other versions when I'm not *quite* as annoyed.

Also, I tend to think of this as just written down conversation. I tend not to curse very much IRL (I am around kids most of the time, or at work), so in general I'm not as comfortable swearing as I used to be. I haven't thought about it much until now, but I think there's a part of me (mainly unconscious) that feels if my language online were to be more loose, my general train of though would be more loose and that would lead to my actual language being more loose. But that's just a theory.

[Desnudo]

What I want to know is when "bitches" became a socially acceptable word on TV. You see it used all the time now.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Axxon

They're all synonyms. While the differences in the above examples may be clearer to the average person, I think some of us are saying we recognize that there are differences in the various curse word synonyms and choose the word that most closely matches what meaning we're trying to get across.

But there's obviously a differene between choosing between two very similar words because one is a somewhat better fit, and choosing to use a "toned down" euphemism for a curse word, rather than the curse word itself.

Actually, in conversation yesterday, the best cae of this I could imagine came up when someone referred to "B.S." We all knew, of course, what B.S. stood for -- so it was clear in everyone's mind that he was talking about the exact same matter as if he had stated the two words. And honestly, B.S. doesn't roll off the tongue - it's obviously not an abbreviation of convenience.

This isn't picking a synonym for accuracy - it's picking an abbreviation to be respectful.

And my question is -- if your audience knows that you're still referencing the objectionable words/meaning/act, then why should that be any less objectionable?

[Buzzbee]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

And my question is -- if your audience knows that you're still referencing the objectionable words/meaning/act, then why should that be any less objectionable?

I'm guessing it is a matter of degrees. I think MOST people would consider "fuck" to be of a harsher degree than "friggin". Yes, they both reference the same thing, but one to a lesser degree.

Perhaps nigger/colored/black/African American might offer some sort of parallel. Nigger obviously has a bad connotation and would be considered pretty negative. It is probably more harsh because it doesn't just identify skin color, but is purposely used as a derogatory (sp?) term. Colored can be negative, but is also used simply to identify someone as being black. When I was a young boy, it was an accepted term to refer to a black person as colored. However, that soon gave way to "black". Now, black is acceptable, but African American is the PC term. They all refer to a person's skin color, but in differing degrees of intensity/negativity.

Normally, people will tend to use euphemisms around people they don't know because they aren't sure of the reaction they will get. Around people they are familiar with, people are more likely to let the expletives fly. "Crap" simply isn't seen as being as harsh or vulgar as saying "shit", even though they reference the same thing, so most people consider it less offensive and are more likely to use it around people they don't know rather than the more vulgar alternative. So again, a matter of degrees.

One other comment:

In the case of friggin vs fuck, the answer may lie in how the word friggin came to exist. I'm not positive, but I believe that censors needed something to replace the word fuck when showing movies and such on tv. Friggin evolved as the replacement. So, friggin came to be a substitue for fuckin (where's the quote of the moment when you need it), so the meaning is carried through, but since you can say friggin on tv, but you can't say fuckin, the shock value and/or vulgarity of "friggin" is less than "fuckin".

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Buzzbee

I'm guessing it is a matter of degrees. I think MOST people would consider "fuck" to be of a harsher degree than "friggin". Yes, they both reference the same thing, but one to a lesser degree.

Okay, well summarized, and I don't think anyone disagrees that this is the case.

I guess my question (and perhaps I haven't stated it that well) is why is it that we see a difference? What is it about "bad words" that essentially makes the word itself bad, and not necessarily the meaning?

It's inappropriate to say "bullshit" but okay to say "B.S" instead? Work with me... on a level other than "that's just how it is," it's a little weird, isn't it?

[Buzzbee]

Ok - I rambled but still didn't quite answer QS's specific question. Yes, there are degrees, but I think QS's question is: Why are there degrees when they reference the same thing. Shouldn't both be just as objectionable. I think we've actually posted the answer to this question without realizing it. Euphemisms. Euphemisms are our way of making an unpleasant situation or subject easier to talk about. Some people may consider the word fuck to be very vulgar, so friggin is used as a euphemism in case someone might be offended by the word fuck.

Does that get anywhere close to answering your question QS?

{EDIT: Cross-posted with QS. He posted his last post while I was typing this one. Just adding this edit for clarification}

[Desnudo]

Fucking philosophy majors.

[Anthony]

to me, foul language is the language of simple, uneducated people. when i'm with my friends or just my wife i'll curse. anywhere else - among family or among co-workers - i use the children-friendly substitutes for curse words. as a college educated man i feel curse words are beneath me - the very use of them insinuate a poor upbringing. educated people have access to a larger pool of words to descibe any emotion or such, dumb people or people from bad backgrounds lack the proper grace and social skills that an upstanding member of the community has.

not to say cursing means you're dumb, as i said i curse around close friends and my wife - people who know the real me and whose opinions of me aren't swayed by my choice of words. among other people there's a certain image i'd like to project and certain respect i demand, so no, i don't curse in front of them.

[Buzzbee]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

to me, foul language is the language of simple, uneducated people. when i'm with my friends or just my wife i'll curse. anywhere else - among family or among co-workers - i use the children-friendly substitutes for curse words. as a college educated man i feel curse words are beneath me - the very use of them insinuate a poor upbringing. educated people have access to a larger pool of words to descibe any emotion or such, dumb people or people from bad backgrounds lack the proper grace and social skills that an upstanding member of the community has.

not to say cursing means you're dumb, as i said i curse around close friends and my wife - people who know the real me and whose opinions of me aren't swayed by my choice of words. among other people there's a certain image i'd like to project and certain respect i demand, so no, i don't curse in front of them.

fucking moron.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Buzzbee

fucking moron.

Damn, you beat me to it

[Toddzilla]

Hank Aaron said in his biography "I Had A Hammer" that someone asked him why he never curses. Hank said his father told him that people curse when they don't have anything intelligent to say. Hard to argue with that.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

Hank Aaron said in his biography "I Had A Hammer" that someone asked him why he never curses. Hank said his father told him that people curse when they don't have anything intelligent to say. Hard to argue with that.

No, I can't really argue that Hank Aaron's father told him that.

[JimboJ]

Since no one has really answered the original question, I'll take a stab at it...

I think its mainly because we live in a shallow society, where the words have become more important than the ideas they are trying to convey. "Fuck" started out as a curse word because it was slang for sex, which was considered dirty and not something to be spoken about in public. Since then, the word has evolved to the point that 99% of the time, its meaning is something completely different. Now it is used mostly to add emphasis to other words.

"That was a fucking great movie!"
"He's a fucking jerk."
"Fuck yeah!"
"What the fuck?"

None of these has anything remotely to do with the act of sex. But they are still considered offensive. Meanwhile almost every TV show is full of double entendre and code words for sex acts, yet hardly anyone gets offended by these. It's very bizzare, and never made any sense to me.

To get back to the question, I think the use of "friggin" is just a wimpy way of conveying the same thought, without risking offending anyone. Even if the thought itself is not the slightest bit offensive.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

And my question is -- if your audience knows that you're still referencing the objectionable words/meaning/act, then why should that be any less objectionable?

O.K. It's probably just me but I see a huge distinction here and thus a communication tool. It speaks volumes when one merely suggests something and when one comes out and says it. The difference, at least to me when I use it is why I use the terms I do.

I guess I'm really not the right person to address this question. If I feel that a curse is appropriate I'll use one. If I don't, I'll say something else, not just a watered down curse. I'd never do that. It would offend my sense of the language.

I make my living talking to people and I've often been asked how I can say some of the things I say and not get in trouble but I never have. I don't even really think I've pushed the limits honestly but I've cursed on occasion with my customers. I'm not saying this to brag but to indicate that there is a great bit of leeway in communication and in the long run intent is far more important than the choice of words though I do concentrate on the words I use. This realization is one of the reasons I have the view I do about curse words. They DO have their place and sometimes that's even in polite company so to speak.

Looking at it as you present it though, I understand your question and find it interesting as well. Why do people use the watered down vernacular as a substitute to cursing as opposed to an alternative? From the responses here though, I'd say my way of looking at it is far more widespread than it may seem.

A final off topic but I was considering making this a thread but I think it's a bit self indulgent. It's about winning a verbal exchange. One of the times I came close to getting into trouble was the following encounter.

We had a doctor on our service ( I am a supervisor at a call center that covers 4 hospitals and over 700 local doctors btw ) that had very simple instructions. After 7pm he was at home and wished to be called there. Simple?

Yes but we never did it. At least 3 times a week this guy would have to call and complain about us screwing it up. Why? I really don't know but we did.

One day though, in his complaint, he really pushed my buttons. He called us stupid. By extension, he called me stupid. Now, that I'm willing to work for the pay that I do with the experience that I have, he may have a point but that's another topic.

Let me present.

"You all are just stupid. That's all. I've been with this service for seven years and you've never gotten it right. It's not that hard you know. You all are just stupid."

"Hmm, let me get this straight, you've been with us for seven years?"

"Yes"

"And we've never gotten it right in those seven years?"

"Right"

"And you're still with us?"

"Yes"

"O.K., you've been with us for seven years, we've never gotten it right in that time, AND you're still with us? Tell me again, how are we the stupid ones??"

At this point he hung up.

I've been asked how I didn't get in big trouble for that one? I really don't know but I can guess. Would you be willing to admit that you've been one upped that badly?

Oh, and this is far more fulfilling than a simple fuck you which is really what I felt and in no way would substituting frick have been anywhere near as satisfying. See what I mean??

[judicial clerk]

Society breeds asenine conventions that, while they make no sense to the objective observer, make some sort of sense to the people in that society. Right now I am looking at my tie and I am wondering, why am I wearing this uncomfortable motherfucker? For some stupid reason, it conveys "professionalism" in our society. I guess my point is that while considering certain words bad or dirty might be stupid, using a euphamism for these "dirty" words conveys a level of politeness to the listner.

I think one of the funniest moments in the Simpsons is when Bart was complaining to Homer about not having any money or something and Homer replies "well T. S." For some reason I my brain thinks this is relavent to this conversation.

Is it five o'clock yet?

[Poli]

Originally Posted by judicial clerk

Is it five o'clock yet?

Depends where you're at.

[Cringer]

What a beautiful thread. The original question is one i have always asked. Interesting response, too.

Personally I think there is nothing wrong with cussing. And in an odd personal twist, i use words like "fuck" more in casual talking. Where as when i get somewhat pissed i tend to use the "nice" substitutes, ex. "Stupid freegin idiot!" when someone cuts me off. Not sure why i do this little switch-a-roo, but i have done it for a while now. Now if you take my anger to an actual high level, i guess i do go back to the original words.

Of course, I am a truck driver, grew up poor white trash, and one of the reasons i enjoy the new HBO show Deadwood is because of thier free use of cuss words. And i hope the FCC fades away one day, as far as their new "obsenity" rules go. So i guess all that clearly shows how i would feel on this subject.

[QuikSand]

Thread necromancy...

Media outlets should stop censoring profanities.

[BYU 14]

I cuss more than my share, but will often use the faux curse words as well.

With me it is a bleed-over from coaching, where I try not to curse as much. Yes, it is 15-18 year old high school kids who have heard and use it, and yes I am not always successful and have cursed plenty at practice, or on the sideline, though never directed directly at a player.

So in a nutshell, all I have done is twist myself so I am half potty mouth/half Mr. Rogers both on the field and around adult friends.......I'm fucked.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

I cuss more than my share, but will often use the faux curse words as well.

With me it is a bleed-over from coaching, where I try not to curse as much. Yes, it is 15-18 year old high school kids who have heard and use it, and yes I am not always successful and have cursed plenty at practice, or on the sideline, though never directed directly at a player.

So in a nutshell, all I have done is twist myself so I am half potty mouth/half Mr. Rogers both on the field and around adult friends.......I'm fucked.

About the same here without the coaching tie in.

I will say this, if I use profanity it is usually intentional to convey emotion or security OR just amongst the guys/lockroom talk.

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Thread necromancy...

Media outlets should stop censoring profanities.

That's a great fucking article

[CU Tiger]

You can bet your ass I dont want none of them damn cheerios

[Suicane75]

I just like to be, what I consider, polite. For instance, we had women on the board at one time, and while I certainly was not above the hot or not threads or remarking on women in a lascivious fashion, I just felt better if I said something like "My lord, I would till my heart gave out", instead of "I'd fuck that broad sloppy", because it just seemed a nicer way to say the same thing.

Same goes with cursing. Sure, we're all adults, but maybe someone just doesn't wanna read it. It doesn't take any effort to say "effing" instead of "fucking" or any other variance. I think it just depends on the company. There are other boards where I'll talk in a way I would never talk on here, because there's a certain bar that's been set where I know I may offend someone, but I'd just be one of a thousand talking the same way. When it comes to this place, I don't know If I I'd be offending someone by talking a certain way, so it's just a cordial thing to not to.

[Drake]

I'm always trying to think of the children...but that usually just makes me curse more. Little fuckers.

[flere-imsaho]

Relevant.

[Izulde]

Heh, this reminds me of when I was at nationals for a college marketing competition. The most prestigious event was Quiz Bowl, and word spread of me and this Filipina from Michigan as the two rock stars in the event.

I'm hanging out with my team at a bar one night, and as usual, I'm swearing a lot because that's how I fucking roll in normal conversation. This girl is listening to our conversation, and she breaks in, "Oh my God... *you're* the guy from Wisconsin everyone's talking about?!"

I chuckled, took a drag of my smoke, exhaled, and was like, "Yeah... why?"

"I don't believe it! You swear so much!"

I chuckled again and shrugged. She goes on to tell me I shouldn't swear so much, because it made me seem less intelligent, and she still had trouble believing it.

Funny thing is, I caught her staring at me several times the rest of the night.

[ColtCrazy]

As a principal in a school, I obviously hold my tongue. Occasionally that spills over to adult conversations when I say things like Son of Buck or what have you. Then again, I've also been known to cuss under my breath to the secretary when a particularly dumbass parent is leaving my office.