Cursing

I did not come from a family that swears a lot. As a matter of fact, I was forbidden to swear until I had a good reason to. I mean I got "the look" from my mom if I said something sucked. I said dang it like it was the foulest thing that was ever uttered, though not in ear shot of my mom. My mother said that the only time would be when I was married with children. So technically I wasn't allowed to swear until I was 28 years old.

I can remember the first time my mother heard me swear. I was maybe 8 years old, hanging out in the front yard with the neighborhood kids. We were holding some toads that we had found in the garden and one of them peed on my hand. Remember in A Christmas Story when Ralphie says, "FUUUUUUDGE" in slow motion? That was me, except I said shit. Unfortunately, the kitchen window was open and mom heard me. I heard, "JAIME RAE GET IN THIS HOUSE!" All in caps and my friends scattered, they knew I was done playing for the day. I don't actually think I got punished much. Just embarrassed at being yelled at in front of my friends, but I pretty much stopped swearing.

So here I am at the ripe old age of 33, and I still rarely swear. Sometimes for emphasis if I'm really angry or trying to make a point or if I've had a bit to drink. Well and in the car, the f-word slips out once in awhile. But I still don't swear in front of my mom. Mark will curse in front of his parents and they never give him a look. It always made me cringe, especially when we were first dating. I kept waiting for the iron fist to come down on him, but it never did.

I read other people's blogs and they swear all over the place. It doesn't bother me but I also know that I can't do it. In fact I'm thinking if I should maybe not say S-H-!-T. So am I being a prude here or what?