In any case, I love the idea of switching to "motherfucker" instead. You know, out of respect.

This really seems the best and most courteous course of action.

I find that a heartfelt "Blessed Mother!" works well in Utah workplaces. It satisfies the pagan in me and makes everyone around me think I'm Catholic, which is recognizably--and currently acceptably--other so that they don't bother me with church talk.

I have great sympathy, though, for the guy on the other side of the cubicle wall who will let out a strangled "motherfucker!" when he's dealing with frustrating customers.

This I why I took up swear words from sf.

Gingerbread tardis: [link]

This would be pretty easy, as gingerbread construction goes. Sadly, I don't know enough people who would appreciate it.

Hah. This is funny because I do totally say motherfucker and not Jesus Christ. But seriously, brenda should be able to say whateverthefuck she wants.

Brenda's email is reminding me of the time I was setting up for an event in the children's department of JCPenney, and dropped a table on my foot. I started to yell (very loudly) "MOTHERF*CKER!!!!" but caught myself just in time to say 'MOTHER of GOD!!!!!!".

And then a customer yelled at me for taking the Lord's name in vain in front of her children. Which, seriously, I still think was better than yelling out MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!

Shit, piss, and corruption is a good one: I picked it up from my very Catholic mother, along with Jesus, Mary & Joseph.

But I try not to swear too much in the office, generally.

I say "frakking" now. And occasionally if I am out of earshot of anyone who might care, I say "Jesus Christ" but I pronounce the "Jesus" the way it's pronounced in Spanish, and I add a ridiculous drawn-out "o" to the end of "Christ".

But "frakking" is awesome because it's got that satisfying fricative action.

But seriously, brenda should be able to say whateverthefuck she wants.

The workplace is a bit different, though, right?

My boss at my previous workplace was great at getting me to be very mindful of what I say (in a totally disarming way). She's the one who told me to think of the worst, most awful thing I could think of (which was "kill a dog") and imagine a co-worker repeating it every day whenever he was mad. She said, "maybe that's what saying certain things feels like to someone else hearing them."

I was annoyed at the time, but it has stayed with me.

Sorry! Didn't mean to preach or kill the thread!

Work is different.

and I work at a public library --and although I don't really care what language people use -- other people do care . and part of my job is to make the library reasonably comfortable for most people. so I sometimes do ask people to tone down their language

Brenda, it sounds like an honest email asking a favor. A pain in the ass request, sure, but she asked really nicely it seems? I don't know the backstory though - maybe she's really a jerk-off?

Oh, she's being completely sincere and not trying to be all drama queen. She's really very sweet.

I just don't know how I'm going to open my mouth around here. It's like one of my primary communication (not to mention coping) mechanisms is being cut off!