In certain trying circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity furnishes a relief denied even to prayer. ~Mark Twain
I learned something I didn't know today. I swear more than I think I do. Apparently, my co-workers know this and doubted I'd have much success with this "first".
Okay, one small slip up in the morning. But let me explain. I'm not a prolific or creative curser. I only have about three words I use regularly. Two are not so bad. One is pretty bad but I try to reserve it for something that deserves it.
I actually learned to swear at my first job at WTVC-TV in Chattanooga. I'd just graduated college and probably never said a curse word in my life up until then. I'm dating myself here, but these were the days when there were hardly any women in TV news. I was alone and defenseless without any &*%(*&$ words.
The guys absolutely tortured me when they realized not one &*$&%#* thing ever came out of my mouth. Finally, I learned to swear as a defense. That's the truth. I'm blaming a bunch of tv news guys for corrupting my language.(Picture the characters in the movie "Anchorman").
These days, I can lay it on good with my three little words if I have to. But, I honestly didn't think today was much of a challenge until the last hour of work.
That's when *(*%(*& told me &*()_*&& and I said (&*%*&_)#(&*.
As I walked away, one of my coworkers laughed. "You forgot didn't you", he said. "You just blew your day of not cursing big time."
Ha. You know I didn't even know what I'd said. It just came out. I really do need to find some better words to express myself.
Lu Ann Cahn is an Emmy award-winning journalist who's been in the biz for more than 30 years. She's survived motherhood, breast cancer and chasing down bad guys. Now, Lu Ann's trying to complete a year of "firsts." Can she do it? She'll be posting daily here on NBCPhiladelphia.com.
