So an interesting dilemma has come to my attention recently: apparently I curse like a sailor.

It’s not something I do consciously, or with any kind of malicious intent.  It’s simply how I speak.

And write.

And think.

Heck, if I’m being totally honest, I wrote two swear words in this blog post already.  They have since been edited out.

So why with the potty mouth?  Who knows.  Call it a generational thing.  I grew up around it, I saw it on TV, I read it in books; it’s never seemed like a big deal.  My parents swore, my siblings swore, everybody I know swears, and that’s that.

But with the book out, and my presence on Facebook and other outlets starting to increase, I’ve realized I swear quite a lot.

Now to be honest, I don’t see a problem with it myself.  I’ve always thought that the idea of some words being “bad” is absurd. That a grown adult might balk at a combination of four letters which mean “poop” or “butt” or “to have sex” seems completely ridiculous.  Similarly, I’ve never bought this idea that frequent use of profanity indicates poor writing skills or vocabulary; anyone who thinks so has never read Hunter S. Thompson.

But I understand that others have different standards.

And these people aren’t wrong, or stupid.  Nor are they prudes.  They just have a different opinion than me.  They just grew up in a different time, or a different place, or have developed different ideas about communication.  We’re just sitting on opposite sides of the same road, and neither of us are wrong.  And that’s okay.

But in corresponding with people, I want to present the most acceptable face — or the least common denominator, if you like.  I don’t care if my WRITING alienates people, but why should I do so myself?  Why should I force anyone to endure a string of f-bombs when they’re already doing me the courtesy of listening to whatever dumb things I have to tell them?

So I have reached the following conclusion.

In my writing, I will not self-censor.  I will write the way that feels most natural, using the words I enjoy using, and if anybody doesn’t like it, I suppose my writing isn’t for them.

But in my communication–on Facebook, other websites, and here–I will attempt from hereon to watch my damn mouth.