I grew up in a house where the use of obscenities was considered evidence of a meagre vocabulary. "Bitch" was a female dog, no euphamizing it, "bastard" was a kind of a file. I appreciated the finesse of a well put together insult, particularly if it went over the head of it's target.

As a schoolkid, learning the forbidden words, and exploring useful euphamisms, things like "H E double hockey sticks" had no lasting appeal, but were a transition to having the gumption to use using the actual words. I don't know exactly how I got to the point of using what I do now, but it definitely gets modified by where I am. I agree with meself's comments above about "gosh" and "darn." I know using "good grief!" comes from exposure to Peanuts, but I don't think "good God!" was ever part of my repertoire. Sometimes using a colorful euphamism is a trick of rhetoric to emphasize an artificiality. In recent years, I see the use of obscenities as a way to emphasize the vehemence of my comments. Exposure to the gleefully obscene approach to insults from Scotland has been a bit of inspiration.

I am much more foulmouthed in person than online/in print. Part of that is choosing words more carefully when taking the time to write. I confess to using "fuck" as an exclaimation of frustration often. "Ohforfucksake" I do not tend to use it in print. No, my IPhone and iPad do that for me, much to my disgust & I must carefully proofread. Fun though it might be, I do NOT go to "fuck festivals."

Joanne in Cleveland