February - Komplete

When I was 8 or 9, I remember overhearing a very confusing conversation, it wasn't until I was older, that I understood what was going on.

My family used to go snowmobiling a lot - we would go to a friend's place in Ellensburg, WA, go sledding all day, go back to our friend's place and enjoy the evening around a fire pit, drinking beers (capri suns for me), and chatting.  The conversation I remember went something like this:

Friend One:  (horrified) She called her the "K" word!
Dad:  The what?
Friend One:  The "K" word!
Friend Two:  (smiles at Dad), Oh my God.

While my Dad gives Friend Two really confused looks that say: "is she saying, what I think she is trying to say?", Friend Two just laughs, and an oblivious Friend One recounts the ensuing argument.

This stuck out in my head for two reasons.  One:  I knew the "K" word must be a really bad word.  The adults weren't saying it, and they didn't have a big issue dropping an F Bomb so this must be really bad.  Two:  WTF is the "K" word?  I thought I knew all the good swear words!

I didn't dwell on figuring out what the word was, but every now and then I would think about what that word could be.  Eventually I realized, it wasn't the "K" word at all, it was the "C" word.  The confused looks suddenly made sense, and I understood why they weren't saying the word.  Out of all the curse words, this one is the worst.  I don't have the hipster-British-Culture-is-cool mentality, for me, this word will always be a bad word, and the only one I will not use.

Its still a pretty funny story, and when I think of it, I still laugh.  Picturing both my Dad and eight year old me, trying to figure out what they were talking about, and 15 year old me actually figuring it out, is hilarious.  On the rare occasion where Josh and I need to refer to the word, it is, and will always be the "K" word.

In terms of the "without", the whole month was rough for us.  Josh had a rough couple weeks at work, and so did I.  We frequently forgot that swearing was not allowed.  We did a fair amount of swearing before we remembered we weren't supposed to, and by that time weren't really motivated to stop.  Because we weren't keeping track, I've added one for each of us per day, (plus two since February is short) to the tally.  So, plus 30 for each of us.  Josh has been keeping up on the no snooze button, and he asked that I add two more to his tally for using the snooze button twice this week.

All in all, I think it was a good exercise in realizing how much we swear.  And, in realizing that when we really want to clean up our language, we can.  But mostly we just don't want to.

Going without a thing each day in March?  We are stoked to get rid of stuff and start some spring cleaning!