Shape Up or Ship out

"Shup Up Millie" and I suddenly realised how, now - more than ever, I need to be vigilant with what and how I say things.

 

I will admit to the occasional cuss. Apparently, cussing has even been proven to help with pain management and reduction. I know this because I watched an episode of embarrassing bodies late, one night, last week; and they tested it and said so. So it is so.

 

It definitely helps me to vent my frustration at times and/or feel empowered through being defiant.

 

But this isn't about the occasional cuss ( although it is) its more about the every day level four cusses.

See- Hunna and I have a rating system for cussing:

 

Level #1

Cuss words you would NEVER ever say - not even in your head.

 

Level #2

Cuss words you say when in extremely painful or sticky situations ( my kind of anger cuss ) that can be justified but are still most definitely rude and are mostly said in private or in your head on occasion.

 

Level #3

Cuss words that put in context aren't swear words but used in a derogatory sense are rude. And so -- they are only to be used in an anatomical or contextual sense by doctors and vets and the like..

 

Level #4

These swear words are low level words which we'd rather not say but are often used because we love to think we have at least a small part of our language which can be confronting or disgusting or reasonably defiant without being too close to the naughty line.

We decided not to make a big deal outta level four swear words. Maybe a little correction if someone shouts " who farted?" And the next person corrects " who passed wind? ".

But no consequences anyway.

 

So, here's the story.

Since we got to Tas I have been enduring one of the pet hates of my life.

 

A small yappy dog. I don't mind that dogs bark. Like big dogs that look like they will bite a robber in half. Because that's a serious alarm/ robber prevention system you got going on.

 

Like our Cocoa, who - yes barks at random people. Props for her. But also Rabbits which she will happily break in half if she was fast enough to catch them -- see what I mean? Useful Barking. "Listen the dogs barking down that rabbit hole" .. . " well lets go get us some rabbit meat"

 

Anyhow, back to snappy yappy Hairy Maclary dogs.

Hate em. Can't stand em. Excited barking, hate it. Want to go outside barking, hate it. Barking because barking is what they do barking. The pits.

 

So it is with regret that I have been saying "Shut Up Millie" continuously to a dog that is living at Mums but isn't Mums. It is infact my sisters - and I think since she got married she should re-home it to a family of deaf people and move away just in case they miraculously get partial hearing back and start contemplating returning her..

 

I think the first bout was " Millie if you bark in the car I will throw you off the sidling" on the way into Launceston and of course, predictably she started barking and I snapped " Shut Up Millie" and since then it hasn't stopped.

 

Until tonight when she was outside and Boy was de-poding peas with Mum and She started to bark at something and Boy yelled out "Shup Up Millie".

 

And I jerked my head up from instagramming in surprise.

 

And it was so cute and sincere that we had a little giggle and I redirected and said " Yes, shoosh Millie" and Boy copied " Shoosh Millie" and I patted my self on the back for a good cover up.

 

Because even just a level four word coming from my pure, innocent 2 year old ripped my heart to shreds.

 

So I'm never cussing again.

 

Cuss out.