filed in Myths and stereotypes
Is “Playing With My Cat” a Euphemism?
This is a serious question. I’ve been trying to come up with a snappy title for my book about single life (based on FPS, which is based on single life). And I remembered one of my posts, “Playing With My Cat When I Should Be Dating.” An insightful friend, who happens to be a noted fiction writer, tactfully suggested that the title sounds like I’m masturbating. Oops. Dear readers, what do you think? Honestly. (Other title ideas greatly appreciated.)
Image by Ted McCagg
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11 comments for “Is “Playing With My Cat” a Euphemism?”
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I’m Too Busy Having Fun That, Whoopsy! I Forgot To Date: and other reasons to forget dating
I don’t know, it is only until I stop to think about dating that I realize I haven’t done it in AGES!
I like the would-be euphemism…I’d buy it!
My first thought seeing your diagram was of March Madness college basketball, which is not unlike the madness of dating. At least there is the possibility of winning some money. Enjoy your kitty! I look for an opportunity to tell someone to deep clean my carpets.
Had my carpets deep cleaning a few months ago. It was fantastic.
In French, your “chat” is indeed slang for your uh….coochie. :)) Here in Montreal, the phrase playing with your cat while you should be dating offers glorious franglais possibilities.
Conclusion: visit Montreal in summer and get kinky with yourself. Or have a really good croissant, whichever makes you purr most at the moment.
Sounds like I might need a new title.
I really liked your title! Maybe because I have always had a cat or two, and also because unmarried women of a certain age are always associated with cats! I won’t use the S word. It made sense to me, and I took it for what it was–maybe I’m not that imaginative or wordly! 🙂 Because it appears to mean something to others, I guess you might need a new title.
Thanks for weighing in. I thought about substituting the word, “dog” for cat, but it doesn’t sound as good. So I might save the title for a chapter heading, instead.
Some ideas:
Accidentally Alone
Unattached by Accident
Accidental Sole
Fortuatiously Family-Free (I don’t really like Child-Free or anything w/-Free added to a word though)
Accidental Bachelorette
Accidentally Unmarried
Unexpectedly Alone
For me, I never planned to remain unmarried without a family, so it was, to me, all unplanned. Maybe accident will be seen as a negative word though. Anyway, it was fun for me to come up with these names. I hope they don’t offend anyone.
Thanks so much for all the title brainstorming. I’ll put them on my list!
I think that if people thought it to be a euphemism then more would be likely to pick up the book just to take a look at what the title really meant. I think you should stick with it!
Much thanks for the input. I’ll definitely keep you posted!