by Dr Stephanie Lipnicki, DACM, LAc

Yes, you read that correctly. I just titled a blog post ‘Swamp Ass.’

I most definitely drop at least 10 or more F bombs a day. Okay if you really know me, you are probably laughing your ass off right now at the use of the number 10, but if I am having a quiet day at home, it actually might be only 10. . .okay you’re right, laugh it’s probably more than 10 even on a quiet day.

My favorite Aunt growing up, and even now, I think quite possibly might be my favorite because she unapologetically cursed and I always felt she was authentic, and to this day is quite possibly the most fun member of my family.

I think I secretly strove to be her when I was growing up. Because I mean who would not want to be the most fun Aunt?

And in all honesty, I know my mother LOATHES when I curse. But really, statistics, or maybe it’s just facebook memes, indicate that the higher your intelligence and education levels, the more you tend to curse.

Perhaps we should start using the phrase curses like someone with a PhD. . .

Why am I sharing this today and what’s with the use of Swamp Ass in the title you ask?

Allentown, NJ has an event every year called Witches’ Night Out. Not sure how many years they have been hosting this event but I had pretty much NEVER been able to participate due to Tiny Dancer’s activity schedule.

Last year, at the last minute I was able to participate, but it was a half-assed attempt only because of it being a last minute go, and I was just ‘open’ and not full on participating.

Well, this year I was ALL IN.

I was able to participate, Mary from the One Eyed Turtle let me judge the Hat Decorating Contest, I had a card reader (all the participating businesses do), I saw familiar faces, and met new faces.

It was a LOT of fun. Tiring (maybe just for me because events like that take a lot out of an endowarrior) - I sit and write this from my couch having scheduled today off to recover.

Some of the familiar faces who stopped by shared a story with me. . .about me. . .

I laughed so hard I nearly cried. Even today it is making me laugh.

It is not always easy being the person who doesn’t go with the flow. You know the person who is all:

Dr Stephanie with a large googley eye on her forehead

“You do an eclectic celebration of the dance!

You do Fosse, Fosse, Fosse!

You do Martha Graham, Martha Graham, Martha Graham!

Or Twyla, Twyla, Twyla!

Or Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd!

Or Madonna, Madonna, Madonna

!... but you keep it all inside.”

~The Birdcage

It’s REALLY hard to keep it all inside. This is me. Except I CANNOT KEEP IT ALL INSIDE.

Every time I say the word F*&# in front of my mother and she complains, I feel like I have to pretend to be something I am not. . .WITH MY OWN MOTHER. . .

I want to be true to who I am: Purple (for now) haired, witchy, foul-mouthed, F bomb dropping, artsy fartsy, tap-dancing Mom and Acupuncturist.

Anyway, back to the familiar faces and their story about me. They shared that I had made their day and made them laugh one day that I went into the establishment where they work. ME? HOW?

And there it was. . .

SWAMP ASS

Truth be told, I do not remember this, but when it is hot I say it’s like swamp ass out there, so I know it was me.

One day when I went in, they had asked me how I was doing and I referenced how Swamp Assy it was outside. They said they shared how they thought it was fantastic that I had said that, they were laughing. I was laughing,

And apparently this was 2 summers ago!

Honestly, I laughed so hard I was almost crying. They made my night.

Clearly moments when you are being your authentic self are clearly the moments when you endear yourself the most to others.

I don’t want to pretend I am someone I am not.

When designing my logo, Alycia, of Alycia Yerves Creative, (also my web designer) and I talked about all the things I want to convey with my brand. We also did this for the website as well.

It is SO utterly and completely important that anyone considering me as their practitioner knows that I will 100% take their care seriously and put SO SO SO much love into every single pin I put into their body.

BUT, I will probably drop an F bomb, or say it is swamp assy outside, or something else that might horrify someone like my mother, but clearly it attracts people who I LOVE and ADORE working with in my clinic.

These were all of the things I told Alycia I wanted others to know about me.

Cliche BUT laughter really is amazing medicine. And I want there to be laughs in my clinic.

Don’t get me wrong, if something super shitty happens to a patient, I cannot guarantee that I won’t cry with them. And why not? I’m a human being. I have a LOT of emotions packed into this 5’7” body and they need to be shared.

My mother may not be proud of my potty mouth, but again throwing out as many cliches as I can in this story. . . Well behaved women rarely make history.