>>What's the actual assortiment of available exclamations for such occasions? It seems to be that there's actually no choice at all. Anyone I hear utters this one only.
>
>Oh my gosh
>Oh my golly (bit weak in this context!)
>Oh My Lord
>Oh Lord
>My God
>Oh my God-fathers (for people who want to avoid blasphemy :-)
>(cockney) Gorblimey (corruption of God blind me)
>Heavens
>'kin' 'ell!

So... what's left when you clean out the layers of Christianity? "Ummmmph!"? :)

>(all worth 100 years in purgatory [ UK - purga-T'RY, US Purga-TORY])
>
>:-)

Is that the place where you're fed purgatives only? :)