I’m not acrid, caustic, persnickety, finicky, pugnacious, dogmatic, or obdurate.

I’m just a Sagittarius. Which if you know anything about star signs, means I’m forever cursed with a direct truthful acuity that unfortunately accompanies a tactless ignorance to the feelings of others.

Oops.

In a way this trait helped me find my niche working in advertising, or as I like to call it, “The Land of Thick-skinned Knuckleheads.” It’s also helpful in political cartooning and comics. But elsewhere, my candor has always guaranteed a quick trip to the HR dept. and/or Unemployment line.

Maybe someday, I’ll learn to dull the sharp edges of my tongue but, to be brutally honest, I wouldn’t place any bets on that if I were you.

Of course if you think I’m being serious about most of my critiques keep in mind that, while I may have a depth of experience to pull from, I rarely think my insights are useful to anyone but myself.

Hmm.

Now that I think about that last statement, it aptly describes a grumbling old curmudgeon doesn’t it?

Geesh, I don’t think I’m there ….yet.

How about we discuss this after my upcoming birthday? If you approach me and I lash out with some acerbic comment about your choice of shoes then you’ll have your answer.

But hopefully I’ll instead just laugh and offer you a slice of birthday cake.

“Critics are our friends, they show us our faults.”
― Benjamin Franklin

Obviously old Ben wrote this to justify much his writing in Poor Richard’s Almanac. However if he had any friends born in November/early December you can bet they would have told him the truth on how his pithy witticisms annoyed readers.

On that note, I’ll stop annoying you and wish you all great week and if you’re in the US have a great Thanksgiving.

Cheers,

Ed