Ye Olde Magick Blogge is one of my favorites. B. D. Erland, the proprietor, did, however, refer to me as a curmudgeon. In fairness, he has a point:
Main Entry: cur·mud·geon
Pronunciation: (“)k&r-‘m&-j&n
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown
1 archaic : MISER
2 : a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man
– cur·mud·geon·li·ness /-lE-n&s/ noun
– cur·mud·geon·ly /-lE/ adjective
I am compelled to recite Jon Winokur’s eloquent defence:
A curmudgeon’s reputation for malevolence is undeserved. They’re neither warped nor evil at heart. They don’t hate mankind, just mankind’s absurdities. They’re just as sensitive and soft-hearted as the next guy, but they hide their vulnerability beneath a crust of misanthropy. They ease the pain by turning hurt into humor. . . . . .
They attack maudlinism because it devalues genuine sentiment. . . . . .
Nature, having failed to equip them with a servicable denial mechanism, has endowed them with astute perception and sly wit.
Curmudgeons are mockers and debunkers whose bitterness is a symptom rather than a disease. They can’t compromise their standards and can’t manage the suspension of disbelief necessary for feigned cheerfulness. Their awareness is a curse.
Perhaps curmudgeons have gotten a bad rap in the same way that the messenger is blamed for the message: They have the temerity to comment on the human condition without apology. They not only refuse to applaud mediocrity, they howl it down with morose glee. Their versions of the truth unsettle us, and we hold it against them, even though they soften it with humor.
There! I feel better!
Take care………
Oh come on! It was meant affectionately.
For what it’s worth, I think I’m turning into one as well. I’ve had a half-dozen opportunities to offer advice on the various forums out there, and passed on it, thinking instead “Let them figure it out themselves…”