Smoke Em if you got Em:

I am about as anti-tobacco as they come, but the phrase describes the following situation almost perfectly.

I have always been to told to tone down my sarcasm and dry wit, that it would be my undoing and cause doors to slam shut in my face as I stumble miserably toward the inevitable gates of Hell.

Then, yours truly found a book that changed all that: It is called Ten Little Indians, by my favorite author and bone fida Native American, Sherman Alexie. He possesses these two qualities to great excess, while at the same time being a wonderful storyteller.

Inspiration? Perhaps. An "I told you so!" to all doubters I have crossed paths with? Most certainly...

BTW this book can be found at www.powells.com. Have a looky-doodle as that site blows the lid off what one expects from an internet-savvy independent bookseller.