READING THE PAPER WITHOUT GETTING ANGRY—IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT

I have a friend whose story of his long-dead grandparents has shaped my interactions with my wife, Jayne. He says his crotchety grandpa liked to read the paper out loud, offering opinions freely (and often scornfully) on the state of the world. The grandmother, who found this extremely irritating, would respond with a bitter, “You don’t know nuttin’,” and after a short pause, “You don’t know a damn thing!” After which he would snap his paper and humph. For some reason, my wife has found this a useful response regarding ...