Early morning victory.

"Be yourself" not only applies as a piece of general social advice, but also works to get one out of phone sales.

Case in point: this morning a woman called me saying subscribing to some newspaper would be a great deal, that I'd love it, that'd it be a great deal, that I should do this because it's a great deal. I kept asking her why I should, telling her I didn't want it. I told her I got my news from sources I'd already spent time and effort finding. I asked her why I should do this to begin with when I didn't want to spend the money.

"But it's a great deal! I'm sure you use coupons when you go to the grocery store."

"But I don't go to the grocery store, I go to the farmer's market."

"I'm sure you go to the grocery store."

"Only for things I can't get locally like spices."

And then she hung up, so I went back to bed.

If she'd kept talking, I'd have pointed out things like saffron and cardamom never get applicable coupons. Instead, in light of this as well as one fan's use of brutal honesty to get out of jury duty, I'll just be more truthful and forthcoming in the future.