Things I've said to self-important blow-hards and never regretted it.

As you proceed through an aviation career... from the very bottom- up, you run into a lot of self-important blow-hards who always seem to get their rocks off taking a stab at ya'. I always thought that it was important for me to reply back with a bit more than a simple "F-you." Almost any non-kowtowing reply leaves these idiots fairly speechless and often looking like they've just been shot with a stun-gun. Here's an actual example from my early days in aviation...

Self-important blow-hard: "Well then, I guess you really don't wanna be a professional pilot, do ya'?"

My reply: "Oh yes, I really do... but I want to be a good one, not a hack like you."