DEAR DEBBY,

A friend recently suggested that I start my own advice column. I'd initially dismissed the thought, but have since reconsidered. I remember reading Dear Abby and Ann Landers growing up and thinking that in all their efforts to be politically correct there were times when they just needed to tell the writers to get a life and stop bitching and whining about crap. There are folks who continually seek out my advice and I think it’s because I have no qualms about telling them to get a life. I don’t have time to sugarcoat stuff. Besides, too much sugar coating usually taints the message and the person in need is so busy getting high off the sweet that they fail to get the substance of the advice all together. The more I've been thinking about the idea, the more I'm inclined to say, what the heck, why not? Of course, my Dear Debby column will just do what I do best: shoot straight from the hip after the appropriate warnings for one to duck.

Sage advice is truly not for the faint of heart. If you ask me what I think about something and I tell you the truth, don’t take offense. You ask and I’ll answer. If you want me to tell you what you think about something then that’s the question you should pose to me. Only then will you hear what you want to hear and not necessarily what you might need to hear. So, I’m hanging out my sign. The column is now open but know that you enter at your own risk and beware, you might want to duck.

Dear Debby will run ever Friday and Sunday starting Friday, February 9, 2007. I’m sure I probably should include one of those disclaimers that says this is for entertainment purposes only so here it is. Let’s hope you’ll be entertained.