I found the following quotes in my “column Ideas” folder under the title “An Old Farmer's Advice.” I’m not sure where they came from — likely one of my readers sent them along. “Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.” Something to remember on those mornings I wake up itchin’ for a fight. “A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.” Another way of saying, “Don’t poke the hive.” “Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.” This past week I’ve done both with AT&T.