Perception...

Have you ever wondered about people's perception of you ?  What do they see ?  Do they see me as a silver-haired, opinionated old coot that has outlasted his usefulness ? What do you want their perception to be ?  The content of most of what they see is mostly under our own control.  A wise man once said to think before you speak, and then don't.  There is much to be gained as a mostly-listener and occasional-speaker.  Actually, listening is a very difficult art (I call it an art, but perhaps it's a virtue) to master.  It is definitely a respect issue (i.e. Do I respect the other person's comment or opinion enough to listen attentively ?).  Having a clear and organized mind can help, but it is almost impossible.  Have I done all that I can do to improve my appearance (haircut, clothing, etc.) ?  How about my attitude (Am I respectful to other people ?  Am I on time to meetings ? Do I harbor prejudices ? ... ).  The bottom line, really, is you get out of their perspective what you put in.

A wealthy couple had planned to go out for the evening. The woman
of the house decided to give their butler, Jeeves, the rest of
the night off. She said they would be home very late, and that he
should just enjoy his evening.

As it turned out, however, the wife wasn't having a good time at
the party, so she came home early, alone. Her husband had to stay
with the others since several of his important clients were
there.

As the woman walked into her house, she saw Jeeves sitting by
himself in the dining room. She called for him to follow her, and
led him into the master bedroom. She then closed and locked the
door.

She looked at him and said, "Jeeves, take off my dress." He did
this carefully. "Jeeves," she continued, "take off my stockings
and garter." He silently obeyed her. "Jeeves," she then said,
"remove my bra and panties." As he did this, the tension
continued to mount.

She looked at him and then said, "Jeeves, if I ever catch you
wearing my clothes again, you're fired!"