I've now got a mantra for my later years (now, and forever more...) and that mantra is:

"Read the 'Shut Up' sign on the wall"

The idea is that there's this sign (figuratively speaking) on every wall I see. at every meeting, at every encounter... I have the easy option of just shutting up! 

People usually love to talk, and the more they talk:

1.  the less chance to get myself into trouble

2. the more I learn

3.  and lastly, people tend to looove those they talk with, and tend to 'put up' with folks who use their mouth a lot.

It's generally recommended to use one's mouth in proportion to the

number of ears mouths you have versus the number of ears

(for the mathematically dis-inclined i'd say that's about 1:2)

fyi.. when i was onstage last month acting silly with that magician (earlier blog entry)..

i said Absolutely Nothing!  and got riotous applause!