Self-editing is very important

Backhanded compliments I wanted to give in the past week:

To a teacher at the HAK: "I like your new haircut. It makes you look less like a mad scientist."
To a supervisor at the internat: "If you weren't so hot, there's no way you'd have a girlfriend."
To one of my students: "You could be fantastic at English if you weren't such a screw-up."