[knife_fight]

I have a fairly thick skin. I work with a bunch of unruly leathernecks on the railroad, which is a notoriously rowdy bunch of folks; given to heavy drinking, violence, and thievery... and that's just while on the clock.

the same zeal they show in their on the clock drinking, they also show when verbally berating each other. it's not out of sheer maliciousness (most of the time). it's actually usually a sign of comradery and even, ahem, affection.

but, when I get off of work and go home and "affectionately" call my wife a low-down, taint-sniffing, motherfucker, it isn't taken that way. at all.

so basically, like lots of folks have already said, I'm saying it's all relative, but personally I lean way over to the "More Tolerant" side of things. the "if you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen" line of thought.