Dear Taylor Swift,

Let me begin by saying, in the interest of full disclosure, that I am not a fan. However, I acknowledge your obvious talent as both a performer and songwriter. There have been a few of your songs that I actually like very much (Mean, which I think is a brilliant response to your critics, of whom, I am one; and also Fifteen which I think captures the age perfectly, and although I hate to admit it as a middle aged man, but We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together is addictive). I've actually seen you live in concert, thanks to a son who wanted to take a young lady, who considered herself your biggest fan, to see you in Nashville. Not my thing, but you put on a good show. I also applaud you in how you have made the transition from teen sensation to grown woman without selling your body and sexuality to do it, unlike most of your predecessors and peers (I'm talking to you Britney, Christina, Miley and Selena). You are very successful and I wish you even more, but would you allow me to give you a little advice from a grey beard? You are in the news as much for your dating as you are for your music. I realize when you are famous everything you do is news (Britney Spears was recently in the news for her grocery list while shopping; as a side note, if you consider Britney Spears buying groceries news, you really need to reevaluate your life), but you need to see how you have participated in the feeding frenzy. You have dated a number of celebrity guys during your career and a lot of people have made fun of this. I have a theory why these relationships haven't lasted, which I will keep to myself for now. While not excusing the mean spirited vitriol cast upon you, you might benefit from recognizing how you have been guilty of the same things. You have developed a reputation for exposing the shortcomings, faults and failures of your ex boyfriends in songs. While I realize songwriting is a powerful way of expressing emotions, yours are generally so autobiographical that the only emotion conveyed is vengeance. Without calling them by name you so clearly identify them that it becomes a public shaming. Granted, they may have acted like jerks and hurt you, but at least what they did was in private, between the two of you, where it would stay if you didn't use your bully pulpit of packed arenas, music television and top 40 country/pop radio to make very public what would have been private dirty laundry. When you do this you lose the ability to claim that you are being picked on by the media, message boards and comedians. At least you have a venue to fight back, whereas the objects of your song lyrics can't, at least not without being seen as a jerk. I realize you have no reason to listen to an anonymous, middle aged man, but I think you're a great kid, er, young woman, that has been a good role model for young girls in so many ways. I just hate to see you set the tone for young ladies without your talent and resources to follow and be hurt in the process. You see, in the hallways, classrooms, message boards, Facebook pages and tweets of their peers, it will be open season from the bullies on these young ladies. And they won't have a legal team, manager and publicist to help fight their battles. I hope this advice is taken as it was intended to be given, with kindness and good will. Keep writing hits, selling records, making millions, winning awards, packing arenas and dating boys (although I would advise you get away from celebrities and look for a real, normal down to earth guy) until you find the right one. P.S. I hope you don't write a song about this.