Low n slow,
don't take it personally,beamer is actually a good bloke who I have flown with on several occasions (just get him talking on rugby !)...and congratulations on your first job i bet you have lived up to your user name a few times by now
As an FO you sometimes have to be a bit of a chameleon,trying to find common ground to talk about (outside of actually operating the aircraft),
there is nothing wrong with exercising a little iniative,however most suggestions at the planning stage are better made as 'suggestions',
in the aircraft it is different as,clearly,with matters of safety you must be up front and more forceful..