Monday, August 29, 2005

29 pieces of advice…

…from a guy who’s having his last day as a 29-year-old.
  1. Be honest with yourself, even if you can’t with anyone else.
  2. Always give to charity, but remember that charity starts at home.
  3. Date frequently and have as much sex as you can when you’re in college. It gets harder to meet someone afterwards.
  4. Eat as well as you can afford to, and as close to natural as possible. You may not lose weight, but your body will thank you.
  5. Don’t take crap from anybody.
  6. Make sure you have a comfortable place to sleep.
  7. Embrace your inner child, but be adult enough to snap out of it when necessary.
  8. Never ask or answer the question: “Do I look fat in this?”
  9. Indulge in a couple of guilty pleasures, preferably ones that won’t kill you.
  10. Exercise regularly. Even if it’s just taking the stairs.
  11. Geekiness will help you meet people on the internet, not so much in real life.
  12. Have a favorite beer.
  13. If you can afford to go to college, make sure you do.
  14. Keep a gas card handy. You’ll thank me later.
  15. If you love someone and they don’t love you back, set them free.
  16. Learn a trade that you can make extra money with.
  17. Make as many friends as you can…and treat them even better than you want to be treated.
  18. Own at least one good pair of shoes.
  19. Never tow the line of a political party.
  20. Read a book or two regularly.
  21. Procrastination only works occasionally to one’s favor.
  22. You cannot drink your problems away.
  23. Respect your parents, even if you have to move across the country to be able to deal with them.
  24. Make friends with a good lawyer. You may need him or her someday.
  25. Rock out to some good music sometimes. You’ll feel better afterwards.
  26. Never charge more than half your credit limit on a credit card.
  27. Know enough about sports and current events to carry on a relevant conversation.
  28. Make sure you know the difference between sex and love.
  29. Sometimes it’s just better to shut up.

8 comments:

  1. So you're gonna be 30 tomorrow? Live it up! Good advice, too. The only one I have yet to realize is that no, you cannot drink all your problems away. Someday I'll catch on, maybe when I'm 29 no?

    Happy Birthday!!!

    ~Carrie =)

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  2. Happy birthday Steve!

    Good advice on the list.

    I always think of you as being
    about 26, but I guess you WERE about 26 when I met you.

    Anyway, you don't look 30ish , more like 26!!

    Ken

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  3. Wow, what great advice. You've definitely learned a lot in 29 short years. May the next 29 be just as enlightening.

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  4. What a truly selfless and civic-minded way to observe this dubiously important milestone in your young life. You are a model citizen. Now go out tomorrow and drink your self into a blubbering, self-pitying mess.

    Happy Birthday!!!

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  5. Ken: If it helps, I still feel 26. LOL

    Mitch: I learned a lot by making some stupid mistakes. But as long as I live on to fight the good fight, it's worth it. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I must be strong like bull. Haha

    Heather: I'm gonna do my part to kill off a few excess brain cells tomorrow, though my closest friend out there is a teetotaler. Oh well, that's when having a basement full of homemade wine comes in handy. :-)

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  6. You'd better be 'strong like bull' if homemade wine is in the offing. If you live to see you're thirties after a few bottles of that you'll be even stronger, and considerably less sharp. Happy actual birthday. T-plus thirty-six minutes. Thanks for your feedback.

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  7. Thanks again Heather :-)

    I'm the official wine tester around here, so I've learned to be a little careful. The stuff I have to watch out for is the fruit mixes (you can make wine out of nearly any fruit) with cornrmeal added. That adds a little, ahem, "lightning," to the mix and is best enjoyed in moderation.

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