Semi-Charmed Life

9 Life Lessons

I was reading someone's blog entry on life lessons and it got me thinking. What have I learned in my twenty semi-years of life? Let's see if I can even reach 10.

1. Always square your debts. Just like every other major credit institution in America, I assign a mental fico score to each person. Some people I'm comfortable lending money to. Others, not so much. Unpaid debts leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth, and I'd rather not sour any of my friendships by being "that guy" that always borrows $10 here and $20 there but never pays people back.

2. Three point check before going anywhere. Keys. Wallet. Phone.

3. If you're sitting in the back of a car and the person sitting shotgun leaves, if you're the only other person in the car it is you are obligated to sit in shotgun. Unless your friend also happens to be working as a cab driver. In which case, it'd probably still be a good idea to sit shotgun.

4. Open bar does not mean "don't bring cash." Always tip.

5. "This too shall pass." Things always work themselves out. Shit can't stay bad forever. This is an obvious truth, but when you're in the moment, it's something we tend to forget.

6. Family is important. I have not always been the best son or the best brother, but I'm learning.  It was foolish of me to treat my parents and my younger brothers the way I did in the past, but the past is the past and there's nothing I can do about that. What matters now is that I realize how important my family is and to treat them right.

7. Friends aren't everything. When I was younger, my life revolved around my friends. I don't think I've ever been about me until the last couple of years. Friends are very important of course, but not to the exclusion of your family and more importantly, yourself.

8. Read a fucking book. Seriously.

9. You can spend all your energy trying to convince someone of something, but in the end people always have to reach that conclusion for themselves.

Okay, I'm sure I can maybe come up with one more to make it an even ten but nine is a good a number as any so I'll leave it at that. I also have to head to the gym before it closes . . .