an email to my children

Kids, if you read this, it means that you have found my blog which means your are scraping the very bottom of the internet. You should probably be doing your homework, but I'll let it go because I have some advice for you. No, you can't turn this page off -- you have to read this now. Coming here was your idea, not mine. So listen up.

I'm a fairly ok middle aged guy and I have picked up on a few things during my time so hear me out:

1. read, a lot. And read things that don't look interesting. Go to a doctor's appointment and be early so you have to read the magazines there. They won't be familiar to you. Read them.

2. be aware of your surroundings, always. Watch people, listen to sounds. Keep track of what is going on around you.

3. enjoy the weather. Watch clouds move, listen to the rain, see how the sun makes things glint.

4. try things out. If I made a list of all the things that I tried just once or twice, you'd be amazed. I'm not talking about illegal things, but about new experiences. Put yourself in a difficult situation and learn from it.

5. do things people wouldn't expect that you would do. Surprise them and surprise yourself with what you are capable of.

6. consider other people and the effect of your actions on them.

7. combine things that others don't combine. I can't explain this any more fully but when it happens, you'll know.

8. respect your heritage and value your faith. Peple wiser than you have seen the value of religion so don't discount it because something seems difficult or strange to you. 'nuff said on that.

9. anticipate and account for other people's shortcomings. Sometimes you will have to do the thinking for the whole world.

10. listen to the Beatles. Heck, listen to music in general. But really listen. Take it apart and get a sense of the pieces. Do the same for movies, books and everything else. Break everything down and categorize the pieces. See how things reconnect or parallel each other.

11. ask for help. You will rarely be the first to try something. But if you are, volunteer to help others.

12. in general, help others.

13. don't ever think you are done. Everyday starts a new adventure.

14. listen and learn, and appreciate.

15. play catch and don't talk while you are doing it.

16. be you. you don't need make up and product, or an affected personality. Let people meet you as you are. You are worth knowing.

17. eat. eat.

18. don't rely on technology to do all the work; be it for school or amusement, do some of it longhand, yourself.

I'm sure someday I'll think of others but in the meanwhile, consider these.