twenty-six lessons for twenty-six years
an inconclusive list of things I've learned about living so far
I turned twenty-six today (Pisces szn rise up!) Thanks for the forty-eight hour labor, Ma.
I’m pretty disaffected by the institution of “birthday,” so to give some weight to the day, I thought I’d make a list of some “lessons” I’ve learned in my twenty-six years on this mortal coil. In no particular order of seriousness, gravity, or chronology:
Wake up early whenever you can
There’s a story in everything—sometimes you just have to dig to find it
Put down your damn phone
Ride public transit, stare out the window, and be the main character for a minute
Dwelling on yesterday’s mistakes won’t prevent the ones you’ll make tomorrow—but dwelling on your virtues will!
You really do get over it on a random Tuesday
Life is short—don’t waste time reading books you don’t like
Don’t underestimate the power of a good breakfast
USE YOUR LIBRARY CARD AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!!!
There are only a few things worth saying no to—err on the side of “yes”
Hang out with old people. They’ve got some really cool stuff to say
You can always start over
Write only the truth—nothing else is worth writing
If you’re not obsessed with your own potential, no one else will be either
If you’re feeling stuck, ask yourself: “how can I best utilize my free will right now?”
Collect physical media and circulate it amongst friends and peers
Go out and eat dinner alone—bar seat or window seat are most preferable
Become a scholar of romance (there is love EVERYWHERE)
Invest in a good chair! With lumbar support!
98% of your problems can be solved by taking a walk
Sleep on it, whatever “it” is. Maybe for two, even three nights if you have to
A good haircut will change your life
If you have an idea, WRITE IT DOWN OR YOU WILL FORGET AND YOU WILL BE SO MAD AT YOURSELF!!!
Eat a lot of soup—it makes you a better person (this is science)
Tell people you love them if you mean it
Whenever you can, take the long way home.
A lot of these are simple and silly and basic, but I do try and stick to them as much as possible. Maybe committing them to cyber-permanency will really light a fire under my ass to adhere even more closely.
Onto the twenty-seventh lesson!
Go wreck yourself,
T
Thanks for writing this and happy birthday!
Happy Birthday!! 🎉🎉