Advice

I have a bit of a backlog of posts, so bear with me.

I found this gem whilst doing something. I can't remember what. Anyway.

Ladies and Genlemen:
Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. Sunscreen's benefits have been proven by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall how fabulous you really looked at the time. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing gum. Real troubles are apt to blindside you at 4 p.m. on an idle Tuesday.

Do at least one thing every day that really scares you.

Sing.

Floss.

Stretch.

Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.

Dance.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. The older you get, the more you need people who knew you when you were young.

Travel.

Accept certain truths: priced will rise. Politicians will philander. You will get old.And then you will fantasise that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you take, but be patient with those giving it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensign it is a way of fishing the past from the rubbish bin, wiping it off and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.