I will give you some advice.

When you chew, do it slowly. You’ll enjoy the food more that way.

Don’t be afraid. Fear is the mind-killer: there are so many things to be afraid of and so little time in which to bow to those fears. Let them pass through you, instead, and make you stronger.

Be mature. But don’t let people tell you that maturity means pissing on other people’s parades. Let people tell you that maturity is about making good decisions.

Speak clearly. Say what you mean, and say it well. Don’t talk in half-thoughts and partial opinions.

Change your mind. If you’re wrong, admit it. But don’t just admit it and go on secretly thinking the same thing. Change your mind, and roll with it. Let your mind change your life.

Don’t live in others’ affirmation. Your worth is not determined by how many people like you or laugh at your jokes.

Don’t be a jerk. But don’t be too nice either. Everyone hates an idiot, but no one trusts a pushover.

Live like you mean it. Life isn’t made for half things. Either go whole-hog or don’t go at all. Better the person who lands on his feet than the one who never jumped.

Treat people like you want to be treated. However, if you want to be treated like a piece of tender foliage, get over yourself. You’re not that fragile.

Don’t be afraid to stand up. People are always going to tell you that you’re wrong. If you have to be wrong, at least be in the right. And people aren’t always right that you’re wrong. Sometimes they’re wrong, even if they’re twenty years older than you.

Get some experience. But if your experience makes you act like a fool, don’t expect people to respect that. Experience that isn’t backed up by action is worthless. You could wallpaper your house with 70-year-old idiots.

Love other people. You will get hurt. Get over it. Life is tough. Suck it up. Cry on someone’s shoulder, and let someone cry on yours, but stop crying eventually.

Just do it. But think about it first. If you need to think about it that much, there’s something wrong and it’s probably you.

Respect intuition. God gave it to you for a reason. Intuition is not, however, infallible, and neither are you.

Resist catch-phrases. Anything that can be summed up in under five words is suspect. Flesh it out.

Live for real. Idealism is fine, if your idealism matches up to the reality that you actually, you know, live in. Idealism that shoots for the impossible is almost always damaging.

Speak up. If everyone’s quiet, everyone’s dead. Your tongue is a weapon: use it when you need to.

Shut up. If everyone’s talking, no one’s listening. Your ears are there for a reason: use them at all costs.

Tags:
Posted March 7th, 2006 in main. Tagged: .

21 comments:

  1. Roger:

    Example of #1: Eat your popcorn one kernel at a time. Mmmmmm.

    I started replying to each of these, but that would take too long. Sufficed to say, most of these have already been ingrained into my life.

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:25 am
  2. Hanna:

    In reference to #2: Have you been reading Dune?

    March 7th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
  3. daniel:

    I own the entire series and even a few of the memory-raping series by Frank’s son.

    Why, have you?

    dan (you’re a girl… that’s not normal)

    March 7th, 2006 at 3:52 pm
  4. Hanna:

    I read Dune and loved it…i tried reading the follow up novels…but was sorely disappointed, so I stopped before getting through the second one.

    March 7th, 2006 at 5:22 pm
  5. jules:

    “dan (you’re a girl… that’s not normal) ”

    Hanna is not a normal girl… she’s exception… and has great shoes…

    See, there is the difference, she reads Dune, I covet her shoes…

    I’ll blame my sleeplessnes… either way, wise words from Dan, once again.

    March 7th, 2006 at 9:39 pm
  6. Hanna:

    Julie! I don’t have anything to say, I just felt compelled to reply because you said such nice things about how I choose to adorn my feet…
    Maybe our paths will cross again as fellow wanderers in the labyrinthine trails that are Dan’s blog!

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
  7. daniel:

    Hanna, I’ll agree that the sequels weren’t as good. Pretty inferior, in fact. And really weird. But I still have them…

    Do you read any other scifi/fantasy?

    dan

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:24 pm
  8. Hanna:

    Yes I read George R.R. Martin’s Storm of Ice and Fire series…which I truly and wholeheartedly loved (every one of them) except that its not always the most wholesome subject matter…
    And there was another really great series but for the LIFE of me I can’t remember what its called or who its by…

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:31 pm
  9. Hanna:

    Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, AND the sequels.

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:33 pm
  10. daniel:

    Heh, I just started reading “A Clash of Kings”. It’s good, I think, but is the guy getting paid by the word or something? I think he could have cut them down a whole lot.

    dan

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:33 pm
  11. Hanna:

    And sorry the series by Martin is actually a Song of Ice and Fire

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:35 pm
  12. Hanna:

    Ha yeah I guess you’re right…maybe his theory teachers never told him about “the delicate art of the file”…

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:36 pm
  13. daniel:

    Yep, I’ve read the Ender’s Game series too. Although I liked the last few books the best.

    If I were to recommend something - Stephen Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen. Grand fantasy.

    dan

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:41 pm
  14. Hanna:

    I will give it a try. Have you read anything by Guy Gavriel Kay? Just wondering what you thought of him if you have…

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:42 pm
  15. daniel:

    Yep, I have all of his books. I didn’t really like the Fionavar Tapestry much, but his last few “historical fiction” books have been excellent. My favorite is A Song for Arbonne.

    dan

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:46 pm
  16. Hanna:

    Yeah the Fionavar Tapestry is the only one I’ve read…maybe because that’s the one I started with. It was an easy read, and not a bad one altogether. I believe what he was aspiring for would have been gorgeous…if the tone hadn’t been lost in translation (you know, between the pictures in his mind and the words on the page).

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:50 pm
  17. daniel:

    Yep, I agree. He had a great concept going there, especially with the images of the summer tree and the transitioning between two world. Not to mention the whole idea of a sorcerer being linked to his source of powers, having to be responsible for the other guy. That was cool… and something Tolkien lacked, I think… there were no limits to the powers of the mages that made sense.

    But I am clearly taking Tolkien too seriously :)

    dan

    March 7th, 2006 at 10:55 pm
  18. Hanna:

    Well, like anyone. There’s been something weighing on my mind that I almost feel guilty about and I’m about to reveal it here on your public blog: the final book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy failed to enthrall me. Blasphemy, I know!

    March 7th, 2006 at 11:00 pm
  19. daniel:

    I really loved the second book, but the first and third were a little lackluster to me. Also, I was 15 when I read them… maybe I should try it again sometime and see how it fits.

    dan (but if that’s blasphemy, then may Tolkien strike me dead)

    March 7th, 2006 at 11:06 pm
  20. Hanna:

    I agree, I read them too long ago as well. Same with a Song of Ice and Fire…I YEARN to read them again!
    Anyway, as cathartic as this has all been I have an essay due tomorrow and should return my thoughts to the women poets of the Renaissance!

    March 7th, 2006 at 11:11 pm
  21. daniel:

    Heh, I was just going to say, as wonderful as this has been, I have to take a shower. Cause no one likes stinky Dan.

    dan (soon to be not stinky)

    March 7th, 2006 at 11:13 pm

Leave a response: