#5 Be a Sage

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Prompt on page 6 of
No One Cares What You Had for Lunch: 100 Ideas for Your Blog.

My favorite pieces of advice:

To choose a spouse, find someone who is flawlessly kind but has an incredibly strong backbone. See also: Marry him only if you will be proud when your child turns out just like him.

Don’t make assumptions, and don’t take things personally.

What you give is what you get. When you predict that negative things will happen, they do. The opposite is also true.

*Update: Three more good ones:

Plan less, do more.

Always have a valid passport.

Stop picking at that.

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25 thoughts on “#5 Be a Sage”

  3. See I disagree with the last piece of advice. I think bad things happen to optimistic people all the time. Maybe it’s because I’m about to go into foreclosure and it’s something that never crossed my mind. Maybe I’m breaking advice #2, who knows. I just dislike this bit of reasoning because it always seems to come from people who get through bad times or don’t know what real bad times are, what about those of us who don’t make it unscathed. And not because we were “negative” thinkers but just because sometimes that’s the way things go.

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  5. I hadn’t hear the one about being happy if you’re kids turned out to be like him. Very good advice women should take to heart.

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  6. Boy, I wish I had you as a friend (or at least your book) before I made half the decisions I’d made in the past. Yet, I have to agree with Lori on “bad things happen to optimistic people all the time” theory. Especially in this economy.

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  7. Your Grandma was a big believer in “positive things happen to positive people” This does NOT mean bad will never cross your path again. Life (and death) happens. Personally, I think it’s all about perception.

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  8. oh, if only optimism always worked! I agree, it’s mostly about perception, but sometimes it’s hard to keep hoping and believing when you’re still smiling and waiting for something good to happen, and all you get is doody.

    I try not to take it personally 😉

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  9. That’s really good husband-finding advice. Love the kid part.

    Obviously, your attitude doesn’t have anything to do with the economy or real estate market. It’s great advice for things like events, personal interactions, road trips, dates…

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  11. Might I add my own advice here:

    Be grateful that your children didn’t turn out like Josh G. because you didn’t marry him or his backbonelessness.

    That’s a word, right?

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  12. For lunch today, I had a sandwich from the company cafeteria. Turkey, tomato, onion and dijon mustard.

    On raisin bread. Remain indifferent about *that*, if you can.

    And for what it’s worth, your first piece of advice could easily describe my wife. Except for the “him” part.

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  13. Miss Maggie,

    It was so nice to meet you today! I know it’s kinda weird to walk up to people you don’t “really” know, in the hair salon, and say hello…but I’m glad I did. You are just like you are on the internets…sweet and cute. I hope you had a good rest of your day!

    Nighty night. 🙂

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  17. my own: don’t give into little temptations.

    little bad decisions can add up to a great big disaster, in the same way that little, positive steps can lead to achieving a large goal. If you’ve ever looked around you in disbelief and wondered, “how the *hell* did I get here?”, that’s exactly how: one, little step at a time.

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  20. As I learned from an episode of Fresh Prince Of Belair: “When you make an assumption, you look like an ass and ump shuns you.”

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  23. AH hahahaha, stop picking at that! I can’t COUNT how many times I’ve given that advice. That’s right up there with ‘Don’t get in strangers’ cars’ and ‘Use the little map to find the chocolate-covered wad of ginger and throw it out before someone accidentally eats it.’

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