Read Moth by Amber McBride. Young adult fiction in verse about grief. Twists and turns.


15



Men worry about getting laughed at or rejected by a woman. Women worry about getting killed when they reject a man. Let that sink in.


15, 21



Go as a family to local high school musical productions.


9-13



1

Send thank you acknowledgemnt for gifts received


1-21



1

General rule for health and happiness: avoid excess.


10, 14, 17, 21



End of August by Robert Frost is one of my favorite poems.


20



It’s very easy to wander into trouble- not usually easy to wander out of it.


12



Go to minor league baseball games this summer. Better seats, less crowds, easier, cheaper. Great players. Kids won't know the difference.


9-15



I’m not a tattoo person but I don’t rule it out entirely. Here’s my opinion about tattoos: I’m cool with anything you would do if you were the only person on earth. Not to gain attention, acceptance or affection. Not for the approval of anyone else. No performative tattoos, okay?


16, 17, 18, 21



Spend time with people you admire, in person and biographies, documentaries, novels and movies.


14-17, 21



Play up your strengths. What are your strengths? What are you really good at or love doing?


13, 17, 21



Your good name is the most important credential you’ll ever have. Act with integrity in all things, that ben if it means short-term pain. Build a reputation for honesty, dependability and trustworthiness.


14, 17, 20



Forget perfection. Nothing is perfect. No relationship, job, house, or day is perfect. Let go of expectations, be open to the mess.


18



Let’s find an activity where you can work with your hands


11



Things are rarely black and white. Most situations (and all people) are complex. A nuanced approach is necessary to understand them. You can’t learn - or love, if you’re judging.


17



When COVID started my first thought was “Holy sh*t Trump is going to cancel the 2020 election because of pandemic.” Thank God I was wrong.


15



Keep porn to a minimum. Never at school or work. It's normal to be curious but it's really not a healthy representation of sex. Porn is a business. It's designed to get you off, not to be realistic or educational. That's not the way sex looks or how you're expected to behave. Try O.school instead.


15



Try house music for focus. Spotify “uplifting trance” playlists. Better than Adderall by a mile.


12, 13, 16



YouTube Randy Pauch The Last Lecture. Watch together.


14



Assume any email or text you send will be distributed.


12, 15



In the wise words of Taylor Swift, you don’t have to forgive or forget in order to move on. You can just…move on.


15, 21



Watch the political conventions every election year. Listen and decide for yourself.


17, 18, 21



“If you can’t figure something out, figure out how to figure it out.” - Paul Graham


18



You can’t be a good parent if you’re a miserable person. Take care of yourself. Make the changes necessary to get in a good place. Ask for help. The happier you are, the happier they will be.


1, 10, 15



Let people do what they want to do so you can see what they’d rather do.


16



Change “I need to” to “this matters because”. Instead of “I need to walk the dog” say “it matters that I walk the dog because he needs exercise and to check p-mail.” (Helps!)


8, 11, 16, 21



Just for the record, I didn’t vote for Trump. I want my great-grandchildren to know that.


18



1

Help them develop a positive attitude. http://www.momentsaday.com/10-activities-help-young-children-develop-a-positive-attitude/


5



“Success is liking who you are, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” - Maya Angelou


13, 15, 21