Happy "New"Year

It's Labor Day week-end and in a few days the "New" year will begin.  For most of my life, September has been the beginning of a new year.  January is just when the confused Romans or Greeks or whomever it was decided to start the new year on their fancy calendars.  As much as things change, they stay the same....way back then it was tablets (made of rock) then we evolved into tablets of paper and now we're in the midst of electronic tablets....all the same for the generations associated I guess.  But nonetheless, my calendar is the good ole MCS school calendar and it says the year begins with September...I concur!

So, with a fresh new year upon us in a mere 3 days, I'm sharing this awesome note in hopes that you have a bright young tween or teen that would benefit from these simple words of wisdom.

To You,  My Shining Young Star:

1. Yes, your freshman AND Sophomore years count towards your GPA for college entrance. Screw it up and you’ll work for crap

 wages your whole life.

2. No means NO. In every possible circumstance.

3. Join every sport, every club, every after school activity no matter what the cost. It’s cheaper than bail.

4. Repeat after me: I am never in that much of a hurry…I am never in that much of a hurry. Now say that every time you get behind

 the wheel. It will save your life and that of your best friend in the seat next to you.

5. Don’t do drugs or drink - it is so not worth the trouble.

6. Don’t get a credit card. You earn it or you live without it.

7. If I yell at you, it’s because I love you. And also, because you pissed me off. To avoid the latter, don't be an idiot. And don't 

disappoint me. More importantly, yourself.

8. Make a vivid picture inside your head of every great moment of your childhood. You’ll need those to get through adulthood.

9. Make snow angels as often as possible. Make a bucket list. Check it off!

10. Stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

11. Be always benevolent. Yes, that’s a word. Look it up.

12. Call me for a ride even if you are so drunk you barely know my number. I’ll probably be mad for a while but I’ll respect you for

 calling and I won’t kill you. Riding with someone who is drinking will. (PS - remember #5?)

13. Be a leader, not a follower. Unless you are following the kid with the highest GPA and (s)he is going to a study group, then by

 all means be a follower!

14. Love your siblings, even when you don’t like them. Some day you will be trying to get them to take care of me in my old age. If

 they are mad at you, you are stuck with me.

15. I’ve been there, done that on more things than you can imagine. I’m not stupid and I know what you are doing. I was once you

 (times ten).

16. Work hard at everything you do. Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

17. Cover it. (Enough said.)

18. When I tell you to clean your room, do not point at my messy room and raise your eyebrows. I’m trying to raise you to be better

 than me.

19. Learn to type; to budget; to spell correctly and to pray. All are equally important.


20. Never be sedentary. Someday soon you will no longer be able to move like that. Enjoy it.

I think # 19 is my favorite and by far the wisest of all these

epistles.  They may not fit

 precisely into the new standards of

the state's bewildering Common Core but they

 

fit perfectly into my standards of Common Sense!!  I hope it's an amazing year Bailee, 

Gabby, Emily and Allison and Lyndsy........

and all of my wonderful nieces and nephews and yours too! Life is short... Learn to ENJOY

!