Re:One thing
Sunday, September 23 2012 @ 10:19 AM CDT

This is actually a tough one. There are a few paths I went down in my life that were unfortunate, but they were important and they helped mold me into the person I am and, for once in my life, I'm pretty happy with that person.

My first two responses when I really thought about the question were to tell my 19-year-old self not to switch my major from computer science to journalism or to tell my 21-year-old self to not get serious about a certain person because of the 18 1/2 years of constant turmoil that will result in, but, though neither turned out the way I'd hoped, I still don't regret them.

Then I figured it out.

I'd tell my 20-year-old self "Do not get a credit card." That was the one decision I made that had no long-term positive consequences and negative consequences I'm still living with today - 25 years later. It may not sound like a big deal, but for someone who can't handle their money, it is.

Re:One thing
Sunday, September 23 2012 @ 02:49 PM CDT

Hmm... I'm not much of a "Life In The Rear-View Mirror" kind of guy. We all make mistakes. You learn from them, hopefully grow wiser and then move on.

However, having welcomed my only two grandchildren into the world during the past few years, I was moved to create a musical time capsule for them. My aim is to offer the best advice about core challenges that we all must face in Life.

I posted an early version of my first installment in this collection, Take Any Road, sort of a quick road map to the challenges of Life.

Future installments will focus on particularly knotty issues like love, identity, career, etc.

Re:One thing
Sunday, September 23 2012 @ 03:11 PM CDT

I still am giving myself about the same advice I did back then. I'm a little more steady now, though.. knock on wood.. though. I may have read this on MJ:
"You are perfect just as you are. And you could use a little improvement."
—Suzuki-Roshi

Re:One thing
Sunday, September 23 2012 @ 03:12 PM CDT

Learn to dance really well.

Re:One thing
Sunday, September 23 2012 @ 03:24 PM CDT

If someone doesn't like it when you tell them no, it's their problem, not yours.

Re:One thing
Sunday, September 23 2012 @ 04:19 PM CDT

Excellent replies my friends

If nothing else I hope it's been an insight into yourselves.

Paraphrasing what others have said, what I've gone through has made me what I am but boy did I suffer getting here and maybe a word of advice I could understand would have been useful. Mine was specific about drugs but I've read some inspirational stuff here that I can pass on.

I've already told my own kids that if an opportunity arises to do something then they should go for it (regret what you did do and not what you didn't - fine advice).

Thanks chaps, a really good set of responses.

Re:One thing
Sunday, September 23 2012 @ 05:59 PM CDT

DUCK!