Eleven Rules That School Doesn't Teach

First I should say this is not original, and I can't site an author. I have, however, made a few updates to it along the way. This applies to people of any age, but it was intended for the students.

Eleven Rules That School Doesn't Teach

Rule 1- Life is not fair; get used to it.

Rule 2- The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3- You will not make a six-figure salary right out of high school. You'll need to earn your way to the top.

Rule 4- If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you have a boss.

Rule 5- Flipping burgers is not beneath you. Your grandparents had a different name for flipping burgers. They called it opportunity.

Rule 6- If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes. Learn from them.

Rule 7- Before you were born your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes, and listening to you talk about how much you know. So before you save the rainforests from the parasites of your parents' generation, try doing a fair share of the housework.

Rule 8- Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not.

Rule 9- Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off.

Rule 10- Television and social media are not real life. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop, temporarily put their phones down, and go to jobs that require some focus and attention.

Rule 11- Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one. And if you happen to be quite smart, don't you dare hide it or pretend you're not. I'm sure some reader could add many more. It's nothing but a few conversation starters for those not yet familiar with the rude realities out there.

All good things....

Social Media, Therapy, and Moving Forward

I have not written a blog in a long while. I have not been able to focus on writing anything more than a sentence or two in length. The condition, if it has a name, led me to certain social media accounts, namely Twitter. This seemingly innocuous creation has helped me in ways that I never would have suspected.

As I have learned to walk forward, perhaps more than ever, I also learned to accept others and to be expressive again. By diving into the sea of human dysfunction, I learned that normal is a far more inclusive construct than I allowed for in the past. We all seem to be healing from something. We all seem to be looking for similar essential comforts and truths.

Among the profane, vulgar, gratuitously shocking, and brash, there are also the clever, witty, touching, gracious, vulnerable, and wise. I would not have stayed long at a real life (RL on Twitter) party if everyone were throwing out their thoughts and feelings uncensored for all to hear. It would be like a crazy passing period in a high school hallway.  But now that I've been there, virtually at least, for a while, I like it.

 As for real life, happiness comes when you can appreciate the beauty of the moments. It's much easier to do that when you have a group of people enjoying their moments, too, and are willing to share their joys. I have found friends in places near and far. From Netherlands to Australia,and California to Florida, such places are home to the wonderful people who have given me little postcards of humanity that serve as reminders of the goodness in us all. Thanks, new friends. I appreciate it.

All good things....