Swimming is fun

As a grown up I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them I learned from my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through expereince. Many of them I learned from my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 15 Learn to swim.

Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to SWIM!!!!!!!!
Growing up, we did not have a pool, and not many of my friends did. I remember that some friends of my parents had one and we would go over there occasionally, and one of my aunts also had one. I would always play around in the shallow end, and on a floatie. I never learned to swim. My fourth grade teacher also taught swimming lessons during the summer, so I begged my parents to let me take them. I got a brand new swimsuit and I was ready to go. I finally got to the point where I could swim from one end of the pool to the other, as long as the teacher was in the pool. However, as soon as I graduated from swim lessons, the summer was over and I never practiced. After that I never really did it on my own again.
I am terrified of the water. Drowning, more specifically. It comes from a tragic event at a water park when I almost drowned because of a very large woman. I spent all of high school, not going to pool parties because I was terrified that one of the boys would try to throw me in. When I did go and they tried, I just gripped their necks so tightly that when they tried to throw me in, they came in with me. At water parks, I wouldn't go down the slides, and I would make up some excuse like "oh I have to go to the bathroom,I'll meet you guys in a bit," or "oh, I have to go take my medicine, I'll be right back."
I was too embarassed to tell my friends that I couldn't swim.
In 2008, I moved to Maui for a year. What a great place to conqure a fear of the water... sort of.
While I was there, I snorkled, scuba dived, attempted surfing and even jumped off of a (very tiny) waterfall. I realized that it wasn't necessarily that I couldn't swim. I knew how, it just terrified me. However, once I put that mask on and I could see everything, I could do it. It took a few times of someone else holding my hand, but eventually I did it.
If you don't know how to swim, you can potentially miss out on a lot of fun. Marco Polo is a wonderful game. So are pool volleyball, chicken and all of the others. If you know how to swim, you can go to pool parties and the beach with your friends and actually have fun in the water. And, you won't have to make up excuses as to why you are only going in the water up to your knees.

Spiders and what not...

As a grown up, I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say, everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 14 Catch Spiders in a Jar

I would like to begin by saying that this is one that I am still working on. I am almost there, but I don't quite have it yet.
My mother would never kill spiders. "Don't kill it," she would say, "they kill mosquitos." She would stop whatever she was doing, whether it be drying her hair, laundry, cooking, and would always catch spiders in a jar.
Now, there is actually an art to it. You can't just put a jar down and hope that the spider jumps in. In order to catch a spider properly in a jar you need: a small glass jar, slightly larger than a baby food jar. Then you need exactly half of a paper plate. It has to be one of those cheap, flimsy paper plates with the ridges on the rim. Then you very gracefully, and quickly, place the jar down around the spider, before he knows what hit him. Then you slide the jar, and its contents, onto the half of a paper plate. Once this is accomplished, you pick up both the plate and the jar and take him outside and release him.
I know it may sound simple, but trust me, the hardest part is the moment when you pick up both the plate and the spider. It took me a very long time to get it so the spider would not fall out in the split second that I stood up.
There are lots of reasons why you shouldn't spray spiders with your hairspray, or beat them with your shoe, or surrender your house to them and just move. Spiders eat mosquitos. That is a proven fact. I would also like to interject here with, I have no problem with you killing mosquitos. Spiders also, are more afraid of you than you are of them. I know you've heard that one before, but imagine being dropped down in a land where everyone was at least 10,000 times your size. I would certainly not want one of them to stomp on me with his shoe. Also, spiders have families that they need to provide for, just like we do. They do not come into your house to scare you. They get lost and loose their way, and need someone to rescue them.
The moral of the story is this: Save a spider, kill a mosquito.

If you have to go... go

As a grown up, I realize that I have learned many valuable lessons through the course of life. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through expereince. Many of them were taught to me by my Aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned from living. So, here it is. A year's worth of advice for all of the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 13 If you have to go to the bathroom, get up and go.

When I was in the third grade, I wet my pants at school. It was within the last 45 minutes of the day and I asked my teacher to let me go to the bathroom. She told me to hold it, that she knew I could wait just a few more minutes. A few minutes later, I asked her again and she told me again, more firmly that I needed to sit down and wait.
Let me just insert here that I HATED my third grade teacher. My mom HATED her too.
So, moving on. I still remember what I was wearing, though that doesn't matter now. I wet my pants and my horrible excuse for a teacher told me that I did it on purpose just to get attention, and would NOT let me leave the room until the bell rang.
One of my friends gave me her jacket to tie around my waste and walked me to my mom's car as I cried my eyes out.
My mom took one look at me, asked me what happened, and my friend told her. She grabbed my hand, marched me back into the school principal's office and demanded to speak to my teacher. My teacher finally waddled into the office and my mom said words that I know I was never supposed to hear. She told my teacher that from this moment on, If I had to go to the bathroom, I would not ask. I would get up in the middle of whatever was going on, and I would go. PERIOD!
For the rest of my school career and even into adulthood, I have carried this advice with me.
It is our God given right to be able to go to the bathroom. If anyone tells you that you can't, who cares. How dare anyone try to judge when someone else's bladder is full. You know when you need to pee... so just get up and go.

Lunch is for companionship

As a grown up, I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some I learned in school and through expereince. Many of them I learned from my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are many things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everyone and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

#12 Don't let anyone sit alone at a lunch table

Before my first day of school, every year, my mom would say: "Shanna, you make friends very easily, but some people don't. If you see someone sitting alone at lunch, ask them to join you. Or go and sit with them."
In elementary school, this was never really an issue, because we sat at long picnic like tables that folded in the middle. Boys at one and girls at another. No one really had the opportunity to be left out, so I never really understood.
However, on the first day of middle school, I got it. I thanked God that I had some of my friends from the 6th grade there when it came time for lunch. I walked into the cafeteria and I was completely overwhelmed. I had two of my friends with me, and we were trying to decide where to sit. Should we try to sit with the cheerleaders, even though we didn't make the squad? Should we sit with the "nerds" who were reading books and not talking to one another? Should we sit with the eccentric "theater kids" who were dressed in black and asking one another for a location?
Finally my mother's words popped into my head. I made the decision. I said, "today seems like a good day to make new friends."
We found a table with one girl sitting at it alone. We asked if we could join her. She said something to the effect of sure, if you really want to. We assured her that we did and by the end of lunch on the first day of 7th grade, four other people had asked us if they could join us and our lunch table was one of the more full ones. I specifically remember that the main thing I looked forward to during the first semester of 7th grade was lunch. I made some really good friends that year. Anytime that someone new came in, or was sitting alone, there was a space for them in our lunch group.
You all have to be there, and really you're all in the same boat. No one should have to endure it alone. Don't let anybody sit alone at a lunch table, because you wouldn't want to. Also, it would break your heart to know that your children or nieces and nephews were sitting alone during lunch.

On Traditions

As a grown up, I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through expereince. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned from living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They might not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either live by or wish I did.

#11 Take traditions seriously

I grew up in the south and down there, for the most part, it is a completely different way of thinking. My grandparents grew up on farms in northeast Mississippi. No food went to waste, they quitled to keep warm, clothes were passed from one sibling to the next and then mended until they could no longer be worn. Then they were turned into quilts. Flour came in giant cotton sacks, and when the flour was gone, the sacks were turned into quilts.
I know that this way of life has long since gone to the wayside. However, some things should stay the same. Listen when the older people in your life tell their stories. Write them down if you can. Trends come and go, but it will never again be the way it was when our grandparents, and even our parents were young.
If your family has traditions that have been going on for years, do your best to keep them. Or, create new ones. My family is large and extended, but before it was so large, it was long ago decided that everyone would buy a present for everyone at Christmas. One year, my cousins all got together and tried to change this. The "grown ups" all pitched such a fit that it was never even discussed again. Now everyone gets a present, but they might be very small.
If your family has a watergun fight every Memorial Day, or drinks hot chocolate while driving around looking at Christmas lights, or volunteers as a group to a homeless shelter on Thanksgiving, these are special memories that were created just for you. Cherish them. If you don't pass them on, no one else will.
This can also include hobbies such as quilting, knitting, hunting, and cooking. Take traditions and the skills and knowledge of your elders and keep them, hold on to them, and pass them down for future generations.

Always charge your cell phone...

As a grown up, I realize that in the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews in the world, or really for anyone who will listen. You may not agree with all of them and they may not work for everybody, but each is a rule that I either live by or wish I did.

# 10 Always, always, charge your cell phone...

It's 2010. Practically everyone has a cell phone, and land lines are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Even my parents have cell phones, though they are for the most part, unused and never turned on. 5 year olds know how to download apps for their parents IPhones. Even some of the homeless people I see begging on the streets have some form of cell phone.
If you have one, it should always be charged. I am certain that most everyone in the world keeps their charger plugged into the same spot at all times, so it is really lazy of you to not just grab the chord and plug it in.
What if you are locked out at 3am and your phone is dead? You would either have to throw rocks at someone's window or sit on the stoop until someone came outside. What if you witnessed someone being attacked and couldn't even call the police because your cell phone is dead? What if you walk past a fire and you can't call the fire department?
I know that most of these things are highly unlikely, however, you never know. Anything is possible, and it is always a good idea to be prepared. I'm not saying you have to carry around a Mary Poppins bag with a remedy for everything in it. I am simply asking you to charge your cell phones.

Kindergarten is not a scary place...

As a grown up, I realize that in the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know, you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are many things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews in the world, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 9 Kindergarten is not a scary place

I found out today that my precious niece is having quite the hard time adjusting to this whole kindergarten thing. She has nervous stomach anyway, and this kindergarten thing is really getting to her. She works herself into a frenzy and just gets so nervous and emotional about it that some days, she just can't physically do it. Go to kindergarten, I mean.
I understand that there are so many things that can be scary to a five year old, in new place, who has to wear a plaid jumper everyday. She is terrified of fire drills, which I get. The thought of fire is horrific. However, as a grown up, I realize that with every good fire drill, occasionally you get some really hot fireman.
Maybe she is scared of messing up or doing something wrong. Perhaps she is afraid to color outside of the lines. As a grown up, I realize that coloring outside the lines isn't always a bad thing.
She could also very well be afraid of the upcoming musical in which she has to play a sheep. It was the kindergarten Christmas pageant, when I wore the tinsel icicle costume that my mom slaved over. I hated this costume until I walked on stage and the entire audience "oohed" and "ahhed". From that moment on, I had the acting bug, and it never went away. Thank you kindergarten for causing me to move to NYC.
Maybe she is afraid that she won't make any friends, but one little boy in her class told the teacher that he prayed for her and hoped she would be his girlfriend. Maybe she is afraid she WILL make friends.
I don't remember being scared of kindergarten. My mom stayed home with me and we had crafts, and storytime, and naptime, and snacks. I'm fairly certain that I went into it thinking it would just be my daily activities, but with more people and in a different setting.
To this day, I don't still speak to a single person that I went to kindergarten with. However, I do remember that I learned to tie my shoe, count to 100, read on a second grade level, make butter in a jar, and I found the passion that I have taken with me everywhere I go. That is passion is what motivates me to get up in the mornings, and scour the audition notices.
Kindergarten isn't scary, it is a wonderful place for learning, and having adventures, and growing. If you can survive it, you are well on your way to at least being a well rounded first grader.

Recommended reading: The Night Before Kindergarten Reading Railroad Series
The Night Before Kindergarten (Reading Railroad Books Series)

Always keep a...

As a grown up I realize that I have learned many valuable lessons in the course of life. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are things that must be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody, and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 8 Always keep a journal.

A journal is a glorious thing to have. They come in many shapes and sizes. Leather bound, or spiral notebooks. There are also many ways to journal. Some do it every day. Some do it when they have an experience they just have to write down. Others make lists such as : bands I've seen live, cities I've been to, people I've kissed, etc.
So many things happen during the course of life. Things that planted in our memories and we think we will never forget them.Trust me,you will. Sometimes I leave a room and cannot for the life of me remember what it was that I needed. Perhaps you won't forget all of them, but some of them will fade and blur and eventually you won't be able to tell where one memory ends and another begins.
I have been an avid journaler for over a decade now. I am not always as faithful to my journals as I should be,and I have many different types of journals, but I always write down my experiences, good and bad. I have a record somewhere of all of my travels, all of my relationships, and almost every single fun thing I have ever done in my life. I want to be able to pass on my memories to my nieces and my children, should I ever have them, and my grandchildren.
If we are fortunate, a lifetime is very long and full of many experiences that shape us, and help us to grow. We cannot possibly be expected to remember them all forever.
Writing in a journal helps me to organize my thoughts, plan my next project, blow off steam, and gives me a record to look back at and laugh, or cry, or laugh because I cried. There is something so soothing about pen to paper, that I just can't find yet on a keyboard. Anyone who has ever been significant in my life, or any experience worth remembering, I guarantee that somewhere I have them written down. Give it a shot. What's the worst that could happen?

For journals, I prefer a simple leather bound journal such as the: Journal-tan by Eccolo

Give away what you want to receive...

As a grown up, I realize that in the course of life, I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a class room. These are things that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews in the world, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

#7 Give away a few pieces of change everyday.

For the most part, I think this one speaks for itself. I live in New York City, so I am surrounded by people begging everyday. It comes at you from all sides here. On the subway, on the street, on the corners that I walk by practically everyday. Some of these people are dressed better than I am, so I choose to never give them my money. Some of them either have funny signs, or entertain me as they beg, and these are the people I am more drawn to give to. It is hard to decide which cases are legit, but sometimes you just have to make the decision to give and hope that it is for a good cause.
There is a man in my subway station, and he has been there since I have been living off of this train, which is well over a year now. I usually try to keep at least a couple of random pieces of change in my pocket so that I can give it to him everyday. After a conversation with my roommate tonight, I realized that if I give this man one quarter 5 days a week for a year, then I have given him $65. That is almost enough for a bus ticket out of here, to a place where he could possibly have a better life.
I know it is far fetched, however, we never know whose life we may be changing, just by giving our loose change to a stranger, or a musician with his guitar case open, or a traveler who has a sign begging for a bus ticket, a Mountain Dew, a hug, or a good conversation.
I find that most of the time when I give something away, it has a way of coming back to me.

Buttons.... tons and tons of buttons.

As a grown up, I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Others I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest neice recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten, but I disagree. I believe that there are some things one cannot learn in a classroom. These are things that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the neices and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

#6 If you see a button on the ground, pick it up. Collect them.

I can't take full credit for this one, but I firmly stand by it. This one comes from a combination of my grandmother, my lovely roommate, and the boy he met in Scotland.
My grandmother always had a jar or two full of buttons. She grew up in the south, during the Great Depression when everyone was saving everything. If a button popped off of any of her clothes, she would pour out the jars and search until she found one close enough. I was always fascinated by these beautiful buttons. All different colors, shapes, textures. I loved pouring out those buttons and looking at each one as I put it back in the jar.
Last summer, my roommate met a boy in Scotland. This boy told him that he collected buttons. If he sees one on the street, he picks it up. Every button that he has in his jar represents a moment of peace or happiness. Everytime he has a bad day, he pours out his buttons and counts those moment of peace and happiness.
I think this is so beautiful. Since then my roommate and I have adopted this pastime. Now I have a jelly jar full of buttons in my windowseal. If I buy something that comes with an extra button, I drop it in the jar. If I see a button on the street, which happens more often than you would think, I pick it up, bring it home and drop it in the jar.
Buttons are good for lifting spirits and also, you never know when you might need a button.

You are never too old to...

As a grown up, I realize that in the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through expereince. Many of them I learned from my aunts. Now I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I believe, however, that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are things that must be learned by living. So here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the neices and nephews in the world, or really anyone who will listen. They might not work for everyone and you might not agree with all of them, but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

#5 You are never too old to play dress up.

When I was little, my mom had a bag full of her old clothes. Some were vintage, which meant nothing to me at the time, some no longer fit her, and some were given to her as hand me downs and she never wore them. I remember this long, red polyester dress. It was always my favorite. She would bring me into her room when it was raining, or we needed a new activity, and she would open her closet and bring out the coveted bag of dress up clothes. She and I would spend hours putting on her clothes and pretending we were rich and on some exotic adventure. There were days when I am certain my mother had more fun playing dress up than I did. As I got older, and started school, we didn't have nearly as much time for dress up, but occasionally she and I would go out to lunch and we would both wear something crazy like a big hat, or a gaudy broach, "just to be spirited", she would say.
About a month and a half ago, I went home on little visit, as I try to do every six months. I spent the night at my sister's house and I had the wonderful opportunity to play dress up with my two precious nieces. After they, 5 and 2, insisted that I adorn this delightful gold sequened mini shirt, and some other fabulous fashion treasures, everyone was rolling on the floor laughing. I had so much fun with those girls that day. We played church and school and post office and dance class, and for every adventure we went on that day, we put on another glorious outfit. Princess dresses, pj's, hats, purses, gloves, scarves, etc. I had so much fun that day being 10 people completely different from myself. We laughed, and I almost had to be cut out of a 5 year old's dress up shirt, but it was one of the best days I've had in a very long time. You are never too old to play dress up.

Recommended product: Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk

"You are evil and must be destroyed..."

As a grown up, I realize that in the course of life, I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. Many of them I learned from my aunts. Now I am an aunt and my oldest neice recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I believe that there are some things one cannot learn in a classroom. These are things that can only be learned from living. So for the next 362 days, I plan to to give some tiny words of wisdom to all of the neices and nephews in the world, or really to anyone who will listen. They might not work for everybody, and you might not agree with all of them, but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 4 Credit cards are EVIL.

First I would like to say.... DON'T GET A CREDIT CARD. However, I am smart enough to remember turning 18 and receiving my first credit card application in the mail. I told my parents that I was an adult and that I could have a credit card, and oh look how much I have been preapproved for. They smiled and said, "ok. Go ahead and fill it out, but be careful." I thought that I was the coolest person in the world. If I was at the mall with my friends and they were all shopping, I would just put 40 or 50 bucks on my credit card, no problem. I'll pay it off every month.

Let me just tell you that the end of every month very quickly turns into paying the minimum payment each month, and that very quickly turns into a minimum payment of more than a hundred dollars every month. Then before you know it, you are getting another credit card with a lower interest rate and using it to try and pay off the other one. Then an emergency comes up and there you are with extreme balances on both cards. Trust me,the price of convenience is certainly not cheaper.

Please, hear me. If you have a credit card, CUT IT UP, and call and cancel your account. If you don't, please listen to me, or your parents when they tell you it is a bad idea and that they are still paying off their first one. At the very least, if you insist on having one, never be late with a payment, because what you don't know is that one late payment can up your interest rate 5-7%. Also, call every six months and ask them to lower your interest rate. Sometime they will and some times they won't, but it certainly never hurts to ask.

Always have a valid...

As a grown up, I realize that in the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some I learned in school and through experience. Many I learned from my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say that everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I beleive that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are things that can only be learned by living. So, for the next 363 days I plan to give some tiny words of wisdom to all of the nieces and nephews in the world, or really to anyone who will listen. They may not work for everyone, and you may not agree with all of them, but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 3: Always, always, always have a valid passport.

Traveling is such a wonderful experience. Simply having a valid passport literally opens up the entire world to you. You can go anywhere. You can marvel at Stonehenge, you can spit off the top of the Eiffle Tower, you can follow your favorite band out of the country, you can take a road trip to Mexico, or even get cheaper domestic flights if you are willing to layover in Canada. All because you have a valid passport. If you are under 18, a passport is good for 10 years. If you are over 18, you only have to renew it every 5. Trust me, it is totally worth it. Also, it is always fun to go back and look at all of the stamps your passport has acquired, and ... you never know when you might need to leave the country :)

Make that two...

As a grown up, I have realized that in the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some I learned in school and through experience. many I learned from my aunts. Now I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I believe that there are many things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are things that can only be laerned by living. So, for the next year I plan to give some tiny words of wisdom to all of the nieces and nephews in the world; or really to anyone who will listen. They might not work for everybody, and you might not agree with all of them, but each is a rule that I either try to live by, or wish I did.

Eleanore Roosevelt once said that you should do one thing everything everyday that scares you. I think...



# 2 You should make that two...



There are so many things on any given day that are scary. Some of them are small and some of them are life changing. I'm not saying that you should jump off of a cliff everyday, but I definitely think that doing two small things everyday that you wouldn't normally do will help you become stronger. By doing these two small things every day you will begin to conquer your fears and become more comfortable with yourself. Two small things could eventually change your life... or someone else's.

The first piece of advice...

As a grown up, I have realized that in the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some I learned in school and through experience. Many I learned from my aunts. Now I am aunt and my oldest neice recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know, you learn in kindergarten. I believe that there are many things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are things that can only be learned by living. So, for the next year I plan to give some tiny words of wisdom to all of the neices and nephews in the world, or really to anyone who will listen. They might not work for everybody, and you might not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by, or wish I did.

Today I want to begin with this one:

Dance in the rain. It helps you grow.
It may seem silly, but there is nothing like getting caught in a warm summer rain. Instead of running for the nearest place of refuge, take a second to stand there with your arms open wide, your eyes closed, and your head turned to the sky. Let the water splash your face and cleanse your heart. Then when you are certain that everyone is looking at you as if you are crazy, wave your arms and DANCE. It doesn't have to be good, or to a beat, because when you dance in the rain it is to your own tune and your own melody. Let the rain embrace you and dance until you are completely soaked. I almost guarantee that you will feel all of your burdens lifted and your spirits will be a little higher.