Today is my birthday. This isn’t an unusual event, I’ve had them before. In fact, I’ve had a lot of them already. This is number fifty-three.

I hope that in that time I’ve learned a few things. Not really earth shattering things, but I consider them to be pretty important. As an elder in the tribe I have the prerogative to share them with you, so sit down, shut up, and listen. Oh, and respect your elders.

They’re in no particular order, and this list is not all-inclusive. In other words, just some random thoughts and I’ll probably forget a bunch of stuff.

I’m not as good as I think I am. By good I mean the idealized view we all have of ourselves. I’ve known this for a while now, but it did take some time to sink in. A psychologist could probably put this better, but I believe that we are all several different people; the person we think we should be, the person we think we are, and the person we really are. The best we can hope for is to narrow the gaps.

I’m not as bad as I think I am. There are things in life that make you feel like a total failure. My life is full of them. Not to mitigate the importance of some of those things, it still took some time to realize that my failures are not as complete as thought and that perfection is far from possible. Related to this is understanding that even the worst failures are not the end of the world and that most things can still be fixed, or at least improved.

There’s nothing wrong with my monitor. Reading glasses are here for the duration.

Thinking something is important doesn’t make it so. This applies to politics, work, hobbies, and all the rest of life. It also applies to what others think. Just because you think something is all important don’t expect me to see it the same way. Harder yet as been the ability to realize that you (the big, broad, whoever it happens to be at the moment you) don’t give things the same importance that I do. This post is exhibit “A”. That’s OK.

Sometimes life sucks. Most people learn this pretty early on. Just learning it isn’t the important part, it’s knowing that life can throw the worst at you and that you are still around to go at it again. How cool is that?

Related to the above: Sometimes life sucks, but it’s only sometimes. Most of the time life is great. Not “I have everything I could possibly want” great, but “I have every possibility I could want” great. There’s a difference.

I’m never going to be in the shape I was in in my twenties again.

I need to be in better shape in my fifties or I’m never going to see my sixties.

The best advice I’ve ever heard: There are only two things in life that you can control; your attitude and your actions. If you don’t realize how profound that is, think about it some more.

I’ve mentioned this before (and I’m too lazy to search for a link), my philosophy of life: Always be content. Never be satisfied. Let me explain. There is a big difference between contentment and satisfaction. Many people get it backwards. When I say always be content I mean don’t whine about where you are in life. Believe me, no one else cares. That doesn’t mean you (in other words, me) should be satisfied with where you are. Be better, work harder, don’t give up. When I say that many people get it backwards I mean that too many times I see people who are satisfied with where they are in life, but they are hardly content.

Principles are more important than politics.

Like what you like ’cause you like it. Everyone else can go pound sand.

Learn something new today. Plan on learning something new tomorrow, it will give you something to look forward to.

Reading is one of the greatest gifts we’ve ever been given. See above.

Screwing up is OK. At least you’re doing something.

Cut people some slack. Not everyone is as perfect as I am. [/sarc]

That’s it. I know there’s more, but I need to get ready for work.