Merely Being

It’s been entirely too long since my last update. Much has happened since then, but not much that I would consider to be noteworthy.

Last night, I was lucky enough to grab a seat at the midnight screening of Watchmen. It was spectacular, probably the best movie of the decade (and considering the movies that have come out since 2001, that’s saying a lot).

In other news, I will be turning nineteen around 7:30 this morning. Before I roll a year closer to the top of the proverbial hill, I have a few pieces of wisdom that I’ve gathered from the past year to share:

• - Live for the present. The future is full of cloudy days, but at the present moment it’s always sunny somewhere.
• - Enjoy your time alone. No lie, everything else is going to take priority over it, so it’s nice when it happens. Alone time is never scheduled, and you never know how long it’s going to last.
• - Tell jokes with a straight face. People will laugh more often.
• - Praise your friends publicly. They’re your FRIENDS, dammit—the only things in the world worth bragging about.
• - Always let someone else read your papers. You’ll have looked at them so long, you’ll be sick of the good parts and fond of your mistakes.
• - High school kicked ass. Never forget it. College kicks twice as much ass. You might forget high school because of it.
• - Stick your neck out. Now stick your arms out. Now stick your left leg out. But don’t stick your right leg out, or you’ll fall.
• - Give 110% of your time and resources. The righteous few will give your 10% back.
• - Strive for excellence. You’ll feel more satisfied with what you’ve done.
• - Never compromise. Not even in the face of Armageddon. Mad props to those who recognize the reference.
• - Be sure your debts are always paid, once for every simple trade, but twice for freely given aid.
• - What you can do, do with friends. What you must do, do alone.
• - Be bold. You never accomplished anything by sitting on your ass in the dark… Except for writing this list of birthday wisdom.

Damn, to where did all of my youth-filled years escape? Here’s to nineteen more!