36 for 36

I’m 36 today. 36. Where the hell did that come from? So yea, I did one of those birthday posts. I did it two years ago too. But ffs this is not one of those life-lessons posts; I’m not telling any body else how to live, I have enough trouble controlling my own body. This is more like a note to myself. Because I read my own blog. Because I’m cool like that.

Above photo is modified from Aled Lewis’s brilliant series. The list below paraphrases from other people too.

1. Have strong opinions, but hold them weakly.
2. Things in life are rarely as risky as they seem. Don’t worry so much.
3. Ask for what you want.
4. Forgive people.
5. Sports are cool and dumb.
6. Money is circulated. Time is spent. So it goes.
7. Coffee is a warm, tasty alternative to hating everything every morning forever.
8. Learn to code. Or literally anything else.
9. Being a good writer is 3% talent and 97% not being distracted by the Internet.
10. You can punch back.
11. Clubs < bars < restaurants < someone’s backyard where you don’t have to shout to talk.
12. Think for a few seconds before you act. Think for a few minutes if you’re angry.
13. Don’t judge other people too quickly. You never know their whole story.
14. Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.
15. Surround yourself with people who like the same pizza toppings as you.
16. Experience may be fine but testing is better. Knowing something will work never takes the place of proving it will.
17. Only read about half way through dumb lists like this because you obviously get the point by now.
18. We all have something that someone else would kill for.
19. Background App Refresh is a battery killer. Turn it off, you won’t miss it.
20. When you only use the screen for mindless distraction and entertainment, then the result is a distracted mind in need of entertainment.
21. Social media needs verbs other than “Like” and “Favorite.”
22. No one looks back on their lives and remembers the nights they got plenty of sleep.
23. Ideas are worthless until you get them out of your head and see what they can do. WORTHLESS.
24. One benefit of working hard is that good opportunities will come along, but it’s still up to you to jump on them when they do.
25. Everybody is trying. They just don’t think exactly like you do. Be empathetic.
26. Clearly labeling other people’s petty grievances as bullshit leads to well-being and fewer complaints of your own.
27. Data has never convinced anyone who didn’t want to be convinced. Some debates are simply a waste of time.
28. Don’t drink with anyone who refers to their favorite sports team as “us.”
29. Who you are has more to do with how you act than what you say.
30. There are incredibly smart people doing incredibly good things who aren’t good at promoting what they’re doing.
31. Fear is still a compass pointing true north.
32. I can give you all the advice in the world, but in the end you’ll be judged by your profile picture.
33. I’m done with this stupid list. Learn to quit whenever you feel like it.