Happy Atheist Forum

Got a chain email today listing 45 lessons learned in life, written by a woman who just turned 90. Although she is religious, I thought a lot of the lessons learned were good advice anyway, so I will post the non-religious ones (which happen to be the vast majority). I thought it quite interesting that she has a very "carpe diem" outlook on life, even though most middle-class Christians would be more inclined to believe that saving, hard work and patience are the keys to a successful life. Here ya go:

[spoiler:3348is2h]1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."[/spoiler:3348is2h]

... it's a good list, but she's not 90.  She's 54:
http://www.cleveland.com/brett/blog/ind ... _inte.html (http://www.cleveland.com/brett/blog/index.ssf/2009/06/lifes_lessons_speed_up_on_inte.html)

Guess it doesn't have to take that long to learn so much ;-)

Ah. Well then, guess it goes to show how accurate chain emails can be.

Maybe in the next 46 years she'll learn a little bit more truth about her religious views, and then we will have a really good list.

I gotta tell ya im not 100% on No. 21.  My fancy lingerie chafes a little bit and i need a close friend to peel the rubber off anyway.

Bored. Answered points from my perspective.

[spoiler:3e9vi4yi]1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. Nah... It's just unfair.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step. When in doubt, CHEAT.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Yup

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch. Actually, it will and they won't. Welcome to MY world  :raised:

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special. Agreed.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow. Be spontaneous and what will be will be. Works for me.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple. Be as you will, be it excentric or not.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain. It's hard to have sex without proper glands though. But yes.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you. True, but...

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?' Only call it a disaster if it is one.

28. Forgive everyone everything. Nurture your grudges. Vengeance makes for a lovely hobby.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business. Unless they pay you, live with you or otherwise affect your life.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time. Wrong. Time dulls the sharp experiences - it does not actually heal.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. Yes.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. Untrue. I'm usually taken more seriously than I take myself.

33. Believe in miracles. Seriously, don't. Believe in yourself and know your capabilities. You will be happier for it.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now. Fair enough

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young. Quality beats quantity.

37. Your children get only one childhood. ...If that.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved. ...IF you loved. All that truly matters in the end is, actually, that it IS the end.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere. Do that and they are not.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back. Wrong. Unless you have a reasonably nice life, that is.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need. Actually, I don't. Envy IS a waste of time though.

42. The best is yet to come... ...And then you die.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. Unless you can get your doc to write a letter.

44. Yield. Avoid fighting in the first place. At least avoid fights where you have slim chances of emerging victorious.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift. One you never asked for. However, being a "gift", it is yours to do with as you will. Keep it and cherish it or throw it out with the garbage.[/spoiler:3e9vi4yi]

These lessons seem to be pretty standard conventional wisdom, with the prescribed amount of religious nonsense thrown in. It doesn't seem to be anything really that special.

Gosh.  I didnt realise it was  grumpy pain in the arse day at HAF.

Quote from: "theclassicist"Gosh.  I didnt realise it was  grumpy pain in the arse day at HAF.

Get with the times, man. Tomorrow will be Glorify The Nostalgic Old "Golden Days" and Complain About The Youth of Today day. Don't forget!  

Quote from: "theclassicist"Gosh.  I didnt realise it was  grumpy pain in the arse day at HAF.

WAITWHUT?!  :verysad:

Heh Heh.  Am grateful for not being taken too seriously by you guys

Quote from: "Kylyssa"I found a few I disagreed with so I decided to give my own opinion of a few.

[spoiler:39rp4f6b]1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. Life isn't fair so do your best to make it so.  Life is seldom good but the good bits are often worth waiting for.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.  When in doubt :P

Quote from: "LegendarySandwich"These lessons seem to be pretty standard conventional wisdom, with the prescribed amount of religious nonsense thrown in. It doesn't seem to be anything really that special.

Word life.

All this blah blah is learned in mid 90's Disney movies.

Quote from: "TheWilliam"

Quote from: "LegendarySandwich"These lessons seem to be pretty standard conventional wisdom, with the prescribed amount of religious nonsense thrown in. It doesn't seem to be anything really that special.

Word life.

All this blah blah is learned in mid 90's Disney movies.

Yeah! And why don't we make up a list of our own?

I'll give it a try, by quoting the quotes of some famous people:

1. "There are very few personal problems, that cannot be solved through a suitable application of high explosives"
2. "Nothing inspires forgiveness quite like revenge”
3. "The most interesting information comes from children, for they tell all they know and then stop"
4. "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."
5. "There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness"
6. "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
7. "Never underestimate the power of human stupidity"
8. "No statement should be believed, because it is made by an authority"

Here's my contribution to our list:

9. Do the fuck you want.

10. "It all ends up the same: Dust and Tears"

I just love that quote...   Mostly for how true it is.

What about...

11. Indecision may or may not be [strike:26ghi749]my[/strike:26ghi749] the problem.

12. You're probably wrong.

13. Copy from one, it's plagiarism; copy from two, it's research.

When the grass is cut the snakes will show.
-S.Carter-

Quote from: "TheWilliam"When the grass is cut the snakes will show.
-S.Carter-

I like that one

Are we up to 15 now?  The last one wasn't numbered.

15.  Never underestimate the restorative powers of a good hissy fit.

I'm not sure if it's here, or some other place I visit but there's a sig around which uses:

16. Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

A little variation on Benjamin Franklin's famous quote:

17. Early to bed and early to rise, ruins a man's social life

18. He, who cheats and runs away lives to cheat another day.  

19. Everything that humans can imagine is a possibility in reality.

 :D )?

Quote from: "Asmodean"

Quote from: "theclassicist"Gosh.  I didnt realise it was  grumpy pain in the arse day at HAF.

WAITWHUT?!  :verysad:

Ha, ha, ha...

20. Only two things are certain: death and taxes.

21. DON'T PANIC

22. It's okay to panic.

23. All good things in life are either indecent, illegal or it makes you fat

Quote from: "Guy I suspect of having a red sports car"21. DON'T PANIC

Quote from: "Sandwich"22. It's okay to panic.

24.
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cimoli.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F03%2Findecision03.jpg&hash=fa27de9917fe4a5767d2022f99150a14f0af4309)

Some Chinese wisdom this time

25.  Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.
26.  If you don't want anyone to know it, don't do it

27. Question authority.

Just because someone is older or higher up then you doesn't mean they aren't full of it.

28. Question everything.
29. Teach your kids how to think for their goddamn selves; don't just tell them to do something because you said so, and you're the authority figure.

I see we still have a way to go to get to 45...

My earlier contribution was 16. Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

I now present 30. Richard Bos's Corollary to Hanlons's Razor: Stupidity maintained long enough is a form of malice.

31. A person may well be smart, but people are idiots.

32. If it's too good to be true, it probably is.

33. Scars are souvenirs you never lose. --John Rzeznik

34. Long lists of things of sayings regarded as wisdom are stupid.

35. There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who don't.

65. You should try to remember what number you're on when making a list.

Quote from: "LegendarySandwich"65. You should try to remember what number you're on when making a list.

What do you expect at one in the morning   .

Quote from: hismikeness on February 17, 2011, 09:03:38 PM
33. Scars are souvenirs you never lose. --John Rzeznik

^^^ This is one of the biggest reasons I've never felt any need or desire to get tattooed.  Between my crazy life and the world's random yet significant contributions, I carry enough signs and symbols without paying somebody to put their art into my skin. To be clear: I had plenty of friends who were tattooed back before it became common, and I've got nothing against it. "Onward thru the Fog!" <~~ Some old time heads may recognize that phrase.

36. "You ain't gonna learn what you don't want to know." — John Perry Barlow

37. 42

38. "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." — Dorothy Parker

40) Life isn't hard its realistic.

41) Realistic is hard, so life is hard.
42) The anwser to life, the universe and everything. (just had to add that 8) )

43: Ignore rule 42  :P

44) People only believe what is in their own mind.