More Words To Live By

1. Travel a lot - as often as you can. If possible, live in a foreign country for a year. Nothing makes you appreciate your own country and what you have better than living abroad. Plus, it's cool to say "I went to high school in Spain." I have my dad to thank for that one. Those three years in Spain were definitely memorable, especially with a diplomatic passport. And, no, Dad, I won't elaborate on that!

2. If you see some kids outside their house selling lemonade, stop and buy some. Sno-cones count too.

3. Pick a piece of classical music that you like or even one that you may have never heard before, and listen to it often enough - maybe a few times a week - until you've got a good bit of it memorized. You'll be amazed how often you'll here it elsewhere - movies, TV commercials, cell phone ring tones. Little things like recognizing the "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's 9th always make me smile, especially when it's during the scene in "Die Hard" when the terrorists finally get the safe open..."It's Christmas! Be of good cheer!" The 9th is the one piece of music Mom and I always listen to when we're together. Other good choices are Beethoven's 5th (you'd have to be deaf - ironically, Beethoven was when he wrote it - not to recognize this piece, even if you're not a classical music fan), Mozart's "A Musical Joke," Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, Handel's "Water Music," Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, and "Flight of the Valkyries" from Wagner's Ring Cycle.

4. Unless you're financially independent or retired, you probably work for a living. If you're going to have a job, do something that you love. I love money and wish I had more like everybody else, but nothing beats intense personal satisfaction, except getting paid for intense personal satisfaction.

5. If you have kids, when the youngest is three or four, get a puppy. Just the word "puppy" makes me smile. When I was five and my sister Lauren was four, we got a collie puppy for Christmas and Dad (or was it Mom?)named him Sancho (Panza de Torrealta). He lived until I was a Freshman in college and I will never forget him.

6. Give your kids an allowance, but teach them money management at the same time.

7. Take off your hat when you're indoors.

8. Give a firm handshake, but don't try and prove your strength. Also, don't give what I call a "little old lady" handshake, where you limply grip the other person's fingers with your fingers.

9. When you do give a handshake, or when you're talking to someone, look them straight in the eye. It makes the other person feel like you care about them and about what you're saying, and, believe it or not, it builds your self confidence.

10. The next time you listen to someone speak for more than a few seconds, count how many times they say "ummm." Then, the next time you speak for more than a few seconds, count how many times you say it. You might be amazed how often you do. This also applies to "like," "totally," and "know what I'm sayin'?", know what I'm sayin'?