I thought it might be good to have a thread where those of us in the 'late second half' of our lives offer some pearls of wisdom to the younger element ... you know, things that we would want to pass on to improve their lives, or to dispel those bits of folk lore that we now know are just not true ... or just to offer suggestions based on our own bitter (or sometimes sweet) experiences. A sort of 'Oldgitapaedia', if you will.
Of course, we know that the younger readers will not listen ... but at least we will have tried.
Let me kick off with three random pearls:
1) Play football whenever you can. Don't go shopping, don't give into the wife or girlfriend (despite the potential rewards). Just play. As the body ages, the time will soon come when you can't
2) Although differential calculus can come in handy when you're watching University Challenge, generally it is more useful to know about mortgages, home insurance and how credit card repayments work than to know how to derive the volume of a truncated cone
3) No matter how cool you think you look at the moment, you will look back in horror in about 20 or 30 years time and think "Was that really me?"
So, over to you, Old Gits.
And you young pups .... listen up. You'll thank us for this in the fullness of time.
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happy to take advice from older posters on here to help me through my youth.
1. work to live don't live to work
2. wear comfortable shoes and never miss a chance to go to the toilet
3. when you are young everything is better, more exciting, fresh and new. When you get older it's not that food, music, football, TV, etc, etc are getting worse it's just that you are getting old and your appetites have been dulled.
Good one, JT. I taught him all he knows.
"Never underestimate the power of YES DEAR"
My only other one is
"Either lead, follow or get out of my way"
1) No man lies on his deathbed and with his last breath says "I wish I'd slept with fewer women".
2) Pretty women are not necessarily the best sh@gs.
3) Marry in haste, repent at leisure.
4) Anyone who tells you money doesn't make you happy is either a liar or very well off.
5) Don't always listen to your parents - sometimes it's best to follow your own course.
Or "I wish I'd spent more time at the office"
Good one Jints!
2. Whatever your income your expenditure will rise to meet it.
3. Travel as much as you can when you're young.
2 - baggy jeans are never a good look.
3 - dont bin your expensive clothes when they go out of fashion.
They will be back in fashion later.
4 - People who use the words 'cool' and 'trendy' aren't.
Correct. fat ones are. More keen to impress
2) Pretty women are not necessarily the best sh@gs. (This is definitely true)
3) Marry in haste, repent at leisure. (No comment -seriously though its best not to marry a spender - you should look for a partner)
4) Anyone who tells you money doesn't make you happy is either a liar or very well off. (Enough money not to worry about money is all you need - hapiness comes from many other things - Charlton doing well - family contentment)
5) Don't always listen to your parents - sometimes it's best to follow your own course. (If you are my son - listen - I know what I'm talking about. We've made the mistakes so you can learn from them. Unfortunately we didn't listen to our parents).
And I probably played too much football which has messed up my knees - but it is true that not being able to play other than a kick about with sons and dads and being unable to walk properly the next day due to football injuries is terrible.
Make the most of it even if you have to compromise elsewhere.
... although they might then be a little 'snug' around your slightly larger frame.
2. Be your own best mate. One that puts their arm round you but also kicks you up the butt when you need it.
3. Be brave and be kind.
4. If you fall in love with an externally beautiful woman you end up with a shrivelled nut, if you fall in love with an internally beautiful woman she stays beautiful forever.
5. Appreciate the simple things in life; Finding contentment is long-term happiness, seeking happiness is long-term discontent.
6. If you are thirsty look for a church, 9/10 a pub will be nearby.
7. Having a beard commands instant respect on a cricket field. They can find out you are s**t later.
I agree with your comment at 4 as well.
Regarding listening to parents, I wanted to be a rock star, my Mum persuaded me to be a bank clerk... fast forward to my 50th birthday party, at which I jammed with various musicians and my mother said "If I'd known you were that good..."! I wasted 3 years of my life being miserable in a job I hated and was crap at before I escaped to work in computers (they were bigger in them days) - I'd have been much better off and much happier spending those 3 years playing music, even if in the end it amounted to nothing at least I would've given it a proper go.
Just in case wife gets to read this and that is beautiful not a shrivelled nut darling!
Except Michael Barrymore!!
"Don't go shopping, don't give into the girlfriend (despite the potential rewards)"
I'd think twice about the rewards, depending on the girlfriend.
My pearl of wisdom - Don't mortgage yourself to the hilt because the future is in property - spend while you are young, there is plenty of time to save for the future really!!
Try to say 'yes' to at least one thing every day even if it is just to that request for a nice cup of tea.
finally resist all urges to lick the terminals on those little square batteries that go in smoke alarms.
Unless he's dying of AIDS
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering
experience…I will dispense this advice now. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you
imagine. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you Sing Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with
people who are reckless with yours. Floss Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes
you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with
yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don’t. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe
you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body,
use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever
own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for
good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out. Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it’s worth. But trust me on the sunscreen…
1. work on your first touch find a wall and practice practice practice.
2. find your balance and get used to placing your standing foot before you strike the ball
3 play with your eyes always looking for the pass either to recieve or place
4 like ketman says never stop playing if your body allows it one day you may get an injury that stops you playing anbd you will miss it more than you ever know
5 when you do stop vplaying do your badges coach and give back to the very young it wont replace the feeling of playing but it will trigger what got you started in the first place