60 Things I Have Learned In My First 60 Years

In honor of my 60th birthday, I thought it appropriate to share the wisdom that comes with this advanced age. Here is a list of what I have discovered about life and about myself in my first 60 years. I figured I better write it all down because I'll probably start to forget it all in the years ahead.

1. The anticipation is almost always worse than the event itself.

2. If you don't do something now, you might not have the chance to do it later, so do it now. This does not apply to scary things.

3. I am short, vertically challenged, height handicapped -- and probably shrinking. So there is no reason not to use my grabber to reach things on the second shelf of the kitchen cabinets. Go ahead and laugh. It works for me.

4. Take lots of pictures. They remind you of happy times and who knows how long we'll remember them without visual aids?

5. It always gets dark earlier in September and October, so why do I always feel surprised when that happens?

6. There is no valid reason, in my opinion, to eat ice cream when it is cold outside.

7. I am always cold. I just have to dress appropriately, because my inner furnace will never work enough for me.

8. It's only a game. So if the Yankees lose or my beloved Rutgers Women's basketball team goes down in flames, life will go on.

9. You should always say "I love you" to those you love. They might already know, but reminding them can't hurt.

10. When someone -- especially a child -- does something wrong, it doesn't make them a bad person. It is the behavior you don't like, and that can be changed.

11. Making people laugh makes me feel great.

12. No matter how badly your day is going, I will do everything I can to make you have at least one laugh.

13. Work hard, always do your best and have fun! I based my whole management philosophy around those words and I am still friends with the people who worked for me, all of who have succeeded in their careers.

14. Paying bills or doing something you don't like takes the same amount of time if you do it now or do it later, so get it over with. And I don't care about the preposition at the end of that sentence -- for once.

15. You can have a manicure or pedicure for no reason. Nothing makes me feel more like a girl.

16. I wear perfume every day, even if I don't leave the house. I do it for me.

17. It is OK to cook a great meal for yourself.

18. Leftovers are great, as long as you liked what you ate the first time around.

19. Little kids remember everything, so be careful what you say and how you act around them.

20. For that matter, little things you say and do make an impression on people in ways you never imagined. Think about something someone said to you and how it helped or hurt and adjust accordingly.

21. Soup is for winter consumption only. I can't eat soup if I am sweating.

22. No matter how bad your day is or how insurmountable your problems seem, there's always someone who has it worse than you do.

23. If you have nothing to do, do something for someone else. It brings you great rewards.

24. Not only is it OK to cry at movies, but sometimes it is necessary. A good cry soothes the soul.

25. Don't expect too much and you will never be disappointed.

26. There is no point in having siblings or children if you can't tease them -- in a fun way, not in a mean way -- once in a while. Ask my sister.

27. I am addicted to chocolate. If it were declared illegal, I'd find a chocolate connection and risk the jail time.

28. Kidney stones hurt like giving birth. I guess. I just know they are really painful.

29. Everything you have to do takes longer and costs more than you thought it would. This particularly applies to any work done around the house.

30. You should listen when people talk to you. Just listening without judging can mean the world to someone.

31. Find something to enjoy in every day. Maybe it is the blue sky or the fact that you don't have to drive in the snow. Find something that makes you smile.

32. Keep in touch. Friendships mean a lot and they have to be nurtured to endure. That doesn't mean you have to see each other all the time, but make an effort to call, e-mail and get together. You'll be glad you did.

33. Friendships are made at all stages of life. Just when I thought I was done making friends, I started aqua aerobics and made more friends. My friends have brought me so much joy.

34. Friendship isn't a big thing, it is a million little things. That one isn't mine, but I subscribe to that theory.

35. Sweatshirts last forever. Or at least I wear mine until they disintegrate.

36. My chances of running into someone I know increase exponentially depending on how bad I look that day. Conversely, if I am having a great hair day, chances are I will see no one I know. I wonder if the strangers who see me think, "She's having a great hair day."

37. There will never be a day without a sale at Kohl's. At least until they go out of business from all that price cutting.

38. Come on. You can always do more or do better.

39. You shouldn't buy towels just as gifts for others. Treat yourself to new towels every now and then. Why not?

40. Take surveys. The people conducting them are looking for intelligent opinions, so why not express yours?

41. If I am at the beach for a day, I'll still have sand in my car six months later.

42. Nothing beats the taste of a hot dog at Yankee Stadium.

43. Old Timers Day at Yankee Stadium will always make me cry.

44. The time you spend with friends is priceless.

45. A beautiful day, with great light, me with a camera and something to shoot. That's what I call a great day.

46. Whatever age you are now seemed old to you when you were young but doesn't seem quite as bad now.

47. My doctor thinks I need to lose weight. For this she spent years in med school?

48. Anything written can be edited, and most people can't wait to get their hands on what someone else writes so they can do just that.

49. I love to be in the pool, but I hate getting my hair wet.

50. Chocolate should be served unadulterated. Get that fruit and those nuts away from it.

51. Bumble Bee Tuna should be the only brand, and it should always be served plain -- no mayo, no celery, no nothing!

52. Having a routine works for me. On days when I have nothing to do, I do nothing. And I am really good at it.

53. Whatever you have to do takes up the time in which you have to do it. That's my "kitchen cabinet" theory of life.

54. Buy books as gifts for kids. Encouraging them to read is the best gift you can give them.

55. Speaking of gifts, when you hear someone say they like something, or if you see something that would be the perfect gift for someone, write it down or buy it. You can even give the gift when there is no special occasion.

56. Naps are wonderful little respites, especially when they are least expected. I just love a good nap.

57. As soon as I walk out the door it costs me money.

58. There is always something new to learn. Read books, watch movies, read the paper. What you learn might not be life-altering, but it will enrich your life in small ways. And it will provide you plenty of material for small talk when you need it.

59. I don't like coffee or beer and refuse to to waste my time developing a taste for them.

60. I Love Lucy still cracks me up. I wish I had some Vitameatavegamin for my 60th birthday.

61. You always should strive to exceed expectations -- your own or those others have of you. Hence, 61 items on this list.