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Rant’s little instruction book (part deux)

    I just spent 5 days on the shores of Lake Superior. Spending time with family overlooking the majestic scenery (with wifi because we are not savages) quieted me and let me hear that inner-voice so often drowned out by my busy home life. Years have passed since I heard this voice (part one).  And I think it has grown profoundererer.

    Ann’s Rant’s Little Instruction Book Part Deux**

    It’s the thought that counts, but it doesn’t count for all that much. Don’t fool yourself.

    Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Actually, go ahead because it looks like that hand doesn’t know when to stop. Why is that disembodied hand lingering over your mouth all the time anyway?
    Good things come to those who wait, and it’s my turn again anyway. What.
    Say please a lot. Say thank you a lot. Say insincere a lot.
    You take the good you take the bad you take them both and there you have the facts of life. The Facts of Life!
    You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him use the neti pot.
    Something about teaching a man to fish instead of giving him fish. Would you rather I give you lunch or teach you about making lunch? That’s what I thought.
    Look people in the eye, but if you don’t blink you’ll look like a psychopath.
    We plan, God Laughs. God told me our plans aren’t funny but our shoes with the individual toes are. 
    Use the good silver. You could be dead tomorrow.
    Look at that pot calling the kettle black, then try and tell me again that this country does not have a race issue.
    Compliment three people every day. It’s only sunshine-blowing when you get to five.
    Learn to play a musical instrument and watch your real estate value plummet!
    If in a fight, hit first and hit hard and explain to all your kick boxing classmates later.
    Be the first to say hello. Even if it means body-checking that lady with the walker to get there.
    Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen every day, and you will need one if you never give up on anybody.
    Remember other people’s birthdays. Someday it might be nice to acknowledge them.
    **Thanks to this handy reference of Life’s Little Instruction Book. Oh, and The Facts of Life tv theme song.


    Thank you to Ford for lending us The Edge for our road trip. Too bad our regular cars now seem way suckier by comparison.

    0 thoughts on “Rant’s little instruction book (part deux)”

    1. ‘Compliment three people every day. It’s only sunshine-blowing when you get to five.’

      Define compliment. ‘your arse totally doesn’t look fat in THOSE jeans’ or ‘those meds really seem to be working’ they work, right?

    2. Love you, Ann. This is the first thing I’ve read this morning. What a fantastic way to start my day. You always make me laugh. So I’d add another one: Find friends who make you laugh. Sure, you’ll feel like a dullard because you aren’t the funniest one at the table anymore but you won’t care because you’ll be too busy laughing. xoxoxo, Jennifer

    3. I WAKE MY BABY WHEN I READ YOUR POSTS ON MY PHONE IN THE NIGHT WHILE I’M TRYING TO GET HER TO SLEEP.

      I’m not yelling at you. I’m making the point that I can’t hold back the laughter.

    4. You need to go to the lake more often. You come back one funny lady.

      I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank you for getting the Facts of Life theme song stuck in my head. Damn you Tuttie!

    5. Look people in the eye, but if you don’t blink you’ll look like a psychopath. – You can’t buy that kind of wisdom… cause no one would pay for it. But I love it and when some dude is giving me the eye contact treatment and NOT blinking I want to duel slap him.

      Great list.

      Cheers,

      Casey

    6. This is awesome, especially the part about looking people in the eye. I have to say, too, since I’m just back from my own vacation road trip and trying to catch up, that your McSweeny’s piece was FANTASTIC and hilarious. Thank you for great laughs tonight.

    7. When I was 12 I used to read Deep Thoughts aloud to my family every time we got in the car (soon after my mom developed a really intricate car pool network so that I was never actually in her passenger seat again), and – no joke – these are funnier.