30 Years Worth of Wisdom

My better half and I celebrated 30 years of wedded bliss this month. We feel rather smug about ourselves, thank you very much.

Upon reflection, I realize that I have amassed quite a bit of wisdom over these 30 years, and I feel compelled to share some of it.

MISCELLANEOUS TIDBITS

Check the circuit breakers before calling a repair man

For every output, there must be an input. Get your glasses and read the labels on the connections.

Before replacing leaky faucets or sprinkler systems, have the water pressure checked.

Spackling, sanding, taping, and dusting are well worth the time spent before painting a room.

Before assuming your dishwasher is broken (because you've already checked the circuit breaker), look under the sink for an on/off switch.

Butterfly bushes take up a lot of space. You really don't need to plant two.

Putting a chair beneath a hummingbird feeder makes it sticky.

Grubs grow into Japanese Beetles. Lots of them.

When water skiing, lean back; when snow skiing, lean forward.

You can't boil water for coffee on a Buddy Burner when the power goes off.

If you don't have time to wash the paint brushes when you're through painting for the day, put them in a zip lock bag in the refrigerator, and they'll still be pliant for painting the same color again the next day.

When you need to remove melted candle wax from a tart burner, put it in the freezer for a few minutes, and the wax pops right off.

If you let leaves and tree stuff clog up the vents on your car underneath the windshield wipers, water will leak onto your floorboard.

Read the book before seeing the movie.

You gotta have a sense of humor when living with teenagers. Otherwise, you'll cry.

Don't let yourself get too emotionally involved when your teenager comes to you in total dismay over some huge crisis. You may lose hours of sleep from worry when, most likely, the situation has resolved itself after 3 hours, but no one thought to let you know that everything was okay.

Getting a college degree generally takes longer than 4 years. Plan ahead for tuition.

College textbooks cost almost as much as room and board.

Just because they graduate doesn't mean they won't come back home.

Pick your battles.

Never buy a high school student a brand new car. Wait until they graduate from college to be so generous.

Kids and spouses never tire of being praised.

Watch for opportunities to give compliments.

To diffuse an angry encounter, fess up to a stupid mistake and apologize. (assuming it is your fault.)

A smile makes everything warmer.

Go to weddings and funerals. It means much more than you realize.

Teenagers really are a lot of fun. They keep you young, if they don't kill you first.

Cats throw up when you change their diet.

To teach a little boy to aim, float cheerios in the toilet.

Never demean your spouse in public. In fact, do all you can to make him look good in front of his colleagues and friends.

Listen, and remember.

Nagging only makes everyone miserable. Especially you.

You cannot change someone from who they were before you married them.

Separate checking accounts is a good idea.

Pay off credit cards every month. Or don't use them.

Understand that you either have kids and pets OR you have an immaculate house. You can't have both. Get over it.

Family is everything. Nurture those relationships.

Do not be judgmental; it makes people stop telling you things. Instead, say things like: "oh really?" or "oh goodness" or "and how did that make you feel?"

People are the same, no matter where you live.

The CEO puts on his underwear the same way as you do.

Party guests don't care if the bedrooms are spotless. Focus more on having a good time and less on killing yourself getting ready for the event.

Good neighbors are true treasures.

Pets should never be allowed to wander. Bad things happen. This includes cats.

Dogs love you unconditionally. All the time. It feels great.

You can learn a lot about someone if you watch their facial expression.

Collect something. It makes gift-giving much easier for relatives.

Keep a notebook of Christmas gifts to buy, bought, and received. Every year.

Buy Christmas presents all year long. Finish by November.

If something is truly meant to be, it won't go away.

We are not in charge. Stop trying to call all the shots.

Life is too short to be unhappy.

I'm sure I'll think of more as I continue to reflect. If you have any to add, feel free to do so!