I rarely do this.

Wait.

That’s not true. (I’m such a liar.)

I used to waffle on and on about the world at large, but a few years ago, I decided to stop. Lately, I’ve focused on my fiction writing so that’s all I’ve blogged about.

But…

Now I want to go back to waffling.

Gird your loins…

Life’s Lessons 1.0

(The ‘1.0’ because I’m sure I’ll add to these as life goes on…)

#1 – Your mother and the dentist are right.

Yes, brushing and, more importantly, flossing your teeth once a day – every day – really does make a difference. Not only can flossing prevent gingivitis, but it gets rid of the bacteria-laden plaque between your teeth where your toothbrush can’t get at. If you leave that stuff in your mouth, it is amazing what terrible things it can lead to. Poor oral hygiene has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory illness.

I used to be one of those folks who rarely (there’s that word again) flossed her teeth. I just didn’t do it. I figured, I had super saliva and didn’t need it. But that’s not true. As old-age set in, and my bad habits flourished, my teeth soon told me I was on the wrong path. So I took charge and made it a goal to wipe out all the little samples of dental floss I had accumulated over a lifetime (well, really, about 10 years).

And you know what?

I reversed a lot of the gum issues I was having. I have perfect teeth again. Nice!

For further reading, try this link, this one, and then this one (lots of ads on the last one).

#2 – A smile goes a long way.

It is always better to greet folks with a smile, but it is easier to offer no expression at all.

Get over it and just smile.

I’m one of those people with a naturally ill-disposition. I’m just always in a bad mood and it is up to YOU to make my day better.

I don’t really think that, but that’s my general attitude. With any social interaction, it’s like the world has to make up for the fact that I have to deal with other human beings. It is a terrible way to go through life, but that’s my default. I have to make a conscious effort to not automatically hate the person next to me on the freeway while were stalled in traffic. Sometimes, I just don’t bother, and you know what? By the end of the day, after one terrible encounter after another, I hate myself.

The fact is, we are all in this together, folks. And believe it or not, if you offer a smile, someone will probably offer one back. Those smiles tend to multiple and before you know it, traffic is easing along again.

#3 – Everyone is winging it.

I used to think everyone, except me, really knew what they were talking about. That when they read the same text-book I read, they managed to grasp the concepts better, and had a deeper understanding of stuff than I did.

But after working over 20 years in my profession, and spending the last 10 years trying to figure out how to write fiction, I realized everyone is winging it.

Folks we call ‘experts’? They are just better at winging it than the rest of us.

So don’t fret. Do the best you can with the knowledge you have now. Continue to learn – always. Eventually, you’ll get good enough to fool yourself.

Until next time, brush your teeth, smile, and remember you’re an expert in something to someone.