We’ve all heard this one, or variations thereof, a million times,

What goes around comes around.

and we all occasionally stop believing it, mostly, I think, because we forget an important caveat

It doesn’t always come in a straight line.

Have a wonderful Spring Break weekend.

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When I was growing up I had an aunt with whom I didn’t see eye to eye; to say our relationship was rocky would be very diplomatic.

Yet, it was because of this aunt that I learned something that became a cornerstone of my MAP, although I often struggle to adhere to it.

My aunt had a glass topped dressing table and, like many women of that era, she would place inspirational clippings and notes under the glass. That is where I first saw

Profit from the mistakes of others,
you don’t have time to make them all yourself.

I recognized the soundness of the words even back then, but I have to say that it’s been one of the hardest for me to follow. I seem to profit well from small and medium mistakes, but have an unhappy tendency to make the really large ones myself. However, although I follow it imperfectly, hindsight shows that it has saved me from a lot of grief and, I’m sure, will continue to do so.

I sometimes wonder: if she hadn’t had the clipping, and only said it to me, would it have had any, let alone the same, impact?

Sadly, the answer is probably not.

I’m very glad she had the clipping.

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Don’t judge who you were and what you did in the past based on who you are and what you know now.

Everybody knows that hindsight’s 20/20, but that doesn’t stop people from laying a coulda//shoulda/woulda trip on themselves.

Each of us is composed of multiple, past “me’s,” each a different, stand-alone version from the current one.

When you look at past actions (Why did I…) you need to first ask yourself if you made the best decision/action possible based on the information you had at the time in conjunction with the person you were at that time.

If, in fact, you did, then the you you-are-now has no right to judge, i.e., beat up on, the previous you for that decision.

This doesn’t mean that you need to condone everything—today’s you may decide that in the future you should do more research or whatever—but it does preclude you from taking your former self to task.

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Thanksgiving is a time when we’re supposed to be thankful, but exactly what you give thanks for is a very private matter—I have one friend who gives thanks for her family, another who gives thanks that her family is far, far away.

So, no matter your age, when giving thanks be sure to include all the past you’s, whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, since their very existence guarantees that there will be many more in the future as you grow.

Have a wonderful holiday and I’ll see you all on Monday.

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Enjoy life, this is not a rehearsal.

That’s right, folks, this isn’t a practice session for the next act.

And if you’re not quite sure how to apply it check back to Rules 1 and 2

Have a wonderful weekend—and, depending where you are, stay dry, stay warm, have fun.

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I’ve always been grateful that I’m not a Boomer. The Boomers have done many things, some good, some not so good, and some downright silly (to my way of thinking). But the one thing for which I find it hard to forgive them is an attitude, summed up in the catch phrase “life is a challenge to be overcome.”

What a depressing attitude towards life and living, ugh!

But I dearly love another slogan, invented to counter it and adopted as my sixth rule.

Life is a mystery to be lived, not a challenge to be overcome!

Take some time, and live the mystery this weekend.

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Good grief! It’s already Labor Day and the year’s almost gone. Time’s flies faster every year as each year becomes a smaller and smaller part of my whole life (at least that’s my theory).

As usual, on slow days, I’m posting another my Rules.

People see things as they are and ask, “Why?” I dream of things as they could be and ask, “Why not?” — Robert Kennedy (slightly paraphrased)

I’ll be back Tuesday, in the meantime, have a terrific, safe, and happy holiday!

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I’m playing hooky most of today at the Clark County Fair. This is the first year since I moved to the area in 2003 that the weather has cooperated with temperatures in the low 70s, it’s usually hotter (80 is too hot!). Why go? Well, I may be a city kid, but I get a kick out of baby pigs and goats; there’ll be lots of artists and artisans and junk food galore. But the best part, and my main reason for going, is the demolition derby this evening. What a way to vicariously unload driving stress—whoo-hoo!

Just in case you need a reason to play hooky, here’s the fourth of Miki’s Rules for Living.

You don’t stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing!

Here’s wishing y’all a terrific weekend—and don’t forget to play!

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And here, in honor of freedom and the Fourth is the second of my Rules for Living!

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As even the most harried CEO knows, Tuesday is the Fourth of July and that means two things to a blogger like me. First, few will be around to read what is posted today and Monday, so there’s no sense in posting brilliant (or what passes for it) information. Second, It’s a great excuse to have some fun.

So I’m gonna celebrate my Fourth by sharing two of the rules I live by. You may have seen them circulating in cyberspace, but whoever the authors were they certainly predate the Net!

Here’s the first…

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