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This is a 'free to me' site, which is why you see ads running here.  All my stuff is on AMAZON.com and searchable by typing in Fred Gibson, Jr. but I don't want you to have 'wasted a dime' or 'wasted your time' by dropping by to my site.

Recently I came across an article by MEGAN McARDLE (who must be some kind of a genius when it comes to us Humans).  Now, if you're a space alien and simply a HumanOID, please get the heck off this site and off our planet!  We never invited you here... well, okay, maybe we did, but we never REALLY thought you'd see our invite and actually take us up on it.  Go ahead, scurry back to science fiction books like mine where you belong... we'll wait.

There now, that's better, don't you agree?

Megan's article appeared on Bloomberg.com and was reprinted in the Reader's Digest where I saw it.  It's entitled, 'RULES FOR BEING THE AGE YOU ARE' and this is the quick idea in my words of her points.

1)  FIRST AND FOREMOST, BE KIND.  Being mean is easy and likened to playing video games on easy mode.  Kind is often hard and challenging... and worthy of your superior self.

2)  ALWAYS ORDER ONE EXTRA DISH - AN UNFAMILIAR ONE - AT A RESTAURANT.  If you love it, SPLENDID, you have a new favorite!  If you hate it, all you're out is a few bucks.  And if you can't afford one extra dish, then the restaurant is too expensive for your budget and you shouldn't be there anyway.

3)  GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO BE BAD AT A TASK.  You can get great at things you do all the time, but that mastery is BOREDOM.  Try something new and be lousy at it.  Your brain will thank you.

4)  GO TO THE PARTY EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO.  Sure 90% of the time it'll be a drag and you'll come home early.  But those other times you just might meet a fascinating person that will make all those other parties worthwhile.

5)  DON'T JUST PAY PEOPLE COMPLIMENTS; GIVE THEM LIVING EULOGIES.  The words "You are AMAZING and here's why" NEVER go out of style.

6)  THAT THING YOU KINDA WANT TO DO SOMEDAY?  DO IT NOW.  Shut down your device and go book the trip, start the hobby, whatever.  If you WAIT until you're ready, that will be three DECADES from now... and you likely won't be ABLE to do it then.

7)  TONE DOWN THE CYNICISM.  True, there is a lot of rottenness in the world, but that view is radically incomplete.  Human Beings are often splendid, the World is often glorious, and Nature practically invented Kindness, Charity, and Love.  Believe in that.

8)  DON'T TRY TO RESOLVE FUNDAMENTAL CONFLICTS WITH LOVED ONES.  The only people who win marital arguments about bedrock values are divorce lawyers.  Best to simply leave it alone if it isn't an existential threat to your future.

9)  BE GRATEFUL.  No matter what, you DO have something to be grateful for.  You have been given 2 billion seconds on this planet, give or take.  You are a BILLIONAIRE!  Don't squander your fortune on bitter recriminations about how unfair everything is.  You won't get a refund from the Universe for the time you spend brooding over unfairness.  Dwell on JOY... that'll give you something nice to remember later.

10)  ALWAYS MAKE MORE DINNER ROLLS THAN YOU THINK YOU CAN EAT.  Dinner rolls loom much larger in our imaginations than in our stomachs.

There you have some great advice to make your life happier.  Honestly, that's all a writer EVER tries to do for you... make you a little happier as you read our stuff.  So, please do read mine... and do follow Megan's words above.  You'll be a lot happier Human if you do.

And probably a happier HumanOID too... because I KNOW you space aliens didn't leave when I told you to!  ;-)   

" T h a n k s ,   a s   a l w a y s ,

d e a r   R e a d e r s , 

f o r   R e a d i n g   M y   N o v e l s ! " - Fred