i impart these wise words of wisdom to you

[iris lilies]

Don't leave a pot of rice on the stove thinking you will only walk away "for a minute or two." How many times have I tested this out for ya'll? WAAAAAAAY too many to count.

and THIS is why I love my rice cooker, perfect rice every time with no attending to it. For us, its worth yet another appliance in the kitchen.

[iris lilies]

1. Don't sit down at the computer for "just a second" to "check that one thing." Just don't.

You just described my life.

[SteveinMN]

Never drive behind a car driven by an old guy wearing a hat.

[freshstart]

Don't buy the package of Sara Lee's individually packaged portions of chocolate pound cake, thinking you'll be able to dole them out to yourself over a couple weeks. Just don't.

box of 24 Sky Bars from Jet, need I say more?

[freshstart]

1. Don't doubt yourself if you have doubt.

2. When someone you care about asks for your help, don't say no. (I declined a friend's request for a visit back in 1999 because I was hot/sweaty from just finishing a workout. She went unconsious the next day and died 4d later. I have always been sad about this). This was one huge life lesson for me!

I'm sorry, that one sucks but you had no way of knowing

[kib]

Never drive behind a young woman wearing a cell phone.

[freshstart]

and THIS is why I love my rice cooker, perfect rice every time with no attending to it. For us, its worth yet another appliance in the kitchen.

but I like really mushy, add extra water til it's almost risotto rice and I cannot figure out how to get the rice cooker to do this

[freshstart]

Never drive behind a young woman wearing a cell phone.

In the morning, I had to drive down a long straight stretch of a road at 30 mph, they ticketed for years, now people go slow but they do stuff, one guy I was behind a lot, read the paper as he went along at 30 mph.

[freshstart]

Do not bring your 3 yr old to Christmas Eve Midnight mass (theory being, he'll sleep late! amateurs, pure amateurs) and stand in the back. It's mesmerizingly beautiful, peaceful and (key word here being "candles") totally lit by candles everywhere, each person has one, no lights are on. My son did great, seemed to be asleep on my shoulder. The the electric lights come on, I stupidly think this part of the show, the lights get bright when Jesus is born! A metaphor. Then they go off. Minutes later, they start going off then on, off, on, off, on. People are getting mad. A little old man comes over, "lady, that's your son flipping the switch off and on, you better go!" He was on my shoulder facing a wall with nothing on it but a switch, can't blame him! ran like the wind with a baby in a carseat, toddler hanging off my hip, mortified. Then I laughed so hard and still do.

when you call the VA hospital and it rings for 23 minutes straight, no message, just rings, when the operator gets to you after 23 mins, don't say, "23 minutes is a long time, what if I was an elderly vet who couldn't wait that long?" "why can't he wait if he's old, where's he got to be? F that." click. Don't do that because if you are calling to get something for a VA patient, when you call back it's 45 mins just to chat with charming Fword lady. Second call, she put me through but only after I was told, "J Christ, you are a giant PITA!" The VA puts their best face forward.

[rosarugosa]

Wow Steve, my DH talks about the guys in the hats too, and they're often driving large, 8-cylinder American-made cars. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it makes it easier to spot them!