#34 - 44 life tips from a man who has lived 44 years

Last week I pondered being old. It bothers me that my number is creeping up, but there’s not much to be done about that other than trying to live a good, meaningful life. This week I’m using those years to help you. That’s right, I’m here to enrich your life. Being 44 now (my birthday was Tuesday - happy birthday! Have you considered a tip or subscription?) I have amassed a lot of wisdom. I am so full of life lessons that I am presenting the very best for you here on this blog. There are 44 of them, one for every year of my life, and they are straight to the point.

There’s also no ranking system in use (time is money, etc), so the 44th might be the most useful or the least. Their impact on your life will depend on you. But be assured that all 44 are brilliant, even if you don’t understand them right away. They’ll stick with you and light your path when you need them the most. A bit like the Matrix does for Hot Rod in The Transformers: The Movie. If you don’t get that reference then you’ve got some cinematic brilliance ahead of you.

Anyway, here is the list.

1. Buy a set of allen keys
2. Be careful buying from exposed supermarket bakery sections
3. Get your eyes tested
4. Buy a pair of comfy winter boots
5. Add banana to Weetabix
6. Keep a few things from your childhood on your desk
7. Wear sunblock
8. Wear a hat in summer
9. Give help when it’s wanted
10. Simple meals are fine
11. Compliment people for good work
12. Find out where your stopcock is
13. Check your smoke and heat alarms
14. Don’t waste time on something you’re not enjoying
15. Don’t bowl with a ball that’s too heavy
16. Embrace family and friend traditions
17. You don’t have to enjoy and drink alcohol
18. Don’t be afraid to like things that you like
19. Wear what you want
20. Don’t save everything for the future
21. Get some plants
22. You can’t monetise everything
23. Walk instead of drive, if you can
24. Kids enrich your life
25. Say hello to people you see everyday, even if you don’t know their names
26. Read to your kids
27. Small things give kids great joy
28. Supermarket brand cola is OK
29. Remember to put the bins out
30. Don’t get caught up in drama you really have no power to change
31. Try not to be too bothered when people don’t like the thing you recommended
32. Message your friends when you randomly think about them
33. Get your ears cleaned professionally
34. It’s fine to be emotionally attached to a sports team
35. Treat yourself occasionally
36. Don’t go against your moral compass
37. It’s not too late
38. Find your person and people
39. You don’t need to share your opinion on everything
40. Jazz up that sandwich
41. Beware of leftover food at a kids’ party
42. Check in on people
43. Pizza
44. Coffee fixes everything

That’s it. Come back in another year for one more life tip.

I’ve been playing a bit of Directive 8020, the most recent game from Supermassive Games in the Dark Pictures series. So far so expected. It’s a decent looking sci-fi horror romp with plenty of choices to make, and it’s simple enough for anyone to play. Still not quite slick enough to feel like an interactive film, but the reasons are hard to put a finger on. The acting is good, the characters look great - I think it’s largely down to timing. Something about the scenes just feels slightly off, which results in sudden moments when the whole thing becomes a bit am-dram.

This newsletter was mostly about me offering out my great wisdom so you can better your lives, but I’ve been doing plenty of other stuff. I’ll have a think about some other bits and pieces and round them up in the quick reviews below. I’m a critic, too, you see.

Things I can review:

• Ghosts (iPlayer): My wife and I started to watch BBC comedy Ghosts years ago, but gave up for reasons neither of us can remember. Anyway, we’ve started again, this time with our son watching too, and it’s brilliant. Absolutely incredible characters, written hilariously at points but with a real poignancy when needed. Top stuff. 5 unwanted legacies out of 5 unsupported floorboards. 
• The Black Phone (Prime): Ethan Hawke is always good, so him playing the villain (in this case an exceedingly evil child snatcher) seemed like something I had to watch. In the end, this thriller with supernatural elements didn’t really land as well as I expected based on reviews, but I did love the 70s vibe and social norms on display. 3 creepy masks out of 5 ghost phone calls.
• Reheated shepherd’s pie (made by my mum): I hated shepherd’s pie as a kid. Mince and gravy just wasn’t for me. But now I love it. Vegan mince, gravy, veg, mashed potato, cheese, and some scones around the edge. Yum. Somehow the reheated leftovers I ate for lunch the other day tasted even better. 5 scalding hot mouthfuls out of 5 spoons of peas on the side.