50 Thoughts and Observations for My 50th Birthday

One day you're young, energetic and ready to take on the world. Then, another day, you look at the calendar and realize you're going to be turning the big 5-0. Of course, to be fair, my knees have felt much older than that for years.

In honor of my 50th birthday this week, here are 50 thoughts, observations and even pieces of life advice, one for each year.

1.        Nobody has traveled from the future to kill me so I must be doing something right.

2.        The overreaction to a problem is usually worse than the problem itself.

3.        We were lied to as children – stupid questions do exist. But to be fair, so do stupid answers.

4.        My life became a lot less stressful when I stopped searching for approval, accepted some people would see me as a villain, became willing to burn bridges and no longer cared if I got the last word.

5.        Yes, kids do grow up too fast. However, that doesn’t mean they need to be charged adult admission at the age of 10.

6.        If you want to ban a book, movie or television show because it challenges your beliefs, then your beliefs are probably wrong.

7.        An important thing to remember when buying a house – you will get older, but your lawn will both still need to be mowed and doesn’t shrink.

8.        If the insurance company I pay an expensive monthly premium to is allowed to deny coverage for something my doctor recommends, your arguments against universal healthcare are invalid.

9.        If I am forced to use a self-checkout lane, then I should receive a discount on my purchase. Same if I need to wait in line for a price check.

10.   Not every successful movie needs a sequel or modernized remake.

11.   If someone tells you exactly what you want to hear, odds are they are lying to you.

12.   I won’t vote for any politician I wouldn’t trust to be part of my zombie apocalypse team.

13.   Oh, and just in case you haven’t realized this yet – “I care about your vote,” isn’t necessarily the same as “I care about you.”

14.   We throw away one-third of the food we produce (look it up). We can afford to give kids free school lunches.

15.   As I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown to prefer life experiences/memories over physical gifts.

16.   I think we should start referring to educators as influencers. That way they can get sponsorship money and finally earn what they deserve.

17.   Quantity has become a deciding factor when choosing restaurants. If I’m spending extra money to dine out, I want enough leftovers for a second meal.

18.   Ironically, the most “Christ-like” people I’ve known never went to church.

19.   Unpaid volunteer time should be as much of a tax write off as a cash donation.

20.   Instead of debates, presidential candidates and their running mates should be required to participate in a Double Dare-like competition. Make them prove they are both intelligent enough and physically fit enough for the job.

21.   People often fail much more than they succeed. That’s why it is important to acknowledge and applaud effort.

22.   The more streaming services I need to pay for to get the movies I want to watch, the more I miss video rental stores (and appreciate our local library).

23.   Let’s normalize letting kids take a year or two off after high school. Let them travel, join the workforce and discover who they are before spending money and years of their life on a college major they may or may not regret.

24.   It’s OK to procrastinate. Imagine just how stupid you’d feel if you spent today getting all your chores done and the world ended tomorrow.

25.   You can still be a good/nice person without letting people walk all over you.

26.   Someone taking pride in their heritage does not mean they are disrespecting you, your beliefs or your culture.  “Happy holidays” isn’t the same as saying “I hate Christmas.”

27.   As someone who is always the designated driver, I would just like to remind you to always thank the person who made sure you got home safe, let them know they are appreciated and check in on them to make sure they are having fun too. A little gas money doesn’t hurt either.

28.   Just because it seems like an insignificant problem to you doesn't mean it isn't soul crushing to someone else. Be supportive, not judgmental.

29.   Sometimes the best thing you can do for a person is keep your mouth shut and let them learn from their own mistakes.

30.   All restaurants and movie theaters should have adult-only hours. Well-deserved parental date nights should be child free.

31.   Social media was better when it was just people sharing photos of their food and their “farms” and not a place where people forget they aren’t supposed to say anything if they can’t say something nice.

32.   Having a cat on your lap should be a legitimate reason to be late for work.

33.   Never underestimate the therapeutic power of a good routine.

34.   Learn to recognize the people who only want to see you shine so they can steal the spotlight from you later.

35.   It’s amazing how your tolerance for pain increases when you don’t want to pay a doctor bill.

36.   Everything has a price attached to it. Sometimes that price has nothing to do with money.

37.   Human beings are solar powered. Even if it’s just in your backyard, get out and get some sun whenever you can.

38.   A hobby that improves your mental health is as important as one that earns money. It’s a nice bonus when one can do both.

39.   Sometimes I wonder if that Neopet I abandoned many years ago is still waiting for me to return.

40.   You’re told to diversify when investing your money. The same is true when investing in yourself. Find multiple interests rather than just one.

41.   Just because someone doesn’t fish for compliments doesn’t mean they don’t like hearing them on occasion.

42.   It’s OK to gamble on yourself. However, much like at a casino, know when it’s time to cut your losses rather than chase them.

43.   We could solve a whole lot of physical and mental health problems if we gave adults recess time at work like kids get at school.

44.   If a bank can punish you for a single late payment, then they should be required to reward you for a flawless payment history (free month, lowered interest, etc.). They also shouldn’t be allowed to sell your debt without both your permission and some sort of financial compensation.

45.   There are few things more humbling than watching movies/television shows you grew up with and realizing many of the cast members are no longer with us.

46.   You don’t gain wisdom without first having poor judgement.

47.   Our time on this Earth is a luxury. Don’t waste it on problems you just made up in your head.

48.   I don’t care how “mature” you are. If you don’t chuckle when someone uses Uranus in a sentence, you aren’t human.

49.   I’ve reached a point in my life where I’ve realized I am probably never going to change the world. However, I haven’t ruled out inspiring someone else to do it.

50.   The plus side of people thinking I’m older than I am is they are also probably thinking “wow, he looks good for his age.”