Darlings, a few things. I've learned a few things over the years, and I'd like to share. It's a hodgepodge.

1. Your people are who cheer you on when it doesn't benefit them. It's who are there to listen to your gripes, when you cannot do anything for them.

They pick you up when you fall on your face. They ALSO celebrate the hell out of your joyous things. Beware of anyone who doesn't. Someone else's joy doesn't diminish your or yours. Joy is meant to be shared!

2. We all screw up. We all often need someone to point this out. Receive it how it's intended. And learn to apologize without displacing blame or trying to qualify/pretty it up. An apology should not center the feelings of the person apologizing.

3. Forgiveness isn't automatic. It can sometimes be earned. It is sometimes granted outright. Sometimes, you're never gonna get it, so move on. Harsh, but true.

4. If someone expects you to take sides without proper reasoning, run. Run far away, and do not look back. Anyone who knows me KNOWS I am the tiny dragon who will fight your enemies. But that's something I offer, when necessary. It's not a given.

5. The people you love the most will make mistakes. They will screw up so badly, accidentally hurt your feelings. Guess what? SO WILL YOU. That's life. If you're looking for perfect, it doesn't exist. It's the muddling through and sorting things out that matters. Talk it out.

6. Life is too brief. It's okay to leave the laundry and read a book. It's okay to stop reading a book that you're not enjoying. It's okay to take space and time for yourself. You're not a robot. Remember to recharge the well.

7. No one loves wisely. That's not what love is about. It's messy, often ridiculous, and one of the things in life worth risking everything for. But love should be founded in kindness. It should not be conditional. Hint: that's often manipulation.

8. Dogs are better than people. I kid! Mostly. I mean, I love my dog more than I like most people. But if you can, get a pet--whether it's a Good Boy or a Hilary the Guinea pig. They bring endless goddamn joy, even if they wake you up for no reason at 4 am. *glares at Thor*

9. You don't know as much as you think you do, so keep learning. Be open. Try new things! Be prepared to suck at those new things in the beginning, because it's taken me a decade to perfect making a turkey to Thanksgiving. No one gets it right immediately. Still, do the thing.

10. Learn to cook. I'm serious. Do you like to eat? Learn to cook. This can be crockpot meals! Those are foolproof. There are recipes and recipe books out there. You may screw up (see last tweet), but you WILL get better.

11. If you love something (writing, taking photos, baking cakes -- whatever), don't give up on it. There will be days you HATE it. There will be days you doubt everything. You might often question why you're even bothering. But you owe it to yourself to chase your dreams.

12. There's no such thing as a guilty pleasure. Enjoy everything you enjoy and have NO shame in it. Again, life is too short to piss on what makes you smile. Embrace it, and Carrie Fisher ANYONE who tries to give you grief for it.

13. Envy happens. Someone does something cool or accomplishes something you've been dreaming about and -- BAM! Green-eye'd monster. It's okay to envy. It happens to me. Just as long as you don't go all Othello, okay? Okay.

(More later. Your idiot friend just realized that coffee isn't food and she has to eat.)