Wrangler Dani

Ladies and Gentlemen, readers all:

I am now officially in my mid-twenties. A quarter-century. The age my grandma was when she was relentlessly called an Old Maid, a story she’s very fond of telling. I really don’t feel any older, but I do know that if this year’s been any indication, Life will keep flying by faster and faster, until one day I’ll wake up and be 85 and remember writing this very post and laugh at my naivete.

But, in the time-honored (one year) tradition, I will now share what I have learned in this last year of life. The 25 top lessons, actually.

So without further ado, my learnings:

1. Wear scarves. As much as we laughed at Julie for running back into House 9 in sub-zero temperatures and grabbing ONLY a scarf to protect herself from the arctic air, they are quite nice in addition to, say, a coat.
2. Carry a flash drive with you.
3. Sing along.
4. Eat leftovers.
5. Take time to cook good dinners.
6. Do laundry BEFORE you run out of essential pieces.
7. Sam Adams Seasonal Brews.
8. CostCo is so worth it.
9. Take time to answer your phone occasionally.
10. Also know when it’s OK to just call back.
11. Don’t be ashamed of loving the beautiful, slightly juvenile stories, such as Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants…. it’s also OK to cry at said story.
12. Get to know people. I’m always surprised at what I discover.
13. Get swept up in the moment.
14. Say thank-you.
15. Burn candles.
16. Enjoy moments with those you love, whether it’s exactly what you want or not. Sometimes those unplanned occurrences make the best stories. 🙂
17. Be unselfish.
18. Savor being a bridesmaid… you never get those moments back, and they are some of the most precious!
19. Always get the whipped-cream frosting.
20. Go to church.
21. Talk to your girlfriends.
22. Shop sales.
23. Call home.
24. Take a chance and get your butt kicked at Fitness Boot Camp.
25. When your hot and godly boyfriend asks if you want to take a hike, say YES. You might come back with a fiance. 🙂