Sunday, July 12, 2009

A Voice of Experience Cuts Through Complexity

'I continue to be amazed at the number of advice books listed each week in the Book Review as best sellers. I have led a long, productive life based on only two pieces of advice, both of which I learned as a preschooler some 80 years ago. First, I try to play nicely with everybody; second, if I am crabby, I take a nap. What more does anyone need to know?'
--a letter to the editor of the New York Times Book Review, submitted by Eleanor Blumenberg of Santa Monica, California, and published in today's edition.

6 Comments:

At 2:32 PM, Anonymous Jane Levesque said...

Hilarious quote, but she makes a great point.

 
At 8:02 PM, Blogger Diane Vogel Ferri said...

Oh how I wish I could live only by those simple terms.

 
At 10:33 AM, Anonymous Sherri Henkin said...

Thanks for putting a smile on my face today. Perfect example of "keeping it simple!"

 
At 10:34 AM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

I rather thought so too, Sherri. It was a nice, unexpected twist on that familiar "everything I needed in life I learned in grade school" theme.

 
At 11:55 AM, Blogger Erin O'Brien said...

"Watch how he treats the waitress before you marry him."

Source unknown, but the best damn advice I ever heard. I've never met a man who doesn't reveal himself before a waitress.

(And thanks for being there Saturday.)

 
At 11:57 AM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

That's also a venerable bit of good advice, Erin. And I wouldn't have missed your little talk at Mac's Backs for anything. I'll be watching for that LAT piece next week, and will be sure to post it here.

 

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