7%

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The
Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:"

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?".
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd
grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

It's estimated 93% won't forward this. If you are one of the 7% who will, forward this with the title '7%'. I'm in the 7%. Remember that I will always share my spoon with you! Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves

Popcorn Maraca

Last night I made myself a single serve bag of microwave popcorn. While I was eating it the cat kept jumping up on my chair and trying to get some popcorn to share with me. I kept shooing him away and off my chair. He gets too bold sometimes. But, he LIKES/LOVES popcorn, or thinks he does. Usually when he gets some he just slobbers all over it and leaves it in my lap .. a nasty, wet mess. So, I kept pushing him away.

When I was done with the popcorn I set the bad on the side table and continued reading my book. There were basically just unpopped kernels left in the bag. The cat jumped up on the table, stuck his head inside the bag to get to the popcorn leftovers. Now remember this is a small bag of popcorn. And Jules is a big cat, with a big head. Do you see where this story is going???

He got the bag stuck on his head, and FREAKED OUT. He put himself into reverse and back peddled himself right off the table, flopped on the floor a little bit, and scooted backwards across the entire space of the living room until he could go no further.

His head was shaking from side to side to try and get the bag off. It sounded like a big maraca as kernels were hitting the sides of the bag, and then found their way out of the bag; they were flying across the room as he shook his head. Finally he got the bag off and sat there looking at me. With the look only cats can give …. You know the disdainful, arrogant look? The look that accused ME of wrongdoing?

I was laughing myself silly, wishing I had a video camera, because this would have been a YouTube viral wonder.

It was only later that I remembered that after I popped the corn I added a liberal dose of lemon pepper to the bag, and hoped he didn’t get any in his eyes. I was kind of hoping he had got some pepper in his nose though, and would have had a sneezing fit!