Letter To My 16 Year Old Selff

Going Back 30 Years.

Having just turned 46 I thought it might be a good (all be it very silly) idea to write a letter to myself, 30 years in the past.

For the record I know that this whole notion makes more sense if you happen to have a time traveling DeLorean available, which I don't. However just in case one should happen to drive by, I'll have this handy.


Dear Steve,

It's me, or more appropriately you, 30 whole years into the future. There are a couple of things I want to tell you, but before that I want to set the record straight about 2010:

1. There are no flying cars.
2. The world did not end on December 31, 1999. In fact you took your mother to work that night.
3. It's now considered to be okay to like ABBA.

That stuff out of the way, it's on to the important stuff, namely some advice I have for you (I mean me).

Buy the AMC Pacer - You will only regret it anyway later on.

Gym basketball games - Make sure you elbow Frank a few times. Payback is a bitch.

Kiss her goodnight - Don't be an idiot and kiss her goodnight. Trust me, you will know when.

Buy stock - There is a small company based in Seattle Washington called "Microsoft". Save up your paper-route money and find a way to buy some of the stock. Better yet, write a real nice letter to the founder, a young guy named Bill Gates. You never know what might come of it.

Re-take your SATs - Don't be a numb-nut, take the stupid SATs again.

Actually visit Millersville - The tuition is actually cheaper than Penn State anyway.

Cut your mom some slack - You will want the same thing when you are a parent.

Start running - It's good exercise and it will make it easier in the future when you need to exercise more.

Find the baseball cards - You know those 1976 NY Yankees baseball cards? If they haven't been tossed yet, find them and for God's sake keep them.

It's okay to be smart - Work a little harder in school; just because you can get good grades without working hard doesn't mean that you shouldn't work hard in the first place.

Get in touch with your sister - Get in touch with her and stay in touch with her.

Look for a better summer job - Seriously, there are better opportunities out there.

Buy a guitar - Buy it and learn how to play it. Something else you will regret later on.


Most Importantly, you really are okay, so stop thinking the opposite. Stop letting other people define you, and just be yourself. Be confident. There is no one in this world you need to impress, other than yourself.

Signed,
Future Steve