# One of the greatest (but lesser known) useful bits of wisdom is... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 26, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603 "2003-10-26T02:52:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/41 "2003-10-27T19:34:39Z")
Watch what you eat and excercise daily!! When I was thinner I used to go “skinny dipping,” now I just “chunkydunk.” ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/42 "2003-10-27T19:42:51Z")
The older you get, the smarter your parents were. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/43 "2003-10-27T19:43:11Z")
You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken shit. ---
**Author:** ![nobrainer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a587f6/32.png) [@nobrainer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nobrainer)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/44 "2003-10-27T20:06:14Z")
Life is like a shit sandwich… The more bread you have, the less shit you have to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/45 "2003-10-27T23:48:57Z")
Eagles may soar majestically the sky, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/46 "2003-10-28T00:15:41Z")
It is far worse to be pissed on than pissed off. Try everything at least twice, the first time you might just have been in the wrong mood. Your mind is your own responsibility, feed it, take it for walks, and don’t allow it to attack strangers. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Ink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@White\_Ink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Ink)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/47 "2003-10-28T00:26:01Z")
Give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he’ll drink for a lifetime. Build a man a fire, he’ll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, he’ll be warm for the rest of his life. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/48 "2003-10-29T03:13:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Adamcomic \* > \*\*This one, and many, many more can be found in the Notebooks of Lazarus Long section of Robert A Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love”. \*\* Thanks! I always wondered where the hell that saying originated. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/49 "2003-10-29T04:41:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Phnord Prephect \* > \*\*T-keela, did you by any chance present this information as a science-fair project? I remember, long ago, someone doing this in my class. I thought it was hilarious. Wish I could remember their results, tho. > > Oh… uh, “Be Excellent to Each Other!” \*\* Not a science project, but I did a show and tell about it. BUT I’m afraid now that my figures will need to be adjusted. The many years of practice I’ve had licking stuff has made my tongue quite talented. My talented tongue is thoroughly trained through the thousands of times it’s tittilated. 😛 NOTE: Momma always said, **"Life is like a sucker. Just about the time you got that sucker licked…it’s gone."** ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/50 "2003-10-29T06:58:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lizard \* > \*\*Thanks! I always wondered where the hell that saying originated. \*\* None of the sayings originated there. They were collected by Heinlein and put in his character’s mouth, but he never claimed to have made them up. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/51 "2003-10-29T08:29:14Z")
No matter how busy you are, no matter what urgent mission waits you in life - always take the time to _carefully_ zip-up your fly. Yes, I did learn this the hard way. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/52 "2003-10-29T11:18:31Z")
No matter where you go, there you are. You might think you’re through with the past, but the past is never through with you. Our emotions and how we react to (and out of) them are two different things. It’s only rarely a bad idea to stop and take a few slow deep breaths. Make haste slowly. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/53 "2003-10-29T21:29:23Z")
When the tag on the sweater says “dry clean only”, they mean “dry clean only”, not “dry clean as long as you have the time and didn’t put off finding an outfit for the important event until the last minute.” Be prepared when you can. When you can’t, pretend you are. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/54 "2003-10-29T22:38:32Z")
Forewarned is forearmed; and four-armed is twenty-fingered. ---
**Author:** ![SpectBrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@SpectBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpectBrain)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/55 "2003-10-30T01:09:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bippy the Beardless \* > \*\*It is far worse to be pissed on than pissed off. > > \*\* but it’s better to be pissed on than stood on and be pissed off of. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SpectBrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@SpectBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpectBrain)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/56 "2003-10-30T01:10:48Z")
and to quote Mad Magazines Alfred E. Neuman “Learn from the mistakes of others, you’ll never live long enough to make them all yourself.” ---
**Author:** ![Ludo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ludo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/57 "2003-10-30T02:37:15Z")
“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be.” -Douglas Adams ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/58 "2003-10-30T04:02:54Z")
Party on, Garth! Drink no wine before its time… or some such thing. All I ever needed to know, I learned in kindergarten. ---
**Author:** ![born\_too\_late](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba9def/32.png) [@born\_too\_late](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/born_too_late)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/59 "2003-10-30T06:09:03Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Drastic_ > **No matter where you go, there you are.** Here, Here! > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by SpectBrain_ > **"Learn from the mistakes of others, you’ll never live long enough to make them all yourself."** The crux of the matter… ---
**Author:** ![mallocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f4b2a3/32.png) [@mallocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mallocks)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603/60 "2003-10-30T12:08:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*Eagles may soar majestically the sky, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines. \*\* Dilbert? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-greatest-but-lesser-known-useful-bits-of-wisdom-is/209603.md?page=4)