# Write a letter to your past self \[Hypothetical\]

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/write-a-letter-to-your-past-self-hypothetical/838253>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [August 6, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/write-a-letter-to-your-past-self-hypothetical/838253 "2019-08-06T16:36:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/write-a-letter-to-your-past-self-hypothetical/838253/41 "2019-08-10T17:30:07Z")

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> [@BrickBat](#):
>
> To 21-25 year old “me” circa early-mid 80s;
> 
> Cut your hair a couple inches shorter, and lose the mustache, and lose the torn jeans and mid-riff cut T-shirt. While you’re bright, have a great work ethic and you’ve got a good head on your shoulders, you may never get a chance to display these qualities to good effect because you may ( and probably ) will be judged in lower regard in both the workplace and dating scene because you look like Tony Iommi.
> 
> Note: Absolutely no reproach to Black Sabbath and Tony Iommi as such.

At least you didn’t mention Geezer Butler.

Forgot to add to my through-the-looking-glass self:

Drink much, much less beer.

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**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2019, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/write-a-letter-to-your-past-self-hypothetical/838253/42 "2019-08-11T03:43:31Z")

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Ten year-old Tammy, ignore what Mom says about not telling dad you’re getting beat up by the kids at the bus stop and your brother, daily. Just b/c she says he’ll get so mad he does something that winds him up in jail doesn’t mean that would be your fault. It’s not up to you whether your father can control his drunk anger but it is up to you that he knows what’s going on; you might have noticed that mom is not standing up for you, maybe he will? Worth a try.

Also, that neighbor boy is awfully cute but he’s not worth choosing a religion just to go to his family’s house for bible study. That group will be no nicer to you than they are at the bus stop; religion doesn’t make bad people be good, only sneakier. So Steve’s not suddenly being nice after bible study - he’s waiting to punch your head into a snowbank until it’s hard to breathe, b/c he’s already a violent, skinhead-to-be asshole who will break Angie’s wrist in two years yanking her over a desk.

You and your brother need to stop playing w/ dad’s handguns when mom’s asleep. Not b/c she’ll wake up and catch you but b/c you don’t need that near-miss memory for the rest of your life.

Lastly, pity isn’t affection.

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