Rule No 153 - Stick to your story. It isn't the most important subject in history but it is one about which you are uniquely qualified to speak.

History and I were never friends at school. Wait, it wasn't so much the history as it was the dates. I got to a point that just the word History used to make me break out in a cold sweat. Studying for History exams and tests was like torture. I swear at the time, sticking forks in my eyes would have sounded like a better option.

But in my old age I have started to appreciate History for what it is. The dates still mean nothing to me and I still avoid them like the plague but I enjoy a good old factual story every now and then. I think the appreciation has grown with my love of travel. Knowing the history about a place you are visiting makes you pay more attention while you are there. Well, thats how I feel.

But this rule isn't about that kind of history. It's about your own little book with your name on the front. There is no other story like yours. Not a single one. And there is a very good chance that if someone had to pick up your book and read it, they wouldn't get it. Your story is as unique as your fingerprint because even if you share a moment or an experience with other people, none of you will have the exact same memory of it.

I will probably still get the dates of my story wrong, but it's my story. And dates still mean nothing to me on the greater scheme of things. The important thing for me is that I can look back on my history and smile about most of it and know that I did everything to have the best life possible.

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Rule No.33 - Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day

Okay, rules are back and what a classic one! This quote is by Harry S Truman. He was the 33 rd president of America, historians call him “a controversial president”, the band Chicago wrote a song just for him and he has a commemorative holiday in his name on the 8 th May in Missouri. This is brilliant advise, not in the literal sense, well, that too, but if you having a seriously bad day, don’t make things worse by deliberately doing something that will bite you in the bum later. I did this the other day, so I am talking out of experience here. I went into a situation and then on the way out, after realising it was a bad situation, I kicked a fresh turd cause I was so mad. (again, not literally, although, that might have been a better idea in hindsight) My advise in this circumstance is to stay indoors that day until you have calmed yourself down. I’ll leave you with another quote from Truman : A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who ...

Rule No.59 - If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull.

"Bull", meaning nonsense, dates from the 17th century, while the term "bull*&$*" has been used as early as 1915 in American slang , and came into popular usage only during World War II . The word "bull" itself may have derived from the Old French boul meaning "fraud, deceit" (Oxford English Dictionary). The term "horse*&$*" is a near synonym. Worthy of note is the South African English equivalent "bull dust". Few corresponding terms exist in other languages, with the significant exception of German Bockmist , literally "billy-goat *&%*". Funny, Suze Original and I were talking about this the other day. She went for an interview and we were laughing cause we both do the same thing. They ask you a simple question that could be answered in a line or two but we both start elaborating so much trying to make a good impression that what started as "My favorite hobby is... right to.. and that's why I...

Rule No.6 - Don't panic

Panic is a sudden sensation of fear which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frantic agitation consistent with an animalistic f ight-or-flight reaction. It also rhymes with manic and tannic. Perfect example of when to not panic and then when to start panicking. My very first night in my new flat here in Cape Town, I was woken up by my curtain being opened from the outside. Odd, first of all, because I live on the first floor, and second of all, because there was a man, well boy, suddenly staring at me from my window. A little shocked and confused, but not panicked, I squinted through sleepy eyes and said "hello". He looked at me, a little confused as well and greeted back. Then I asked him what he was up to at my window so early in the morning. "Washing your windows", was his reply. Okay, so it's Monday morning, my first night in this complex, maybe Monday morning is washing...

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