I love Hedda Hopper’s advice! That’s great.. LOL. I really love the forget about Oprah and idolize your mother. Can we just add forget about Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, Nicole Richie, the Olson Twins… man I’m getting depressed writing this!

1. Pay your bills on time and build your credit. 2. Don’t jump into marriage or a serious relationship. 3. try something at least once. 4. Go for everything and take no prisoners!

No ringy no thingy

See the world and become a citizen of the world; try out the jobs you think you would enjoy and settle in one by 35. Then save as much as you can; retirement will come sooner than you think, and you must be able to take care of yourself.

Achieve all of your dreams before getting into a serious relationship — especially marriage. Get the education or pursue your career goals first. Once you get married, it is much more difficult to reach your goals. Once you do attain your goals and achieve your dreams, then look for prince charming.

I am not a Oprah watcher normally, but, I do enjoy hearing Maria Shriver speak. Although I don’t know Arnold, I don’t think he is my type, but, if he likes her, he must be ok…Her recent book talked about the drive to be in the competitive workforce and even after she had left it, she forgot that she did not learn who she was outside of that career. Find out who you are. Not “rick’s girlfriend/wife”, not your childs mom, who you are on your own..Find balance. Balance work and play. Respect for yourself first (including keeping fit and healthy) then give those around you and your parents the respect due to them. Establish yourself in a career or passion that whether you are married or not will generate a income that will feed, house and cloth you and children over your lifetime. If you marry, make sure that he is your best friend, will love you when you are gray and starting to get wrinkly, and you can talk to him at the same level as you are intellectually. Money makes life easier, but, can never replace the true happiness of a little less money and a mate that you can respect and respects you. (My thanks to Jane Austen.) B.

Live each day to its fullest. Trust your intuition.

Abraham Lincoln said most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. Thomas Jefferson said that the great majority of what you spend your time worrying about never even comes to pass. Bob Dylan said, life is a drag, life is a bust. All you can do, is do what you must. You do what you must do, and you do it well. And I wrote this chorus of a song: When I was young, I thought I could fix this world. When I was young, I thought I SHOULD fix this world. Now I’ve pretty well learned that healing and truth in time are unfurled. But you and I we’re like new born babies who into time and space are all hurled. Yeah new born babies who are in this universe still all so curled. And this universe is still unfolding, perfect, perfectly. Miranda

Congratulations on being 21. Here’s some advice from me, a 36 year-old single woman, to you. 1. Don’t smoke. If you smoke when your 21 and think “I’ll quit when I finish college” - you probably will change that statement to whatever goal you set for one or two years farther on down the road. Stop now. 2. Do not “hang” with people who use drugs, even “recreationally”. You may not be able to see it now but these people will continue to effect your life in negative ways until you set them free. Tell them to stop and get help to quit if they need it. When they quit they will seek you out if your friendship meant something to them. If you don’t hear from them again in your life then know that it’s a sad thing but not a bad thing. 3. Wear UVA/UVB protection. Wear sunglasses. The one’s you get later on from your eye doctor are not too glamourous. Start wearing sunscreen everyday. At least SPF 15 but what’s wrong with SPF 30? Put it on your face, neck, and hands. 4. Dietary habits - Stop eating fast food by age 25. Eat plenty of fiber and whole grains. Take a multi-vitamin daily. 5. Always treat your soul and body with respect. When you treat yourself this way you attract people who respect themselves and others in the same way. If someone disrespects you, give them a second chance but not a third. You are too precious. 6. At age 30 if you want children someday and have not met your significant other and formed a committed partnership - freeze your eggs. 7. Save money. Save your loose change and make sure to put a set percentage of your paycheck in a savings account. Set this up with your employer’s HR/accounting via direct deposit and you won’t miss it as much as if you write a check to deposit it yourself. Save for retirement and learn about the stock market. 8. Visit with family. Commit to this. Plan in advance. Once the opportunity is lost if this is not accomplished it will be a life long regret. Call your family once a week at least. Choose a day and make it a habit to stay in touch. Time goes by too quickly. 9. Read about current events and know your political figures and their views. Go see a debate or watch those “boring channels” that you normally wouldn’t on a Tuesday night. Ignorance kills. 10. DO NOT LOAN MONEY to ANYONE if you can’t afford to chalk it up as a “learning experience”. This goes for co-signing on loans, lending your car for a “quick trip”, or letting someone buy something with your credit card(s). 11. Exercise. 12. Wear a bikini. You might not have the opportunity later. 13. Take pictures of family, friends, milestones, and above all take pictures of yourself. (When you feel like you couldn’t possibly wear the bikini you’ll have something to motivate you to do more of #11.) 14. Get your annual physical every year and do a self-breast exam monthly (10 days after your period ends). Research this or ask your health care professional for reading material to take home with you. 15. Treat yourself every month to something special. This can be alone time or “girl’s retreat” but do something special and fun. 16. Hug your children and treat them in ways that demonstrate love. Don’t get into a habit of calling them a nickname like “Chicken legs”, “Bookworm”, or “Angel”. This will effect their self-esteem or if they feel like they aren’t living up to the title’s expectations they will feel as if they’ve let you down. Both are huge obstacles to overcome later in life. 17. Keep taking classes the rest of your life. There’s always something to learn and it is a great model for your children to follow. An added bonus is the “you time”. 18. Stretch. Try to remain as flexible as you can. This is important for many different reasons. 19. Floss. 20. Trust your gut instinct. It’s okay to be wrong but if you are wrong and your instinct was telling you to do the opposite it’s an even greater regret. 21. Smile and laugh. A positive front can get you over a pain in the rear any day.

Revel in your beauty (which I guarantee you have), make eye contact with every man you see and smile, don’t be afraid to be on your own.

1. Remember your worth is high. Do not let anyone treat you as a commodity - in your job, with a man, in friendships. And don’t treat others that way either. 2. Don’t listen to the “Siren Song of Cynicism”. It’s easy to be critical and pessimistic in life. Don’t…it kills your spirit. 3. Make volunteering a way of life. No matter how small it may be. It will give back to you tenfold, and will keep you balanced about what matters in life, and grateful for all you have. 4. Define yourself. Don’t let others define you, and don’t define yourself by successes, failures, jobs, other’s opinions, or marriage. 5. When you are going thru rough patches, watch at least a half hour of something everyday that makes you laugh. It’ll work wonders.

My daughter is 23 now, but I would and still continue telling her to be wise with her money. To save for joyous days. To think about the consecuences in every aspect of her decisions good and bad. When she is out and about, not to be so trusting of strangers and to be careful about her alcohol comsuption. Not to drink and drive. To be grateful about all the good in her life and to continue loving and enjoying life. Not to make serious commitments until she feels ready to fulfill them.