Advice?

Giving advice is a tricky business. Too much and you are a know-it-all pain in the neck; too little and well, maybe there isn't anything bad with giving too little advice. Unless someone is in harms way, then too little could be bad. But most advice isn't of the life or death variety. There are other ways to show people you care about them than offering suggestions on how they can make their lives better.

Lots and lots of ways.

I know what side I fall on, the too much. Learning to tell the difference between someone asking for advice, and someone venting didn't come naturally to me. And I still err on over advising. I'm working on it.

A week ago, when I decided to attempt this one a day blog thing, I took this picture. Like a hiker at the basecamp, eager and optimistic about the challenges ahead.

It was the first cup of coffee after the kids left for school. I was still without makeup (brave of me, I know) but so excited to get started! (That cup is really full, I should have been worried about my keyboard!)

So one week down, do I have any advice for that eager blogger? I mean, besides checking her shine levels and taking off her glasses before she takes a picture of herself.

I would tell her than she needs to be ready for the second week which is going to be really, really challenging. Her plate is going to be too full  and people are going to keep heaping more- then wonder why THEIR stuff wasn't done at the end of the day. I would tell her to resist the urge to shout,"bite me" at them. It's not ladylike and will accomplish nothing.

I would tell her to write down that great idea for a story that she got at 3 AM on Saturday.

I would tell her  to really give a thought to a bit more organization. Just because the kids are going back to school doesn't mean life is going to get less complicated. It's going to get MORE complicated.

I would also tell her to get one more loaf of bread when she goes shopping because she is going to run out a day before she is planning to hit the grocery store again.

I would tell her to ASK some people for advice.

You see at the end of this post, where it says, "post comment" or "comment" proceeded by a number? Click that. A window should pop up, a blank box, a word you have to type to verify you are human, and you can pick an identity or just remain anonymous. Just answer this question:

What advice would you give that eager woman in the picture?

Brave again. But I'm open to whatever-- general life advice, if I should do something different with my hair, writing advice, career advice...gimme whatcha got.