Next to share a list of life lessons is Margaret Yang. When I put the call out for guest bloggers on the “things I have learned” theme, Margaret won the award for quick turnaround — she sat down to see if she could even come up with 40, and shot me this list that same day.

A clever writer, she called her list “40/20 hindsight: 40 things I know now that I didn’t know when I was 20.”

Margaret Yang is a science fiction writer who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her favorite things in life are reading, writing and key lime pie.  More about Margaret and links to her published work can be found on her website.

Everything on this list is something I’ve learned from experience—in other words, the hard way. Sure, they all seem blindingly obvious now, but I’m talking to my 20-year-old self here, who was basically stupid.  I can’t go back in time and clue myself in, but it wouldn’t do to point and laugh either.  I was doing the best I could at the time. All I can do now is write this list and be grateful for how far I’ve come.
So here’s my list of 40 things I know at age 40.
1. People are who they are. You aren’t going to change them. Ever.
2. Pokemon cards and Hot Wheels multiply when you’re not looking.
3. Those of us blessed with a sense of humor have an advantage over our fellow humans.
4.Reading out loud is the very best way to make family memories.
5. It’s ridiculous to think you’ll ever have any more free time than you do right now.
6. Pushing “ctrl” and “+” at the same time zooms in on tiny-font websites.
7. Wearing the latest trendy fashion doesn’t make you hip and cool. Being true to your own style makes you hip and cool.
8. Growing a garden is always worth it, even if you spent $20 on supplies to grow one tomato.
9. You can look sexy without baring a lot of skin.
10. Once you start coloring your hair, there’s no going back.
11. If you have a latte every day, it’s no longer a treat.
12. The only sure way to save up for something is to have the bank automatically divert the money into a separate savings account every month so you don’t see it.
13. The best way to lose weight is to cook all your own meals.
14. Your mom actually knows stuff. Go ask her.
15. A bike helmet probably won’t save your life. Wear one anyway.
16. A seatbelt will save your life. Buckle up.
17. It’s never too late to learn a musical instrument.
18. People who speak a foreign language think it’s no big deal. That’s because it isn’t.
19. Poetry doesn’t get any better or more interesting as you get older, except for the poems of Shel Silverstein.
20. Always back up your hard drive.
21. A practical joke is hardly ever worth it.
22. Some jobs sound cooler than they are. Being a restaurant critic is a lot of work.
23. Changing your religion isn’t just between you and God. It has social consequences too.
24. Always do the dishes the night of the party. It’s easier to do them drunk than hungover.
25. Shoes can only be two of these things: cheap, comfortable, pretty. Never all three.
26. There really are tricks to effectively using grocery store coupons.
27. Just about anything tastes better grilled.
28. Everyone dislikes the previous owners of their house.
29. If you do anything fun twice in a row, your kids will call it a tradition and want to do it the same way every single time.
30. You can’t learn to cook Chinese food from a cookbook. You need someone to show you how.
31. Sunscreen matters. So does drinking a lot of water.
32. You can spend $100 at Office Max, but you won’t be any more organized or productive than you are now.
33. You know those mysterious little “boxtops for education” coupons on cereal boxes? Cut them out and give them to a mommy in your neighborhood. She’ll know what to do with them.
34. Good pots and pans are worth the price.
35. There are people in your social circle who secretly hate you. So what?
36. Presentation is important. Be wary of it in a store. Appreciate it at a dinner party.
37. If someone pushes you to make a decision in a hurry, that person doesn’t want you to make the best decision.
38. It’s hard to make new friends as an adult, but you get a new chance when you join the mommy club.
39. If a sentence starts out with the words, “Do you know what your problem is?” chances are, you don’t want to hear the rest of that sentence.
40. Some things that seem mysterious and difficult—like baking bread or using chopsticks—are really easy, but you won’t know that unless you try.
If you’d like to join the line up of guest bloggers sharing lists of things they’ve learned, you can volunteer in the comments. I’ll need your list, a photo of you and a short bio.