Peanut Butter and Jelly

Noah,
I listened to the song "Letter to Me" and it got me to thinking that perhaps I should give you some form of an instruction manual for the first part of your life. These are some things I've learned, not that necessarily happened to me...

Crayons are for coloring not eating, dont eat the dirt on the playground, not all girls have cooties, letting girls chase you in school is not always a bad thing, when in doubt-flush first, always put the toilet seat back down, wash your hands several times a day, dont wish to marry the first girlfriend you get, never wait til the gas hand is on "E" to find a gas pump

Always look both ways before pulling out of the drive, dont race someone around the courtsquare(one lane goes towards the Citizens Center), be proud of Lincolnton High School, feel sorry for people who have learned that Duke University is a great school, remember that UNC has a medical school and dental school despite what you may hear, remember that you will use Algebra after high school, its ok to ask for lunch money when youre 16, dont talk to strangers, your first break-up will be the fastest, girls are like trains-soon as one leaves the station, the next one is coming in for a stop, under no circumstances do you pull for NC State in anything

Always watch out for bees, save your money, tithe when you can, be quiet in church(if possible, because God is listening), not everything you hear in church is the truth, always assume me and mom are right, if you are turning left on Main St. make sure there is nothing coming, make sure your in-laws like you as much as you like them, stop for coffee every now and then, make your g/f and/or wife understand that you love them more than LHS or UNC, wear extra socks during playoff games(we usually have to play a mountain team), wear sunscreen when mom makes you(sunburn is the pits), if you have the chance always eat dessert, please try the persimmon pudding its good, when mom is gone overnight i promise to fix you a spamburger, City Lunch has the best hotdog and a cheap breakfast, dont get a credit card...

When on the riding mower, the right pedal is the brake, watch out for jellyfish at the beach, dont put seashells or sand in your mouth, spiders are our friends-just dont touch them, our neighbor isnt crazy-i just think so, dont race in the street on your bike, be back home by when your mom or I say so, hard work is work worth doing, work smart but not too hard, homework is important, try to read one book over each summer, keep a journal, once youre 18 you can have a tattoo if mom says its ok(fyi-she wont), watching a chick flick every now and then wont kill you, girls dont like bloody movies, ride Peter Pan when at Disney World, if in Charleston dont go to the aquarium, please remember the trip I plan to take to Philadelphia(I know its history, but one day you'll like it), and lastly no matter how old you get you still can eat Peanut Butter and Jelly.

Dad