Wear Sunscreen

[Nessa 23]

For those who never saw the video, i have on my comp, it's way better quality but i can't post here, so i hunted for it online and here's the link. Oh, ignore the subtitles

Wear Sunscreen

''Wear Sunscreen''

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '99: wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now:

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, nevermind! You will not understand the power and beauty of

your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall

in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.

You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra

equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your

worried mind, the kind that blindsides you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. (If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.)

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know

didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know

still don't.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your wedding anniversary.

Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's

the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room. Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave

before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: prices will rise politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And

when you do, you'll fantasise that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and

children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia.

Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts

and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

[slim 1,519]

I remember when that song came out... my g/f then was just going crazy over it. "You have to listen to this song. Really listen... listen to the words....."

The funny thing is she was in Minot, North Dakota and had never left in her whole life! She did use sunscreen though.

[Nessa 23]

I remember when that song came out... my g/f then was just going crazy over it. "You have to listen to this song. Really listen... listen to the words....."

The funny thing is she was in Minot, North Dakota and had never left in her whole life! She did use sunscreen though.

Well the video is amazing. Bad thing i can't find a good quality online. The good one i have was when i was in college, we discussed this video (one of the communications - advertising classes). Watch it, it's very good.

[hockeygal 0]

Isn't this Kurt Vonnegut's speech to a graduating class, or am I getting confused? It would have been older than the class of 99 I think....

wait, I just looked it up. It was one of those urban legend things, he didn't write it. Never mind!

Edited June 8, 2006 by hockeygal

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I remember that -- hard to believe it was 7 years ago. How did time go so fast?

[Nessa 23]

Isn't this Kurt Vonnegut's speech to a graduating class, or am I getting confused? It would have been older than the class of 99 I think....

yes it was a graduation speech. The movie was produced in 99, if i'm not wrong the graduation was of a class of 97.

[Ban Hammer 13,230]

Do one thing every day that scares you.

does counting my back hair fit that?

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Maybe waxing it would

[Nessa 23]

Maybe waxing it would

yup yup

[CanGal 1]

lol i remember that as well! Man, time flys by so fast ...

[ChristinaM 0]

I remember that too, with it being all over the radio that summer and barely heard since. I love that song.

[Not Available 0]

Wow I was in 9th grade when that came out... its still beautiful though

[iceyspots 0]

[MichelleandCraig 1]

Yep, really cool Nessa..thanks

[almaty 19]

i remember