I celebrated my Silver Wedding Anniversary many, years ago, and somehow Mrs. C8j has managed to not chuck me out on my ear. For that I am thankful. It’s hard to believe it is much more than 25 years ago that we got married, but given all my wrinkles and grey hair. I suppose it isn’t that far out of the question either. For today’s reader, a rare actual picture of me on the blog! Check down at the bottom (please no style discussions about the glasses and such).
Advice to myself 25 years ago
- Relax, for the love of God, you are going to have an amazing 25 years, so just relax and enjoy it. Worrying about every little thing, gives you wrinkles, grey hair and interferes with enjoying now. Yes, there will be some bumps in the road, but they will happen whether you worry or not.
- Be more open with the people who matter in your life, being the strong silent type is great if you want to have ulcers and want to get upset that no one seems to care (maybe they just don’t know?).
- Take time to enjoy things, and take note that you are enjoying things (for all those times when you think you never get what you want). It’s easy to remember the hard times, for some reason the good times are harder to remember.
- Time is going to fly by, stop rushing things, it will all happen in due time.
- Lay off the: donuts, bagels, chips and snacks, you are going to have to lose those extra 40 lbs. some time in your life, why not just not get them.
- The job is a job, that’s it. Your “career” will consist of working with some amazing people, on some cool things, but at the end of it all, the job is the job, your family is your life.
- When you are at work, be at work, work hard, and when you come home, be at home, and forget about work (completely if possible).
- You don’t have to do it all right away, but procrastinating is going to hurt you a few times, don’t wait too long, or you might miss out on a few great things.
- Yes you can do any job for a year, but at the end of that year, you are going to be a miserable sod, so maybe just don’t do it.
- One day, learn how not to look like a grinning idiot in pictures (see below) and for the love of money, sell all your damned Nortel shares in 2000! 🙂

This is not me outlining my mistakes, just how I might make an amazing 25 years, that much more fun.
Congratulations. You did what I should have done 25 years ago, that is, get married. Here I am at 50 still single. Maybe I might be happier with or without a wife, and hindsight is 20/20 but I do think I should have found someone at some point.
Meeting someone my age is easy. Meeting someone to have kids with, not so easy. So cherish the time spent with your wife. I think it is well worth the time.