Reflections of Life upon Turning TWENTY-SEVEN

Yes. I turned 27.

And before we go on, I need to get the sordid details off my chest immediately: I now have an odd vertical wrinkle along the center of my neck and what I can only call a varicose vein measuring 1/4 of an inch behind my left knee.

That said, these twenty-seven years have made me impossibly wise.

For it is in my aged wisdom that I offer the following treasures of advice, acquired through my 27 years of living:

• ALWAYS make sure someone else is not already inhabiting the lane you're about to merge into.

Here's to the next 27.