Thanks, Dad, for being my life coach

It's my dad's birthday — a good time to catalog the lessons he's taught me over the years. Here goes!

• Eat oatmeal for breakfast every day.

• Throwing a few elbows in a basketball game is not necessarily a bad thing.

• Actually, quality time DOES count.

• There's always more than one way to arrive at the same destination. Some roads are definitely bumpier. But whatever.

• Leave generous tips.

• Praise people for the things they do well.

• Don't limit yourself to associating with people who already share your values.

• Your kids won't learn something until they're ready to learn it. Let them take the journey at their own pace.

• Every garden should have primroses, daylilies and asters, with a few barberry and juniper bushes thrown in for good measure.

• And speaking of gardens, they're not just about flowers and vegetables. Give them some hard structure — a mammoth rock, a fence, some shrubs, too.

• Play Scrabble with my mom to stay mentally sharp. Also read a newspaper every day. Read two or three when you're on the road.

• When it comes to sports, make friends out of your enemies.

• Cheer for the Philadelphia Eagles when you get the chance.

• If you have a problem with someone, keep your mouth shut and give it time. ... If you still have a problem, take it up directly with that person.

• Stay flexible. Stay loose. Avoid rigidity. Take the long view.

• Keep on educating yourself. That way you'll have something to fall back on in case they fire you.

• When it comes to reading, a good mystery is tough to beat.

• When it comes to music, "Amazing Grace" played on the bagpipes is tough to beat.

• Laugh last. Laugh first. Laugh in between. Watch reruns of "Frasier." Seek out people who make you laugh. (Make the guys at the Cinegrill laugh, and they won't charge you for your mints.)

• Eat warm tomatoes and Italian prunes straight out of the garden. Don't bother to wash them first. Unless my mother is watching.