My odometer rolled over to 90 in August…
Maybe you’ve gotten the email that starts with that line. You know, this one:
Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio. “To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more…”
I was curious about the author of these really neat quotes. Quotes like: Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good. Or When in doubt, just take the next small step.
So I Googled Regina Brett, and found a delightful woman-writer-journalist in her mid-fifties. It seems not only is she an Urban Legend, but the Internet aged her as well, even attached a photo of an older woman.
.
In the coming weeks, I’m going to look at Regina Brett’s life lessons, a few at a time, but today I my point is, not everything on the Internet is true. There is often just enough truth in an email or website to make it seem accurate. Like the email about Regina Brett. She actually did write the life lessons, but for some reason someone, somewhere decided her column would sound better if it came from a 90-year-old woman. Whoever must’ve thought a 45-year-old woman couldn’t have that kind of wisdom–that’s how old she was when she first wrote the column. When she turned 50, she added five more lessons she’d learned.
So, when you get an email that sounds either too good to be true or a little fishy, check it out before you send it on. Make sure it’s true.
What are some of the Urban Legends you’ve discovered?
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Comments 8
Well, there ya go proving the old “You can’t believe everything you read!” adage.
I’ve stumbled across plenty of Urban legends — can’t recall any of ’em this early in the morning — but I always google things too when they sound too good to be true or just a little fishy.
Author
Thanks, Beth. You’re up mighty early! But I appreciate you reading my blog and commenting. Blessings on you today. Beth has written a really great book, Wish You Were Here…check it out at http://www.amazon.com/Wish-You-Were-Here-Novel/dp/1451659865/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326151678&sr=8-1
I also go to Snopes to check it out.
Author
Snopes is good as well as Urban Legends. Thanks Patricia. I’m sure Jennifer would never forward an email she hadn’t checked out. Check out Jennifer at http://www.amazon.com/Yard-Southern-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B007W7QHAQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1335008539&sr=8-2
Remember that college graduation speech that made the rounds several years ago — the one about taking care of your knees? I believe it was wrongly attributed to Kurt Vonnegut.
Good post, Pat.
Author
I didn’t see that one, Johnnie. I often wonder why people don’t take 1 minute to check an email out before they send it on? Thanks for stopping by.
I’m looking forward to learning about “life’s lessons” from Regina Brett. Never heard of her, so it should be interesting. Thanks, Pat.
Author
Cheryl, Regina is a neat person. Cancer inspired her first book, God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life’s Little Detours. I look forward to writing about her.