I’m one lucky lady. I’ve got a pretty cool writing career, awesome weirdos for kids, and the most adorably entertaining husband in the world. Life messes with us sometimes. That’s just how it goes, but on the upside I got to go see one of my fav celebrities do stand up this weekend: Pauly Shore.

The dude’s still got it. He’s hilarious and just an all-around good guy.

My parents didn’t always get why I loved his silliness as a kid, but he influenced a lot of us coming up in the world. After finally seeing him live, I think I can put my finger on all the coolness. (Well, sort of. I mean some things are still better than words)

I talk about positivity and the importance of “knowing thyself” a lot. The people I always look up to or enjoy supporting embody these ideals. Pauly Shore especially. Let me take it further and just map out the philosophies this man has down.

Do You

Yeah I can say, “Be yourself,” all day long, but what does that really mean? It’s an empty catchphrase at this point. When we say one thing too often to capture a broader meaning it gets watered down. But the Weasel shows us, no matter what you do, if you’re cool with yourself then most everybody will at least respect you. (And anyone else can go eat poo.)

For real. The only people worth your time are the ones who see you for who you are and love you for that. It’s a ma-jor theme of most of Pauly’s work. Intentional or no, he spreads the love and that’s the best legacy.

Jump Into Everything

Life’s full of uncertainty. You’re gonna face new situations and people who are nothing like you. You can either put up walls and hide, or you can jump in and mingle. Even when joking about building walls around each state, Pauly Shore has always shown me to have fun no matter what life throws at me.

The best way to fight off anxiety, depression, or self-doubt is to learn to dive in and try new things. Talk to people you never thought you’d mesh with. Smile and sing along, even when you don’t know the words. Make up your own if you have to. Find the best in everything and everyone and focus on that, leave all the other bullshit behind.

Share the Laughs

Laughter saves lives. It’s one of the few constants in life. No matter what happens there’s always something to laugh at. When you share that energy it increases and makes the world a better place.

Laughing at myself saves me from becoming some crotchety old drunken writer. It gives me the release I need when I can’t handle the stress of my work, society, and everyday pressures that would otherwise crush me.

Be Cool, Man

Pauly Shore always has come off as just a nice guy. He can tell dirty jokes and mess around but no matter how ridiculous he gets, he’s cool to others.

I can be a bit of a hot head. My Irish temper gets the better of me at times. It’s not cool and I know it. At the show, some drunks got annoying and tried to pressure Pauly into taking a beer from them. My husband’s a recovered alcoholic. I don’t like peer pressure. I’m all for letting people do them, but the second they try to push someone into doing something they’re obviously not into, I start to boil over. I was ready to unleash the beast when they wouldn’t leave Pauly Shore alone after he declined the offer. He was cool about it and just straight up said: I don’t drink onstage, bro.

They got cut off. But damn, they were not cool and I hope they learn some freaking respect.

Find Your Own Flow

You don’t have to, “Go with the flow,” when you’ve got your own. Pauly Shore doesn’t need to try and stay young forever. He’s on a better level than that. He comes out onstage and kills it because he’s enjoying the ride. Instead of trying to live in the past like some Hollywood types, he jokes about where we’re at now and paints a goofy picture. Sure he gives us the throw-back love, but I think he’s more fun now than he used to be because he’s got a timeless stoicism.

We’re all on loan in life. Nothing here is permanent. I’ve got family members with cancer, a cousin with a baby who needs a liver transplant; life is real.

We like to live like time doesn’t exist, pretend that we’ll be here forever, but it’s more fun to embrace the truth. Playing with my age and having fun no matter where I’m at in life is way more fun that lamenting all that stuff.

Nobody knows how to “age gracefully.” We don’t have to, I personally don’t wanna. I aspire to be the crazy old lady who eats too much sugar and still jumps on the bed. We’re all damn lucky to be alive. It’s a gift for sure.

Be Great… ful

No matter how far you get in life, you better appreciate. No one owes you anything. It’s all gravy. Pauly Shore always had a way of expressing his gratitude and that hasn’t changed. He’s kept his heart full and that’s why we all love him. That never dies. He thanked everyone for being good to him and let us bond.

Shit happens. Life’s gonna come at you with punches and hugs. You gotta know when to dodge and when to offer a warm squeeze. I’m so glad I got to go see Pauly Shore live. He reminded me of all the lessons he bestowed back in the day. They remain relevant throughout my life and sitting down to articulate it all solidifies them.

One of the coolest things about his lessons is that they guide not just my way, but also my work. Doing what suits me, jumping in without stopping to edit as I go, having a good sense of humor about everything, keeping cool, letting the words flow, and remembering to stay humble are all things I incorporate into my writing process. Who knew the Weasel was so smart? I never doubted.

Maybe some of you should revisit him, or you younger newbies should check him out.

I hope he writes a book someday. Being the nerd I am, I automatically checked to see if he hasn’t already. I’ll be waiting haha