Ask Pat

All of you probably know by now that I am a Wheel Watcher. One of the fun sections on the club site is where members can write in with their questions and Pat will select which to answer. I've been saving this one for months, and thought this would be an appropriate time to share it with you.

Q ... If someone asked you what the top five rules for living a successful life are, what would your answers be?

Pat's response ...

It's tempting to be flip, so I'll avoid saying things like, "Wear clean underwear in case you're in an accident." I have never been a believer in following celebrity advice. Believe me, we're probably among the least qualified to give it. Nevertheless, keeping in mind that I have not always followed my own advice, here goes ... ...

1. Treat others with respect. It's not just the right thing to do; if you don't, it will almost always come back and bite you.

2. Learn as much as you can about as many things as you can. I know of almost no one my age who doesn't regret not following that one. You never know where life will take you, and preparation is the key to success.

3. Laugh a lot. The world is a very serious place, and, eventually, sadness or tragedy will touch your life. It's hard enough to deal with those things when they actually occur, so there's no sense in fretting about them ahead of time. Enjoy every good time to the fullest.

4. Don't sweat the small stuff. Happily, most of life's problems are merely irritants and not worth worrying about. Imagine how much better your day would be if you took only serious matters seriously.

5. Marry well and marry seriously, or don't marry. And be at least as patient and forgiving with your spouse (and your children) as you are with strangers. It's amazing how little slack we can cut for those closest to us.

I must now go back to my cave and meditate!

Shows a little different side of him, doesn't it? I was one of the few who liked his late night talk show, too. Of course, he was going up against Johnny Carson. It's a wonder his show lasted as long as it did!

[By the way, how do you like the photo I chose of him? Great, isn't it? I don't think he's very photogenic. Took me a while to find a good one. Another 'btw' ... I must have heard that "wear clean underwear" mantra so much in my early years that - to this day - I cannot put on a pair of undies without thinking of it. Is that hilarious, or what?]


Now, on April 1, 2008, this piece aired on "Wheel of Fortune" ...



... What do you think? Is he or is he not? Is Vanna White the world's best actress or is she not? Was this real or was it one of the world's better April Fool jokes?

In an attempt to find out the true answer once and for all, and at Tammy's behest, I wrote my question in to "Ask Pat". Daily, for weeks and weeks, I checked his answers to see if he would address my question. He never did. I stopped checking. (Pardon me for a moment while I check one more time to see if he answered my question ... ... nope, still not there.)

Meanwhile, the controversy rages on. (Sorry, Tammy, no definitive answer.)


For those of you who might be interested in joining the club, check out sonyrewards.com for 'how to' information. If you want to play some free practice games, go here.