The Graduate's Book of Practical Wisdom: 99 Lessons They Can't Teach in School

This book contains lessons consisting of a two-page spread: centered on the left hand page is a memorable quote from a celebrity or historical figure which states the point in a nutshell, and the right hand page contains the lesson itself. There is frequently a story or other illustration to elucidate the point.

We all make stupid mistakes as teenagers; my own son Drew was no exception. As he progressed through high school, I sometimes thought his behavior must be plainly foolish to anyone with a normal brain. But I tried not to hold it against himhaving spent 14 years with teenagers as a teacher and principal, I knew that they don't have a normal brain.

Does the sentiment ""I wish I knew then what I know now"" sound familiar? I wrote this book so that a young person making the transition to adulthood can have a wise and trusty companion, a resource of friendly advice to make the road a little smoother.

I live in Columbus, NC and commute a whopping eight minutes each day to my business, Main Street Financial Group, in the nearby town of Tryon. Our entire county has a population of less than 20,000. I'm 51 years old, have been married for 28 years, and have a son who is a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

As a financial planner, I serve a clientele of mostly retired professionals. In a former life, I was a school teacher and principal. In my free time, I enjoy writing, public speaking, and travel (I've been sailing in the Bahamas six times, and for my 50th birthday I took a group of buddies to New Mexico for a week on a cattle ranch).

I have written one book, Low-Stress Investing, which was self-published in 2002 and is available on Amazon.com. It's an investing primer that was written with the purpose of supporting my practice, which it has done very well.