One of my favourite birthday presents came from one of my favourite people, several years ago.

Jim sent me the book Marcus Aurelius, Meditations. It is one of three books I keep in the washroom.

Bumper sticker philosophy, is my kind of brain pickings. Keep your advice to me short, sweet, and simple and, I have a better chance of taking it.

Marcus, like Jim wrote in the front of the book, says shit that Ken would probably say if Ken was an ancient Roman Emperor.

As an example, here are three quote each. You tell me if you can tell them apart.

Ready…who said it – Ken Parker or Marcus Aurelius? I’m betting you can’t tell the difference!

“Live not as though there were a thousand years ahead of you. Fate is at your elbow; make yourself good while life and power are still yours.”

“98% of things in life are not important. Find what that 2% is and pay attention to it.”

“Vex not thy spirit at the course of things; They heed not thy vexation.”

“I’m not much for mumbo-jumbo.”

“In the words of Crito the sage, If thou hast eyes to see, then see.”

“My dad used to say, it’s 95 degrees in the shade — wish we had some shade.”

See what I mean – I live with a friggen Roman Emperor!