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Today is Gradon’s 33rd birthday, and so I’m posting things all day at my blog that celebrate who he is. I started with singing kittens — which is really how ALL THINGS SHOULD BEGIN, QUITE FRANKLY — but now I’m going to offer my take on the Esquire ‘What I’ve Learned’ column.

If you’ve never heard of ‘What I’ve Learned’:Esquireapproaches a different person each month — from old men to celebrities to beauty queens to lobster fishermen to heart surgeons — and asks them to share wisdom they’ve picked up over time. Their comments range from trivial notions to truly serious life lessons, but I usually find something interesting to roll around my brain, no matter who is doing the talking.

Instead of just sharing my own life lessons, though (because heaven knows, I have weird life lessons) I thought I’d write out a bit of what Gradon has taught me in the nearly two years we’ve been making this crazy thing work.

And Happy Birthday again, honey!

What I’ve Learned from Gradon

People who listen are automatically more interesting when they decide to talk.

Good design is worth paying for.

Celebrate the talent you see in people. When you see something great, shine a light on it.

Music is a vitamin.

They call it ‘falling in love’ because it’s not always graceful.

Hold doors open, give up your seat, say thank you, make eye contact, and smile — these things cost you nothing, but make all the difference.

Be public in your love for the people you love. Not only will you make them feel special, but you’ll let the world know where your priorities lie.

Hanging up is a crappy way to work out your differences.

Gossip is social mold.

The best couples have one person who likes to cook, and another who likes to do dishes. You can dabble in switching it up, but stick with what works most of the time.

Asking for help isn’t a weakness — it shows that you’re willing to learn and collaborate.

Brunch is the best meal, because it allows you to combine all the other meals into something that leaves you happy and carb-comatose for the rest of the day.

If you’re willing to step outside your comfort zone, you can accomplish about 1000% more.

Bank fees are the Devil’s Legos.

Smartphones can make people socially dumb.

Trust is something you earn every day, not just once.

Getting stuck on one style is a certain path to boring-ness. Take what you love from different periods, influences, moments… and then you’ll come up with something truly original.

If you laugh with your kids, they’ll be more likely to come to you when they cry.

A great hat makes an outfit.

If someone tells you that you’re beautiful, say thank you. That’s it. They didn’t ask if you agreed.

(Am I a lucky girl or what?)