Dearest Rachel –
Given the qualifier in the title, these are probably best considered reminders for myself rather than any sort of advice that anyone else could heed and benefit from. Nevertheless, it’s slowly dawning upon me that, given that I often mention my poor memory, it might be necessary for me to make these notes for future reference anyway. And who knows? Maybe some of them will prove beneficial to someone reading over your shoulder that might decide to join this troupe in the future.
First of all, there will be times when, like in “Maggie’s Farm” (or would it be in this case “Maddie’s Farm”?) you’ll wake up with “a head full of ideas that are driving [you] insane.” If at all possible, do not ignore the sensation; get up and write down everything that occurs to you, regardless of the hour. You won’t be able to fall back asleep until you do anyway, so you might as well be productive at the moment. You can decide later on, when you’re fully awake, if what you’ve written down makes any sense or not. 
Then again…
·If you talk a lot [L In an abundance of words], ·you are sure to sin [L wickedness does not cease];
Proverbs 10:19, Expanded Bible
if you are wise, you will ·keep quiet [L restrain your lips].
I leave it to the reader as to whether this abundance of words is sinful or foolish. Personally, it feels like if I leave everything rattling around in my skull, it gets crowded up there; mental claustrophobia is not a pleasant experience. At least this way, by letting it free like this, I can give my psyche a little elbow room up there.
Close the bathroom door overnight, especially in the winter. Not only will it keep the bedroom slightly warmer by restricting the intake of cold outside air, it reduces the amount of exterior noise seeping in as well. Mind you, this isn’t a perfect solution, just an improvement.
Along those same lines, at this time of year, pack in layers for any occasion. It turns out that that’s how the locals deal with the chill of what passes for winter here; there’s ordinarily no reason to go to all that trouble to ensure that buildings have heat, so it’s up to you to keep yourself warm, and extra clothing is the most effective way to do that.
Speaking of necessary apparel, always remember to bring a pair of sandals. If nothing else, you’ll be padding around your room from time to time, and you won’t always want to put socks and shoes on every time you’re doing so. And if you can expect to be dealing with water, remember Douglas Adams’ advice and bring a towel as well, so you always know where one is.
With great height comes great responsibility; if your room is on an upper floor, bear in mind that it is impossible to move furniture (particularly chairs) on a tile floor without disturbing your downstairs neighbor. Make sure they’re either awake or out of the room before using such.
If a young woman approaches you in conversation, never assume anything more than the surface level discussion that it is; she is only being friendly or needs information only you can offer. That being said, if it happens often enough, get it in writing that she’s not interested; it will sting a bit, but it will keep you from doing or saying anything that much more stupid in the future.
Likewise, bear in mind that there are fewer universal truths regarding relationships than you think; what works for one couple will not work for another, and just because a husband and wife seem to constantly be at each other’s throats doesn’t mean they don’t love each other and are perfectly happy together. And don’t try to understand it, either. There’s a reason Agur the ‘wise’ man acknowledged that he didn’t or couldn’t; it would be presumptuous to claim any more wisdom than he.
Understand that, while you can only see things from your own perspective, nobody else can ever see anything from that particular vantage point as well. This means that whatever you may observe in any given situation will not be visible in the same way to anyone else; so never assume that it is. This really isn’t advice, since even now, I don’t know how to apply it, but it’s definitely something to bear in mind.
Finally, plan on leaving something behind; for most people, that will be a piece of their heart. However, if that’s not possible, try to bring and leave something useful; your phone doesn’t count, as it should be locked (although brute force attempts will probably eventually get by the password) and of only marginal utility to someone else while being essential to yourself.
With all this having been said, I hardly need to ask you that I’d like your eye to be upon me, along with a wish for luck, honey. I’m going to need it, today and any other time I travel. 
Letters to Rachel 