 Many years ago, The Times was conducting a survey for an article I wrote where they talked to a dozen people or so, and asked us what were the main lessons we learned from the first real job we had in our lives. My first real job was spreading tar on roofs. Not a great job. I answered that I had learned not one but three lessons, and those lessons would be my advice. The first lesson was that there are an awful lot of very fine people who make a living spreading tar all their life. The second lesson is it takes a heck of a lot of tar to cover a roof. And the third lesson is that getting an education is the key to getting off the roof. And my strongest piece of advice to a young person would be to get as much education as you can. Don't try to plan your whole life. There are too many uncertainties you can't plan your life ahead. But be prepared and be opportunistic and be willing to take prudent risks as life comes along and as opportunity appears. I had a friend who said, when opportunity knocks, try to answer the door.