Everything I Needed to Know I Learned from “The Sound of Music.”

You never know when someone is watching, so behave accordingly. Especially in empty ballrooms.

Guilt is an effective method of behavior modification.

Moonlit gardens = romance. Gazebos score triple bonus points.

Lighting can make a big difference in how attractive a person appears.

Children need a balance of discipline, love, and lots of time to play.

Sewing is a handy skill to have.  Ditto playing the guitar.

Certain gifts require enormous creativity and/or work on the part of the recipient.  Can anyone say, “Yo-de-lay-eeeee”?

When in doubt, sing.  Preferably with full orchestral accompaniment.

If you have a choice between kissing your true love and singing, KISS FOR CRYIN’ OUT LOUD.

The ability to laugh at yourself is an important character trait, both in yourself and in your partner.

Sometimes conflict is disguised passion.

Money isn’t everything (take *that* Baroness Schrader!).

If you’re not paying attention when your true love is talking, you might miss some important clues.

Men like reassurance that interest/love is reciprocated before expressing it openly.

Withholding information may not be lying, but it's not honest, either.

Patriotism is honorable.  Ditto standing up for what you believe in.

Don’t trust the butler.

Never insult the bad guy, even if you think you have the upper hand.  (He might have a whistle!)

People are often not what they appear to be.  Nuns, for instance.

Stay in shape. Sometimes “Climb Every Mountain” *isn’t metaphorical*.

This is the album cover for the original soundtrack which my mother had (I thought she was so cool when I discovered this in the closet, and I played it repeatedly). The image is from the blog Katnip, which has some photos showing the actors who played the Von Trapp children, 40 years later. Some of them aged really well!