Rules for Life (Part 1)

1.  Be on time – no, it’s not a personality thing…it’s a respect thing. 

1a.  If someone is more than 5 minutes late (and they don’t call) you have every right to leave.  Yea, you will look like the jerk…but after all, your meeting was at 5…not 5:05 (and you were there)

2.  Tip your waiters/waitresses well

2a.  Tip well regardless of performance (For Christians) – God shows you grace when you fail…do likewise to your waiters. 

2b.  Tip well on Sundays (For Christians) – Christians are the “worst” customer in the eyes of servers.  Let’s fix this.

2c.  Gift cards – If the “proper” tip leaves less on your gift card than it would cost to pay for your next trip just go ahead and give it to the waiter.  After all, you will probably just leave the 7$ gift card in your wallet for 6 months and forget it’s in there next time you go to Outback anyway. 

2d.  Gift cards (part 2) – If your card doesn’t take care of all your meal – you still tip whatever the total was BEFORE the card.  This really should go without saying.

3.  Parking – If you are concerned about your car being hit in a parking lot you should park at the back of the lot…not near the front, taking up two spots for a buffer.

3a.  In the case of someone taking up two spots (on purpose) it is NOT ok to intentionally hit their car with a shopping cart…but it is ok to laugh if one accidently gets blown by the wind into their car – after all, irony is funny.

4.  It’s ok for someone to have 14 items in the 12 item or less line.  Don’t be a jerk.

5.  It’s not ok for someone to have 20 items in the 12 item or less line.  I can’t think of anything more arrogant than that. 

6.  If the checkout guy at the grocery store doesn’t have a bagger you should bag your own groceries. 

7.  If you are driving on a two lane road and as you approach a red light you notice the guy behind you has his turn signal on – you should move out of the right lane (if possible) so he can turn w/o waiting on you.

8.  If you don’t notice his turn signal until you have already stopped at the light, but you can move up so he can turn behind you – DO IT!  That makes you the most thoughtful person on the road.

9.  Every now and then when you go to Starbucks (or any drive-thru) you should pay for the person’s coffee/order behind you.  Even if you just saved the guy 2$ you just made his day.  He will be nicer, the drive-thru person will be nicer, and you will feel really good about it.

10.  Check your drive thru order after you pull up a little bit so the next car can pull to the window.  Your order is almost always right.  And if it is wrong and they have to fix something it’s so much more considerate to do it inside so te drive thru line doesn’t have to wait on you.  Is it your fault?  No…but again, you have an opportunity to be considerate.  Take it.

I have a feeling this is just part one of a series as these things strike me.  If you have some to add feel free.