I wrote the following two months ago. I did not post it, because I wanted some time to refine The Rules, and see if any new ones occurred to me. As it happened, five more did pop into my head, two as I was typing this up today. Now, after many edits and much refinement, I feel comfortable posting this now, keeping in mind that, like anything else in life, this too can be improved upon at a later date (Rule 21). Without further ado, here are my Rules, and how they came to be:
The Rules
Anyone who watches NCIS knows that Gibbs has his Rules. Even if you don't watch the show, it's easy to understand: the main character has rules he applies to his life and his job, and those who work with him often apply those same rules to their own lives, or come up with their own versions of rules.
I've been thinking about this a lot over the last few years, and the other day, it all came to a head when I put down my own Rules in my own list. I figured I'd come up with about ten if I was lucky.....my list ended up being 30 Rules without any effort, and since then, nothing new has cropped up in my little brain. So, while I can always revise this at a later date, these seem to be my core Rules. I present them here for your entertainment. This is not meant to be preachy, nor a suggestion that anyone else should live by these Rules, but if you feel like they would work in your life, by all means, use them. But I present them more to hopefully help others come up with their own Rules, whatever they may be. If you do come up with your own Rules, take some time with them. Don't just rush them to paper or keyboard. These are, after all, Rules by which you live your life.
Regarding my own list, some of these you will recognize from some of my posts. Some of them may be new to you. Some are very important in my life, and some are just amusing guidelines, but regardless, they are all Rules that have guided my life for some time. Enjoy!
Jester's Rules:
1. Every day of your life, you learn something new.*
2. Protect those you love.
3. You can find something positive in anything.
4. Honesty and sincerity will get you further than lying and being fake.
5. Always move forwards, never backwards.
6. Never get involved with your friends' exes.
7. Always be specific when you lie.**
8. Never have less than $40 in cash with you.
9. Never go anywhere without a knife.**
10. Not an eye for an eye. A head for an eye.
11. Always be willing to try new things.
12. Be a gentleman and a bastard, and know when it's time for each.
13. Price does not denote quality. Only quality does.
14. Life is too short for cheap booze or cheap food.
15. If you don't like your situation, change it.
16. Don't assume people can't get any stupider. They can and they will.
17. When something jumps off the menu at you, order it.
18. It's better to seek forgiveness than ask permission.**
19. Women are crazy. Men are stupid. There are no exceptions.
20. Sometimes you need to ask for help.
21. There's always room for improvement.
22. You can't change people. Only they can.
23. Bacon, beer, garlic, and rum make everything better.
24. When in doubt, just smile and nod.
25. Politeness and respect will get you further than being an asshole.
26. Fuck with me and you will reap the whirlwind.***
27. Always drink at your own pace.
28. Always be willing to admit when you're wrong.
29. It's better to be efficient than lazy.
30. It's better to regret something you have done than to regret something you haven't done.
31. If you break it, fix it.
32. Never leave the game until it's over.
33. Cooking is an art. Baking is a science.
34. Adjust to the situation. It won't adjust to you.
35. Learn from your mistakes, and from those of others.
*I learned this in 1982, and have been applying it and various corollaries of it to my life ever since.
**Yes, these were blatantly stolen from Gibbs' Rules, but I've found them to be very applicable in my own life. In a nod to Gibbs, I have these rules in the same numbered slots on my list as on his.
***Okay, technically this is not so much a rule as it is an observation of what happens to those who fuck with me. So this is basically my own rule for others. And it's been proven over and over again. Because people rarely observe Rule 35.
The Rules
Anyone who watches NCIS knows that Gibbs has his Rules. Even if you don't watch the show, it's easy to understand: the main character has rules he applies to his life and his job, and those who work with him often apply those same rules to their own lives, or come up with their own versions of rules.
I've been thinking about this a lot over the last few years, and the other day, it all came to a head when I put down my own Rules in my own list. I figured I'd come up with about ten if I was lucky.....my list ended up being 30 Rules without any effort, and since then, nothing new has cropped up in my little brain. So, while I can always revise this at a later date, these seem to be my core Rules. I present them here for your entertainment. This is not meant to be preachy, nor a suggestion that anyone else should live by these Rules, but if you feel like they would work in your life, by all means, use them. But I present them more to hopefully help others come up with their own Rules, whatever they may be. If you do come up with your own Rules, take some time with them. Don't just rush them to paper or keyboard. These are, after all, Rules by which you live your life.
Regarding my own list, some of these you will recognize from some of my posts. Some of them may be new to you. Some are very important in my life, and some are just amusing guidelines, but regardless, they are all Rules that have guided my life for some time. Enjoy!
Jester's Rules:
1. Every day of your life, you learn something new.*
2. Protect those you love.
3. You can find something positive in anything.
4. Honesty and sincerity will get you further than lying and being fake.
5. Always move forwards, never backwards.
6. Never get involved with your friends' exes.
7. Always be specific when you lie.**
8. Never have less than $40 in cash with you.
9. Never go anywhere without a knife.**
10. Not an eye for an eye. A head for an eye.
11. Always be willing to try new things.
12. Be a gentleman and a bastard, and know when it's time for each.
13. Price does not denote quality. Only quality does.
14. Life is too short for cheap booze or cheap food.
15. If you don't like your situation, change it.
16. Don't assume people can't get any stupider. They can and they will.
17. When something jumps off the menu at you, order it.
18. It's better to seek forgiveness than ask permission.**
19. Women are crazy. Men are stupid. There are no exceptions.
20. Sometimes you need to ask for help.
21. There's always room for improvement.
22. You can't change people. Only they can.
23. Bacon, beer, garlic, and rum make everything better.
24. When in doubt, just smile and nod.
25. Politeness and respect will get you further than being an asshole.
26. Fuck with me and you will reap the whirlwind.***
27. Always drink at your own pace.
28. Always be willing to admit when you're wrong.
29. It's better to be efficient than lazy.
30. It's better to regret something you have done than to regret something you haven't done.
31. If you break it, fix it.
32. Never leave the game until it's over.
33. Cooking is an art. Baking is a science.
34. Adjust to the situation. It won't adjust to you.
35. Learn from your mistakes, and from those of others.
*I learned this in 1982, and have been applying it and various corollaries of it to my life ever since.
**Yes, these were blatantly stolen from Gibbs' Rules, but I've found them to be very applicable in my own life. In a nod to Gibbs, I have these rules in the same numbered slots on my list as on his.
***Okay, technically this is not so much a rule as it is an observation of what happens to those who fuck with me. So this is basically my own rule for others. And it's been proven over and over again. Because people rarely observe Rule 35.
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