What are your "Rules for Life?"

That can be an issue with women as well as men. I've known a few women who were masters of mixed signals.

 

It’s not me, it’s you.

 

MY MAN

 

Oscar, with respect to my post, I wasn't saying I was doing someone a favor by befriending them or that it was motivated to get to know who someone might know; it was a reminder to myself that there are potential benefits, so don't be dismissive.

In any setting, I learned to be nice to everyone, you never know what may come about, a potential legal matter, a referral, a good golf buddy, or simply someone to talk about Bonds' HOF credentials. Whereas in my youth I was narrowly focused, I learned to be more open-minded without any specific purpose in mind; I am not thinking that its only for the potential side benefits or that I am doing someone a favor.

 

One from my New Jersey upbringing: Be respectful to everyone, you never know which one might be connected, if you catch my meaning.

 

More of a life lesson than a life rule: Learn to recognize when you’re being an asshole.

That seems to me to be an early indicator of possible shift from self-centered to self-aware. It’s also likely the first step in stopping being an asshole because, if I’m clueless about what I’m doing, I’ll probably keep charging in that direction.

Of course, just realizing what I’m doing is rude and selfish doesn’t always mean I’ll stop. There are times when I can justify my attitude because there are pretty good reasons (at least to me) why I’m being an asshole. I’m those situations, I usually wind up acting a big enough asshole that even I realize that I’m mainly just being an asshole.

I guess the life rule would be: Don’t be an asshole.

 

Yes. Another Jersey one is, you can throw a bunch of pennies in the toll basket and get away with it.*

*There are still a few toll baskets down the Shore.

 

Hah. Between you and me, I always thought the Shore was overrated.

But so is South Beach. So are most of them.

 

I don't fetishize it like some people. But I treasure my trophy won as a lad for aceing the 18th hole in miniature golf in Asbury Park. Rubbed my belly raw rafting at Philips Avenue (now Conover) Beach in Deal. Ate fried clams at Moby's on the Navesink (and still do) while watching kids jump off the bridge. Learned to surf at LBI and watched the July 4 fireworks of all the towns along the shore.

Now the Great Salt Lake. There's a beach.

 

An urgent, last-minute request yesterday reminded me of a saying another old boss was fond of: A lack of organization on your part does not constitute a crisis on my part.