7. If you value it, take care of it.
Say it, don't spray it...
Go back and read my 1st post in this "series" when I said these were the Golden Rules of Living (with no author that I wrote down or can remember at this time) that I copied and put on our 'fridge and gave to each of our children when they were about 10 years old (or some time in that age range).
The next one is actually my favorite (not that they followed it many times)...
8. If you make a mess, clean it up.
If cornered, never admit to being a PostWhore. Do you frequent some boards and post a lot? Yes, but that doesn't make you a postwhore...
And for each one of these, I keep seeing Colin Powell cautioning about the 2003 plans to invade and to occupy Iraq. Wiki explains the Pottery Barn rules (which don't actually occur at the Pottery Barn). I like the Colbert interpretation of the rule.
I guess Thomas Friedman may be working with a quote source similar to the one you have used.
Please don't bump this to the PPB.
Cheers,
Lavabe
Take a chance and step out of your comfort zone - you will be rewarded. (Found this out today. I was a song leader during church today which meant singing by myself with a mike . I found out that people really appreciated the leadership.)
9. If you move it, put it back.
My 3 general rules I keep telling my kids:
Do what's right. Do your best. Treat people the way you want them to treat you.
Also, when walking around the neighborhood I always wave at whomever passes by....
The man who says it can't be done is usually interrupted by someone doing it.
(Wow, I finally made a name!)
10. If it belongs to someone else, get permission to use it.
11. If you don't know how to operate it, leave it alone. (I'll add a corollary to this: or learn how it works before attempting to use it)
I keep looking at this thread and enjoying it, but haven't added anything yet. Here's my 2 cents and basically what I live by.
"In 5 years it won't matter"
Meaning that as bad as anything seems the moment you are experiencing it, it will not affect your life in 5 years. There is one caveat to this..if you are standing before a judge and he hands you a 6 year or longer sentence.
But I don't plan on being in jail at any given point in 5 years, so whatever I'm feeling right now that totally bums me out will be long forgotten and won't matter, and I will be focused on something new, whether good or bad. Either way, I'm still keeping on and living life. And as far as I'm concerned, that's all I'm here for, is the experience. It might be bad, it might be good, and if done right it's shared, and a little of it is left behind when your finished with it.