# Geoffrey's Rules of the Game



## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

About 14 years ago, I put together a set of 10 rules for myself on how to live my life. They've been on my desk at work since then as a little reminder as that's where I usually forget them more often than not

&#8230;. About a year ago or whatever, I realized I wasn't really feeling all of them anymore. Luckily, Rule 10 was: "If you don't like the rules, change them." So, I did. I kept some and changed others and here is my current list:

*Geoffrey's Rules of the Game*

1.	Don't be a jerk.
2.	Breathe.
3.	Read a book.
4.	Laugh out loud.
5.	Go outside and play.
6.	Take Pride in all that you do.
7.	Learn something new.
8.	Share the wealth.
9.	Recycle.
10. This too shall pass.

I was just reading them as I sit here working and surfing (I'm doing data uploads so I have some downtime while it processes - I'm working I swear. )  I started thinking about them and how they're not difficult rules (well, except sometimes #1  ) and really make my life more enjoyable.

So, I was thinking about others and whether or not you all keep similar rules and/or do you find them empowering and all that &#8230; am I just a oddity? Tell me all your thoughts and opinions ....


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

I have an index card by my desk with this list: 

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more. 
5. Expect less.


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

Rule #1:
Always act as if someone were watching and critiquing your every action.
AND Always THINK as if someone was seeing and critiquing your every THOUGHT. 
because the good Lord_* IS*_ always watching.

Rule #2:
If your mother would not be proud of you for doing it then you likely should not be doing it.

Rule #3:
If you find yourself having to come up with a justification for what you do then you are probably doing the wrong thing.


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## tnafbrat (Oct 2, 2009)

Make a point to look for and be aware of small daily joys

ex: passing a long time co-worker in the hall and sharing a simple smile/wave and noticing the small joy that brings to your own day and having the opportunity for it.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

With the death this past Sunday of my second hard drive in two years, I stand by the following:

*Backup
Backup
Backup*​
I have two backups for the dead drive, and am very happy I did this.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

1. Learn something new everyday.
2. Own your mistakes. They are a good opportunity to do number 1. 
3. Be kind. Say please and thank you. Smile.

L


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Don't eat spoiled food.

Be nice.

Smile often.

Accomplish something every day.


Betsy


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Being a big fan of critical thinking and healthy skepticism, a few of my favorite quotes by which I try to live my life:

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt."
~ Bertrand Russell

"Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in their readiness to doubt."
~ H. L. Mencken

"The highest result of education is tolerance."
~ Helen Keller

"To every complex question there is a simple answer and it is wrong&#8230;"
~ H.L. Mencken


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## corkyb (Apr 25, 2009)

pidgeon92 said:


> With the death this past Sunday of my second hard drive in two years, I stand by the following:
> 
> *Backup
> Backup
> ...


Your Mac?
Paula


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Geoffrey said:


> About 14 years ago, I put together a set of 10 rules for myself on how to live my life. They've been on my desk at work since then as a little reminder as that's where I usually forget them more often than not
> 
> &#8230;. About a year ago or whatever, I realized I wasn't really feeling all of them anymore. Luckily, Rule 10 was: "If you don't like the rules, change them." So, I did. I kept some and changed others and here is my current list:
> 
> ...


 I like 'em but how will you change them next time? YOu don't have that on your list anymore.


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Harvey said:


> I have an index card by my desk with this list:
> 
> 1. Free your heart from hatred.
> 2. Free your mind from worries.
> ...


Pretty close to mine, it is at work as well, I shall try to remember to retrieve it tomorrow.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

corkyb said:


> Your Mac?
> Paula


Yeah, the hard drive in my two-year old iMac G5.... I really didn't think the drive had gone bad, I thought it was a system problem, the drive wasn't making noise or behaving strangely, except that on Sunday it would not boot past the Apple symbol at startup. I tried for two days to fix it with DiskWarrior, and I used a few unix commands in the shell that should have fixed it. That didn't work, so I erased the drive and re-installed the system software, and the drive then booted. I started to restore some of my files from backup, and the hard drive froze again, and would not re-boot. I did a little more research into the problem, and found that the earlier iMac G5 drives have a tendency to fail... The machines run extremely hot, and the hard drives Apple was installing prior to this year just were not made to withstand the heat over such a long period of time...

I took the machine to Apple today. I usually do my own hardware upgrades, but the thought of pulling out the screen was intimidating. They replaced the drive, and it is now restoring from my Time Machine backup.... I also have almost everything backed up at Carbonite.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

What a great thread. I'm enjoying reading all these.

I have quotes on magnets scattered throughout the house. Most are at least a sentence or two, so I won't copy them here, but I do find them empowering or uplifting or cheering, depending on what's needed.

My two (current) favorites:

A long one of which I like the last sentence best,"Live as if this is all there is", which reminds me both to enjoy _today_, and not to procrastinate

and a Mark Twain quote, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

#1 rule in our home has been "If it's not yours, don't touch"
the result of having  three children with just fifteen months seperating each birth.
#2 "no matter what you do, you are always loved"


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## tessa (Nov 1, 2008)

when my children were growing up they were always bring home stray animals so the #1 rule was.

Don't name it, its not staying. 

tessa


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Don't eat spoiled food.
> 
> Betsy


I usually oppose rules that start with "Don't" (exception would be my Rule#1) but this is a good one to keep around.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

Meredith Sinclair said:


> I like 'em but how will you change them next time? YOu don't have that on your list anymore.


heh.. I thought of that when I wrote them and 'This too shall Pass' holds true for the rules as well ....


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

The rule that I see missing in the current lists that I have had to learn is:

Remember to say Thank-you.

Just sayin.....


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

pidgeon92 said:


> With the death this past Sunday of my second hard drive in two years, I stand by the following:
> 
> *Backup
> Backup
> ...


Please go and re-post this in the Windows 7 thread... it seems most in that thread are back-up-averse!


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

911jason said:


> Please go and re-post this in the Windows 7 thread... it seems most in that thread are back-up-averse!


I was lazy once too..... All it takes is one dead hard drive, and they too will be obsessed with backing up.

I would like to say that Apple's Time Machine turned out to be an extremely effective backup tool. After OS X was loaded on the new hard drive, during startup it asked me if I had a Time Machine backup, and I clicked yes. Three hours later it had returned everything back to the way it was prior to the drive crashing. So far, all of my applications function, my iTunes is just as it was, my pictures are all where I left them, the extensions all load, the documents are all there.... Just a few minor glitches, like some items asking for their serial numbers, and a corrupt font. I was _extremely_ pleased.


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## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

It's all only Now.

That isn't a rule for me, just a reminder. Every second counts.

CK


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## tnafbrat (Oct 2, 2009)

another ...
  It is what it is


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

tnafbrat said:


> another ...
> It is what it is


Which was voted one of the most annoying phrases in use in the US. . . . . . Along with "Anyway" and "Whatever" and "you know". . . . .


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Which was voted one of the most annoying phrases in use in the US. . . . . . Along with "Anyway" and "Whatever" and "you know". . . . .


Anyway .....


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

Whatever!


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Geoffrey said:


> heh.. I thought of that when I wrote them and 'This too shall Pass' holds true for the rules as well ....


  K...


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

You know... but anyway.. Oh, Whatever!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

tessa said:


> when my children were growing up they were always bring home stray animals so the #1 rule was.
> 
> Don't name it, its not staying.
> 
> tessa


LOL! Did that always work?

Betsy


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## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

I like your list. The share the wealth one...weeeeellllllll.

My List:
No day is over if it makes a memory...so make it a good one.
Would Mom approve? If the answer is no: then don't do it.
Turn the negative into positive...glass half full.
If you aren't going to do it right don't do it at all...put your good name to your work.
What goes around comes around...remember that.
For better or worse, richer or poorer; in sickness and in health...stick it out; no one ever said that the better has to come first. It usually doesn't.

(Happiness is a warm puppy)


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

sjc said:


> Would Mom approve? If the answer is no: then don't do it.


Luckily, my Mom was a bit of an oddity and would approve of many things that June Cleaver would have frowned upon.


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## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

Latin quotes I like:

Memento Mori (Remember Death)
Suus Quique (To Each His Own)


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## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

> Luckily, my Mom was a bit of an oddity and would approve of many things that June Cleaver would have frowned upon. Smiley


Lucky. Not mine!!


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