In the spirit of being a grumpy old hermit (I'm overseeing a function at work which largely involves me sitting battened up in the back office at work) I'm going to have a bit of a grumble as to what I've seen lately as unpleasant behaviour.
1. Whilst out at dinner with both people you know and those you don't, please don't make suggestive comments towards your dinner companions - regardless of your sexual orientation or gender. Just act pleasant, gauge interest and then go for it in a more appropriate forum if you feel it's right.
2. In continuance from Rule 1, avoid any behaviour that could be considered offensive in situations where you don't know the background of all the people there. This could be in the workplace, at a party or even when two seperate groups of friends meet in a bar. While it would be ideal to say that people shouldn't be rascist or sexist, etc, it's not really realistic... but only let that side show if you are sure it won't offend anyone present. Case in point, someone saying that an ex-boyfriend had an abusive nature "because he was a Maori". As a person with a potential Maori brother-in-law who is more docile and less volatile that my sister, I found it really offensive.
3. Don't judge a book by its cover - this is something that is really getting up my nose lately. Especially at my 2nd job at a lotto shop, customers will assume that I'm some slow and unintelligent school leaver who couldn't get a better job - condescension is rife. The amount of times I've wanted to turn around and say "Look, buddy, I have an IQ of 158, a complete high school education, one degree under my belt and I'm only working here to earn money while doing two post-grad diplomas" and kept my mouth shut, plastering on a pleasant smile. Be warned - that person giving you your Big Mac at the drive-thru may just be trying to work there way through a PhD.
4. You kill more flies with honey than with vinegar - if you want me to do something for you, ask nicely. Being snotty and/or threatening is not going to make me want to do anything for you and I'll begrudge doing you favours every second that I'm doing them. Ask nicely and I'm more than willing to help.
5. My god, if you are going to borrow something - ASK first, and make sure you return it. If I have to go looking through the house one more time for my hair straightener and find it underneath clothes, etc, lying on the concrete floor outside of it's protective pouch, I am going to lose it. No wonder yours is broken if you treated it like that.
Phew... feeling much better after all of that. I'm actually finding this enforced hermitage quite nice - peace and quiet that I wouldn't have at home, food supplies, books and knitting sorted for me to carry on with in the eventuation of boredom. If the weather would just clear up in time for my meet-and-greet date with Flyboy this afternoon, life would be perfect :D
P.S. Best thing ever - the accordian player at the function next door is currently playing "Money Money Money" by ABBA
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