Wanted: the right vocabulary word

Idiot as defined by Merriam Webster’s Dictionary:

1. usually offensive : a person affected with extreme mental retardation
2. a foolish or stupid person

Jerk as defined by Merriam Webster’s Dictionary:

1. an annoyingly stupid or foolish person
2. an unlikable person; especially : one who is cruel, rude, or small-minded

Did you see that the words ‘jerk’ and ‘idiot’ both share a common definition? Hmmm…I realize that I call most people behind their backs an idiot and I realize that I have become desensitized to this word. Instead of learning how to stop calling people idiots, I think I need a new word. Like ‘jerk’. Let’s take it for a spin:

Me: “Did you see that? What a jerk.”

Me: “Oh, that guy? He’s a jerk.”

Me: “That person just snatched my parking space! JERK!”

Me: “Did you see the dress she was wearing? Jerk.”

Yes, I think I like it. The hard ‘k’ on the end gives it some pop and if I use it at the end of my sentence, it will be hard for someone to follow with anything other than a ‘yeah’ or ‘totally’.

There are some rules I try and follow, they aren’t too complicated and most will probably keep you from being a jerk.

1. Do what you say you are going to do, when you said you were going to do it
2. Don’t volunteer to take on a task if you can’t dedicate the time to do it right
3. Think outside your own 3′ personal bubble and consider how your actions AND inactions will impact others
4. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me
5. Better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you are stupid than to open it and remove all doubt
6. Don’t get mad at people who don’t understand what you are trying to say; that might be your fault
7. People can’t read your mind so don’t expect it
8. Ask people about their families once in a while
9. It is your responsibility to ask others for the things you want
10. Give people a chance to recover from their mistakes
11. If you’re not making things easier, you’re probably making them harder
12. Don’t spend time managing the problem, put your efforts into creating the solution
13. When given instructions write them down in front of the person whenever possible
14. Give your opinion as if it’s fact but don’t pretend to know something you don’t
15. Communicating doesn’t just mean talking; it includes listening
16. Say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, even when it’s that persons job
17. Don’t pull in front of speeding drivers because you think they are driving too fast, you’re making things worse
18. Don’t misspell someone’s name more than once
19. Just because you have been doing something for a long time, doesn’t mean you’re good at it
20. Don’t talk to people on your cell phone while you are on the toilet – that’s what texting is for
21. If you go out to eat with your co-workers and you make more money, pick up the check every now and then

Thank you reading today’s post. I appreciate it. Cheers,