# Changing your own rules **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 10, 2014, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235 "2014-11-10T13:02:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/1 "2014-11-10T13:02:40Z")
For some reason I would never think twice about going out with a couple and dropping a couple hundred dollars on dinner and drinks but when it came to buying myself a tool for my home shop I would usually buy in the lower to middle price range. I use my tools a lot and can justify buying good tools as I do for my job as a mechanic but for some reason could never allow myself that luxury. ``` Since I retired I changed the rules, I no longer or seldom treat for dinners and drinks and now buy myself good tools when needed or sometimes just when I want to. ``` What rules have you changed for yourself? ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/2 "2014-11-10T14:07:43Z")
I was raised to be sweet to everyone, and that family was everything. A few years ago I cut all contact with certain family members (some cousins and a half-brother) who were toxic, deranged, rude or just plain insufferable. I no longer believe you have to put up with someone just because they’re “blood kin”. I’m still sweet to everyone else. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/3 "2014-11-10T14:11:36Z")
Just be consistent after you’ve changed your rules. > [@](#): > > ‘A schedule broken at will becomes a mere procession of vagaries.’ –Nero Wolfe in _Murder by the Book_ Rex Stout. ---
**Author:** ![orderfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orderfire/32/10908_2.png) [@orderfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orderfire)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/4 "2014-11-10T15:16:54Z")
I used to have a rule to finish every book I started even if it turned out to be disappointing or boring or eye-rollingly stupid. Nowadays, I don’t bother. If it sucks, don’t read it! Very liberating. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/5 "2014-11-10T20:48:56Z")
I used to hve a rule to be nice to old people. I am now old. FAIL !!! ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/6 "2014-11-10T20:58:46Z")
> [@orderfire](#): > > I used to have a rule to finish every book I started even if it turned out to be disappointing or boring or eye-rollingly stupid. Nowadays, I don’t bother. If it sucks, don’t read it! Very liberating. 😃 Brust’s Law: Life is too short for bad books. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/7 "2014-11-10T21:01:46Z")
> [@orderfire](#): > > I used to have a rule to finish every book I started even if it turned out to be disappointing or boring or eye-rollingly stupid. Nowadays, I don’t bother. If it sucks, don’t read it! Very liberating. 😃 Grin! I went through exactly that same change. I finished an entire series of books, back in the 70’s, hoping that at some point it would get good. It never did. Personal rules should be a little like Jewish Kosher laws. They’re laws; they mean something, and you don’t break them…except when you have to. If a Jew is starving to death, and he finds a cache of food in a lonely cabin, and it’s all canned ham…he gives thanks for the food and eats it in order to live. He can purify himself later. I have a personal “will not kill” rule. I used to go out with my little shotgun and murder rabbits, as a sick kind of emotional catharsis. Not “hunting” in any way: it was a way of expressing bottled-up rage. I turned 18, and swore it off. Too unhealthy. (And…what did the rabbits ever do to me?) So, now, I won’t kill animals…but if I had to, to stay alive, I’d break the rule. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/8 "2014-11-10T21:35:28Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Grin! I went through exactly that same change. I finished an entire series of books, back in the 70’s, hoping that at some point it would get good. It never did. I still remember the wonderful sense of freedom when I realized that I didn’t have to finish _I Will Fear No Evil_. 🙂 Up until then I’d finished every book I started–but Senile Period Heinlein was just too much, and I made a life-altering decision. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/9 "2014-11-10T23:22:32Z")
> [@orderfire](#): > > I used to have a rule to finish every book I started even if it turned out to be disappointing or boring or eye-rollingly stupid. Nowadays, I don’t bother. If it sucks, don’t read it! Very liberating. 😃 I have a similar rule with movies. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/10 "2014-11-10T23:55:52Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > I have a similar rule with movies. And, much as **Rocketeer** said, I remember the incredible sense of freedom I had, the first time I walked out on a movie. I felt all “grown up!” (It was Mr. Majestyk with Charles Bronson. Ugh!) ETA: **Rocketeer** may be reassured to know I loved the movie Rocketeer! ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/11 "2014-11-11T03:49:13Z")
“Rules are to guide the wise and command the foolish.” – Rick Seaward. ---
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/12 "2014-11-12T12:37:42Z")
I lost my belief in magical thinking and superstition. Growing up in a first generation Italian household, superstitions governed a LOT of our daily activities. They were a mix of religion, folklore and tradition…and while they are kind of amusing, they serve no purpose in life, other than to scare a person into doing or not doing a particular thing. We pretty much had a superstition for everything…no hats in the bed, no new shoes on the table, don’t cut the bread at both ends, don’t laugh in a Friday, don’t do this, that, etc. Exhausting. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/13 "2014-11-12T13:49:05Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Brust’s Law: Life is too short for bad books. Heck, life’s too short for _good_ books that just don’t do anything for me personally. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/14 "2014-11-12T14:00:10Z")
I’ve lost my filter at work. I used to try to be nice and avoid conflict with others even when I knew they were wrong, but dammit - I know what I’m talking about! If someone can give me a compelling reason that I’m off base, I’ll listen, but I have no problem arguing with people now on the big things that matter (though sometimes in private if it can help someone else avoid embarrassment - just because I’m right, doesn’t mean I need to be rude). I also used to keep a bunch of crap I don’t need. I’m by nature a very acquisitive person. Now if I have something come in the house, something has to leave the house. Ditto on **orderfire** ’s rule of finishing books. I spend most of my day reading and arguing sometimes hundreds of pages of law; forcing myself to read something I hate as an extracirricular activity is unnecessary at this point. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/15 "2014-11-12T14:15:22Z")
Most of my life I’ve worked for/with friends. Never again. I’ll be friendly with people I work with but I’ll never again take a job because of who the boss is or who works there. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-your-own-rules/704235/16 "2014-11-12T22:39:58Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Brust’s Law: Life is too short for bad books. Yup. I was 30 by the time I figured that out. I read so many bad books because I thought that if you started it, you should finish it.