Common Courtesy

Pet Peeve Number two:  NO RSVP, Inaccurate RSVP...


I know you are busy, we are all BUSY. How long does it realistically take to RSVP to an invite?


A phone call, an email, a number on a response card you just put inside of a mailbox on your way to your busy life.


I use to facilitate staff meetings, it was mandatory for all 200+ employees to attend.  The options were morning or evening during the course of four days, Monday through Thursday; meaning there were 8 meetings held for our staff's convenience (we are all busy).  From a roster of 200+ we would receive approximately 50 responses both yes'es and no's.  The Thursday meeting was always the most interesting to host as we would get a list of 11 Yes, I will ATTEND responses and then 30 people would show up.  Now we would always provide some kind of snack at these meetings: Pizza, Fruits, sandwiches, some kind of beverage, if we had a proper head count we would A: not overspend on the staff meeting food budget B: not buy too little food for the attendees and C: have the proper number of handouts and not have to run to the copy machine in the middle of the meeting to make more copies or the opposite make TOO many and waste the paper.


Don't get me wrong, I am very understanding and I can't say I have RSVP'd in the proper time frame required to all the events, meetings, parties that I have been invited to.  What I can say is if my RSVP said I was going and then I couldn't make it, I call or send an email apologizing for the inconvenience caused.  If I RSVP I could not attend and then had a turn of events, I have attempted to call the host/hostess and explain my plight.


Common Courtesy has gone by the wayside, much like Common Sense, NOT SO COMMON.


Come On Folks. I know you may not think it's a big deal and if all of us lived by Don Miguel Ruiz's THE FOUR AGREEMENTS, then we wouldn't take this oversight personally and or we would speak with integrity by where the folks expecting or not expecting you would not be surprised.


I can't say, if you are coming to visit me or to one of my social gatherings, just TEXT me, cause I do NOT have texting on my phone.  I have neither texting, nor internet, my phone is only for voice to voice connection. But please send me an email, inbox my facebook, call me at home or on my cell, just reach out let me know either way.


Usually if there is no response that means, NO, I won't be there, that is always what believe and at the same time I don't like to assume.  If I cook too much food I won't be upset because the food won't go to waste but if I expect to be graced with your presence and then I'm not I will sad and if I think about it a lot, more than I should, I will get pissed and I have to reach for one of my copies of The Four Agreements, inserted herewith for your perusal.

agreement 1

Be impeccable with your word - Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

agreement 2

Don’t take anything personally - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

agreement 3

Don’t make assumptions - Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

agreement 4

Always do your best - Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

Remember, Have a SPECTACULAR day!

NAMASTE!