Those three little words

I can't believe I actually have to write a post about this, but it has come to my (horrified) attention that there are still some people out there who don't behave in culturally- and civically-approved ways. People litter. People don't open doors for each other (regardless of gender). And apparently there are people who don't use the three most important words in any kind of relationship: please and thank you. I find this to be distinctly un-awesome.

Granted, I am an over-thanker. When I was a prosecutor, a judge once asked me to come into her chambers, whereupon she requested that I not say "thank you" when witnesses answered my question because it made it sound like I'd inappropriately coached them. Oops. So, okay, that's ONE situation where it is not appropriate to say thank you. ONE. If you can think of another one, please let me know and I will do something that duly expresses my chagrin, à la eating my hat.

So other than criminal witnesses, PLEASE remember to thank people. This is especially important when someone is offering you their time, service, or personalized product such as, for example, oh ... making your wedding cake. Yes, you are paying this person. Yes, you are the customer and the customer is (almost) always right. That doesn't mean you get to be rude. If you went to a spa and paid $65 for an hour massage, you'd thank your masseuse when it was over, right? You'd thank your waiter for bringing you your dinner, right (I hope)? Same goes for people in the event industry, especially in difficult economic times when they may be offering their services at a discount. Saying "thank you" takes less than a second of your time (and moving your mouth even maybe burns a calorie), and it goes a loooooooooong way towards making sure you maintain positive relationships with people you work with. They may even throw in a little something extra.

If you're really looking to go the extra mile (which I always recommend, except at the gym), write a thank you note. No one gets paper mail any more, and it's pretty exciting when you do and it's not a bill. (A special thanks to bride-to-be Lindsay who sent me a beautiful card after her bridal shower last weekend). It takes only a minute, and the fact that you spent that minute and the 44 cents on a stamp will really impress the recipient.

In closing, here's a TIP: Please, say thank you. Duh.