Day 106 - N is for No

No: used as a function word to express the negative of an alternative choice or possibility - Merriam Webster

How many times a day do you say no? How many times do you actually mean it? I'm guessing if you have a puppy or small children, your household probably hears the word "no" more often then not. Some examples of my day to day "nos" are:

- Do you want cheese on your burger? NO - If I had, I would have ordered a cheeseburger.

- Would you like to donate a dollar to some random charity you know nothing about while checking out at the cash register? NO - I have just spent $100 more then expected due to your excellent marketing gimmicks in your store and feel $1 extra is just too much over my budget at this time.

- Someone barges in on you in the public bathroom as the lock on the stall is faulty and doesn't latch, you hear an, "Oh, I'm so sorry" and my reply is usually, "NO problem!". Umm, yes there is!!! You just saw me half naked squatting over a disgusting public toilet, but I'll act as if it were no big deal. Uggh.

- The kiosks in the shopping mall that offer you a sample of free lotion, a squirt of perfume, or even a food item such as chicken terriyaki. Despite being asked nicely to try their product, I reply, "NO". The sad thing is, typically a simple no isn't good enough for these people who are under pressure to sell, sell, sell so they insist it will just take a moment to try their product. That's when I reply, "Oh, it gives me a rash". It doesn't matter if it's food, perfume or lotion, usually I get an odd look and they decide I'm not worth the hassle and move on to their next target. (Try it some time, the rash route works!)

- You order your meal at a restaurant (similar to the cheeseburger issue above) and you're asked if you want all the add-ons as if you can't remember what you just read on the menu. "I'll have the Cesar salad please". And in response you hear a barrage of questions like, "Would you like to upgrade that with chicken?" No. "For $2.99 you can add a cup of soup?" No. "How about adding a large drink, it's only 10 cents more then the medium you ordered?" No. "If you combine your salad with half a sandwich, you can get a free bag of chips". No - and at this moment you just want to add on, "just give me the friggin' salad already!".

- My all time favorite and incorrect use of the word no? How many times does someone come to you in your place of work and you're swamped? You're about to cry due to the stress of your work load, but you know that doing so would just take up too much of your precious time and set you farther behind and then you hear it, "Are you busy?". Umm, hello? Do you see me working my fingers to the bone, the stress written all over my face, but don't worry, I'll stop what I'm doing so I can make YOUR day go better and reply, "No, not at all - what can I help you with?".

Have you said "no" today? I'm sure there's a child just waiting to be scolded, or a new puppy potty accident looming over your favorite rug that you can scream, "NO!" to. Come on, give it a try! Speak up world, and say no...and try to mean it!