Making your bed = Ready for relationship (Dating and Relationships)

When I was 20, I was working part-time at a gas station located up in the hills of Palos Verdes. It would over look the city of Torrance and just being there felt like an escape. It was operated in an old fashion sense where every Tuesday we catered to pumping gas for the senior citizens of the community. Me and three other guys would wipe the windows, check the fluids and tire pressure of the cars passing through for a fill up. The customers would be so grateful for the full service, which was not offered in any of the other gas stations, that they would tip us and say, "Get yourself a nice cold coke, young man."

This job was like a perfect summer teen movie, which is the best way to describe it. Me and the other "pump jockeys" would have water fights during car washes, flirt with the pretty rich girls, and kill time with the older mechanics laughing to their dirty humor and conversations.

 Most of the time, it didn't feel like a job but rather another family. The pump jockeys were brothers that played pranks on each other and punched each other until bruises of respect developed. The mechanics were my uncles offering me advice about work, family and the hardships of getting older.

One day, I met Kruger as he was introduced to us as the new recruit of the pump jockey team. He lived on the very top of Palos Verdes, where the clouds formed in his backyard. Once known as the next golf prodigy since Tiger Woods, Kruger got himself in a car accident which caused him slight brain damage (rumor). He always gave off a confusing type of weirdness. I didn't know if he was being weird on purpose or if it was something out of his control. We would wash cars together talking about comic books, movies and our girlfriends.

When I first mentioned that I had a girlfriend, he asked me, "Do you make your bed?"

I replied, "What?"

He said, "Your bed, dude. Do you make your bed in the morning?"

I thought about it and said, "Sometimes."

He then said, "Only sometimes? You're not ready for a relationship."

Kruger believed if a guy makes his bed every morning, that will determine if they are ready for a relationship. Maybe he was right, because all my relationships never lasted more than a year. What he said is something I would think about time from time.

It took me 7 years to finally realize what he meant by that. 

Initially, one of the attractive traits of a man to a woman is how well is that man put together. Girls would ask themselves if the guy has his priorities straight before they can consider going out with him. They can pick up on the smallest details and make general assumptions about someone even before they had a chance to speak. For example, a girl told me that she won't date guys wearing white socks because it gives her the impression that they don't have a "real" job. (No wonder Barney Stinson likes to wear suits all the time.) How we present ourselves to the world reflects on how we are at home too.

I think it's important for everyone to get their priorities together before stepping out to the club/bar/whatever. To me, it feels amazing to have my clothes ironed, my car washed, my room cleaned, bills paid, teeth flossed, etc. before going out. I also push myself to write at least a page of future blog posts too before having fun. If I didn't get to finish something, I won't let myself go out. 

Believe it or not, there is a strong vibe you radiate when you know you have your shit together. People pick up on that and they'll want to talk to you and be around you.

Successful healthy relationships take constant work. Every day you must communicate, compromise and work as a team. It's an on going process that you can't half ass. Success is built on routines; like making your bed every morning when you first wake up.

In conclusion, make a daily/weekly "to do" list and start checking off the tasks before meeting that special person. Even if that list is as simple as Gym, Tan, Laundry it's important to stick with it.

Keep your relationships strong by establishing routines (time to talk, a scheduled walk around the park together, date nights) and understanding each others needs.

And on that note, I have to go. There's a bed waiting to be made.