*faints*

It is the easiest way to remember debits and credits, and the way that Casey will teach Dan (in an as yet unwritten part). It's easy to explain when the person's in front of you, so this is going to be wordy because I can't just scribble and go "see?".

The trick is that you grab a scrap of paper, and write down "PALER". This stands for:
Proprietorship (y'know, Owner's Equity)
Assets
Liabitilities
Expenses
Revenue

Now, you write a line above the PALER, starting with C (because it comes first in the alphabet), then following with D, C, D, C. (So, above P you write C, above the A: D, etc)

Then, you continue your line of CDCDCDCDC on a row below PALER. It starts with D, because you finished your top line with C. (I also tend to draw an up and down arrow on each side, but I don't think you need it.)

So, after doing this, your page should look like:
C D C D C
P A L E R
D C D C D

And, there are your debit and credit rules. To increase Owner's Equity (the P), you credit. To decrease a liability, you debit. To increase an asset, you debit.

It's a short-cut. Even if, like me, you can't remember the rationale behind *why* you debit and credit, you know the right direction. (And, you can probably tell why every one of my accounting exams has PALER scribbled somewhere in the margins. *g*)