Feeling blue because you haven’t kept your New Year’s Resolution to bench press six times your weight, cut out all carbohydrates from your diet or read through all of the writings of James Boswell*??
No worries! In a recent email, my friend Judith explained to me why this isn’t a problem:
ME:
I hear from a marginally reliable source that you have NOT kept your New Year’s Resolution to be nicer to your brother. Consider yourself sternly reprimanded.
JUDITH:
here’s the thing with the resolution. You know how you can return stuff to a store? Well, January is the time of modifying and changing resolutions–at least the first half of the month. Therefore, I have not necessarily broken any such resolution. Ha!
It may not be the BEST excuse, but it is an excuse nonetheless. Thanks, Judith! I’m going to go eat some pie now and not even feel bad.
*Please note that all of the above examples are humorous yet extremely hazardous. Do NOT attempt.