August 21st 2009

Bad Decisions are Like Forest Fires

Let’s Reevaluate our Decision-making Paradigm.

What are bad decisions?

The other day on the way to work Miss Manners and I were discussing what we should do over this weekend.

Miss Manners: “We could go out dancing?”

Me: “That would work. Especially since Sunshine Girl called me last night and said she ‘wanted to go make some bad decisions.’ I think dancing could facilitate bad-decision-making.”

Miss Manners: “I find that when you go out with the intent of making bad decisions, it never really happens. We always end up talking to gay guys/dudes with girlfriends/married guys who are trying to be good wingmen to the one single guy in the group.”

Me: “That is so true. Bad decisions happen when you only plan on staying for one drink and six hours later you are singing Journey at last call . . .not that I have EVER made a bad decision.”

Making bad decisions is a constant topic of conversation among my friends. So much so that when Smart Chick and Anxious Girl announced that we would be initiating “Good Decisions 08” (2007 was not our classiest year), the goal was pretty self- explanatory. But “Good Decisions 08,” soon became “Bad Decisions 08,” and then became “A Hot Boy Wants To Have Sex With You . . . You Say Yes.” The theme for this year is “Dream Big 09”; after last year we felt it was best to keep it ambiguous.

But what constitutes a bad decision? I might think continuing to talk to your ex-boyfriend after he put your heart is a blender is a bad decision. Did that stop Blue-eyed Girl from continuing to talk to hers? Blue-eyed Girl might think making out with guys whose names you don't know is a bad decision. Does that stop me from doing it? No, no it does not.

Are there a set rules or guidelines one should follow when deciding whether or not to do something? When I asked Little Miss Intern what classifies something being a bad decision she said “It’s anything that will make you cringe the next day when you think back to what you did the night before.”

Bad decisions are like forest fires, only you can prevent them.

*****

What do you classify as a bad decision?

Do you think your friends would agree?