That's how it's supposed to work, right?

So one would think. The people who keep posting the study always add, "This is good news. These things work! They save lives, not just right that minute, but long-term! That's good, isn't it?" It's sickeningly disheartening to see so many people actively fighting against good news. Sure, they'd have to admit that they're wrong, but they're wrong because things are actually much more hopeful and beneficent than they think. How is that not the best possible way of being wrong?

Didn't a safety net actually save a bunch of workers who were building that bridge?

Well, sure. Good honest hard-working people who work, not crazy people the world will probably be better off without anyway (to be fair, nobody's said that this time around, but numerous people did last time, a couple of years ago).

As a kid, I learned that insisting you're right when it later turns out you were wrong is very embarrassing. Ever since then I've tried to always admit when I'm wrong. It's taken a lot of practice but I've gotten good at it.

I equate wrong with stupid.

Yeah, that's not good. But it's easier to admit you're wrong when you know others will not think you're stupid for it. My boss and I both have gotten very good at admitting when we're wrong and not holding it against each other when the other one is wrong.

I mean, my boss will still get mad if I do something careless or if I slack off, but he doesn't get mad if I make an honest mistake.

It's also a self-protection measure. Victim-blaming is often a way of saying, "this can't happen to me, because that person is stupid, and I'm not stupid."

Victim-blaming is often a way of saying, "this can't happen to me, because that person is stupid, and I'm not stupid."

Yeah, lots of this.

Man, I do not want to go to the gym today.

What was your time? (I ran mine in about 45 minutes, but "run" is a strong term for what I did.)

About 46 minutes, I think. The full race route apparently was 3.5 miles rather than 3.1, which I thought was mean. I also wouldn't call what I did "running".

If I could magically lose those last 20 pounds, I'm sure it would be easier on my knees.

I hate to be wrong as much as anybody else, but I discovered a while ago that admitting to being wrong is much the same as out-nicing people. You leave them floundering and take much wind out of the sails of "nyah, nyah, nyah you were wrong I was right" if you cheerfully pipe:

Huh. You were right and I was totally wrong. So where do we go from here?

I am a sneaky mean person.

That said, wrong does not automatically mean stupid. Stubbornly wrong...yeah, that's encroaching on stupid territory, but just not knowing? Not stupid.

Victim-blaming is often a way of saying, "this can't happen to me, because that person is stupid, and I'm not stupid."

Yeah, sad but true. Oh people.

Speaking of stupid, I bought two pairs of sneakers today and then walked three miles in the wrong shoes, carrying all the sneakers. But I couldn't put them on! I'm wearing kind of long, kind of too-big capris, and with socks and sneakers, I just look like one of those hood-y guys who thinks they are wearing shorts and not capri pants. If you know who I mean.

CAPRIS.

I am judging you. Is there an emoticon for that?

I love capris, and I don't care who knows. Especially for work. In recent years, I have started wearing knee-length shorts again, but that's as far as I'll go.