Wednesday, December 10, 2008

So...you know, how are you REALLY doing...?

I get this fishing question a lot.

I recognize it, because I have the same impulse.

Problem is, you'll never get a straight answer. Or at least one you can fully believe.

Probably the best policy is to always say.....ALWAYS...."We're doing great!"

Truth is, though, it's almost always a wait and see attitude. I can tell you how I DID, but I can't tell you how I'm doing until after I'm done -- with the day, the week, the month, the Holidays, whatever.

So....how are you REALLY doing? With a slight tone of sympathy.

But I simply don't know, won't know until Christmas is over.

In the Modern Christmas, it all comes down to the week before Christmas and the few days after.

Last year, for instance, started out wretchedly, and the Christmas ended up being pretty good.

I do hate the vulnerability of all the business happening in such a short period of time, though.

2 comments:

fraggle said...

I once had it recommended to me to use the response "unbelievable" to this kind of question. While I suppose it runs the risks of being annoyingly ambiguous it is usually always true.

Owen said...

My accountant says "remarkable!" every time I ask how he is doing. I take his word for it, never thinking to ask such questions as "Are you remarkably paranoid, Michael", or "Are you remarkably happy, sad, thrilled, normal or otherwise?" No, indeed. I take his word for it. He is remarkable, and that's the end of the story. Funny how, until reading this blog entry I've never thought about that...thanks for getting my brain looking at "normal" in a new way.