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Here's a funny anecdote to my blog yesterday. So my co-worker, I'll call him Louise, went to London and Paris in August for this project we're on. Louise has a Sidekick and he just got his bill from that time period and he was charged $120 in data charges. Apparently his Sidekick, when it's on, automatically downloads email. It downloaded email all the way across the pond. The phone/PDA doesn't have the ability to manually disable automatic email synching. So he was on the phone w/ Tmobile today arguing his bill. He eventually escalated up through four managers. The third manager, however, before transferring him to the fourth, offered to split the charge w/ him. Louise refused and the manager said that the half-off offer would expire if he insisted on being transferred to another manager. I was excited for him -- someone willing to give up everything to get what he wanted! So Louise was transferred to manager #4 who basically said what the three managers before him had said. To boot -- the bill is still $120 since he passed on the offer. I was bummed because I really want my 'ye should take risks' argument to always produce favorable results. Rats.
And then... a few hours later... the truth came out! I knew it! No, he didn't get his bill taken care of, but he did actually read the email he was receiving. *Key* information that was not disclosed to the 'man'. So, I amend my risks argument with this: ya gots to be honest! Our reaction to situations is based on our limited vantage point -- and we mistakenly think that because we don't admit to not being truthful that there is no impact. So my friend felt justified in his indignancy b/c Tmobile didn't know that he had withheld some information (which he withheld because he didn't want to lose the money). We assume the outcome would not have been different had we been honest in the first place. I believe that even if we lie or hide information to get what we want, or to avoid what we don't want, karma evens things out. Even if he were to get what he wanted you just never know the impact. I believe that we have no choice but to be honest and then you deal with the consequences of that. Yes take risks but you have to be forthright too. It's too easy to hide the truth, or leave out key information for fear of losing something. If it's supposed to work out, it will in spite of circumstances we think are damning.

*** renee and I are going to the Dears tonight. eeeeeee!