Decisions, decisions

I can see this being spun as a "civilization and its discontents" kind of thesis. The gist is that the amount of stressful decisions we make depletes our ability to exercise self-control in other areas. So, if you spend all day making tough decisions at work, you will be less likely to go home and force yourself to make healthy decisions. And that is a result of the fact that decision-making is depleting, and using up all your energy making choices means that you've exhausted your self-regulatory resources.

My friend Doughboy, who just called from Thailand yesterday, once said the following to me in a Home Depot, as we stared at a wall jampacked with more types of brackets than we had ever seen before:

"Right now, I wish we lived in one of those peon countries where you are given a government-issued bracket, and you just need to make that thing fit."

I'm not sure if I remember that statement because of his use of the word "peon" or if it's because I was relieved that he - a handy guy who should be comfortable in a Home Depot - was as befuddled as I was.

In any case, there you have it. Whenever possible, try not to be The Decider.