A Litmus Test
The scene: Morning at the Tobey household. Jackie’s leaving for work. The nanny/sister-in-law has yet to arrive.
Jackie: Your car is behind mine.
Matt: Can you put it in the street for me? I don’t have a car-seat base in my car right now, and I don’t want to leave him in the house while I move it.
[A pause, then...]
Jackie: Wanna just Britney Spears it?
My answer was obviously no, and Jackie ultimately stayed inside with Oscar while I ran out and put my car in the street. But the real lesson here is this: If you’re ever in a situation where you have a decision to make, ask yourself, “Can either of my options be characterized as ‘Britney Spearsing’ it?” If the answer is yes, your choice is made.
– Matt
