My Year of Meaningful (2011)

Why am I surrounded by people who make plans with you one day and then 24 hours later back out on you??

I know it's an african thing but it's one of those african thing that really grates on me.

Here's how I operate:
- I make plans with people
- I show up for said plan.

Here's how MORE THAN ONE of my friends here is currently operating (repeat offenders):
- Make plans with people
- Make (ridiculous) excuses the day of said plans
- Back out

OR, version 2...

- Make plans to phone to confirm potential plan
- Don't phone
- Don't ANSWER phone when it rings repeatedly throughout the day that said plan was meant to happen
- Make up (pathetic) excuses for why multiple phone calls were unanswered and messages left unreturned

Ugggggggggh.

I've changed in my old age for the better. Whilst my behaviour in the olden days may have included some of the above, I can honestly say now that if I DONT feel like going to a night club on a saturday night, I will phone whoever we had made the plans with and say "I'm feeling lame and I don't want to go." And then I'll blame "being over 30" for the backslide, apologize profusely, and stick to it. I'll make my lame-ass old-lady bed and then lie in it (and watch tv and eat bon-bons if necessary just to complete the whole picture). Likewise, if I tell someone to pick me up at X:30 to go to the shelter, I'm not going to send them a text message at X:20 telling them that my girlfriend doesn't want me to go and so I'm gonna stay at home with her and stare at the boob tube instead.

AAARRRRRRGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!

My advice to people is to not back out on your plans, unless you have a good reason.
If you don't have a good reason, then be honest about it and say "I know it's a bad reason!" It will save the compounded aggrivation that your friends have to suffer, because at least they'll only be mad at you for being a backer-outer. Rather than being an obvious liar and excuse-maker to boot!!!!!