Did I Really Do That?

I am a sucker for infomercials, get-rich-quick schemes, and other things that are too good to be true. They all seem to whisper in my ear, "Eric, you know you want to buy me. I will make all your problems go away, and get you in shape in less than 30 seconds a day."

I admit, this is my weakness.

Even though I know my weakness, it doesn't make it any easier to deal with. I have such a short memory that I seem to forget that most of these things are promising something that might not probably won't work 100% of the time.

I have never actually bought anything from an infomercial, but you can be certain that whenever I am channel surfing and stumble upon one, I will stop and watch it (all of it), and then try to convince Kelsey that we need it.

She is never impressed.

I once signed up for a work-from-home program that cost $250. I had birthday money and I really thought this thing would work. I convinced myself that this was my way out of the job I hated (my first job out of college, not the job I have now). I wanted out so badly, and was looking for anything to get me out right away. What I was really sucked into was the testimonies of people who worked 10 hours a week and made six figures. They seemed so real. After talking it over with Kels (who knew it wouldn't work), because it was my own money--my personal, "no questions asked" money--she let me do it, and tried very hard to be supportive of me. She's great like that.

I signed up, spent a whole Saturday trying to figure it out, and then canceled it and got my money back. The truth I found was that there is nothing that will allow you to get rich quick. I wish I would have listened to Kels. She has this calm nerve in her body that keeps her away from making decisions like the $250 mistake I made. One thing is for sure, they did make good on their promise of a 100% money-back guarantee.

I know this was a really dumb move, and I did it out of desperation. I now realize just how perfectly God has orchestrated my life. He made Kelsey for me so that when I am wanting to make a dumb decision, she is there to smack me upside the head (figuratively, of course; it's not nice to hit) and tell me to come down out of the clouds.

Since I have such a short memory, there was another time, about a year ago, when I almost signed up for a marketing system that sold plans to make bunk beds for a living. Now that I think of it, that program was $250 a month. Blah! I'm laughing at myself as I type this. I like to think that in my old age I am getting wiser...

The moral of the story is that good ol' saying I know so well, but have a hard time believing: "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is."

Have you ever done anything silly like me? I double dog dare you to share...