The Cultured Girl

No, not those three little words. To me, one of the most beautiful three-word phrases someone can utter is, “Can we reschedule?” And according to this entertaining rant in the New York Times, I’m not the only one secretly hoping that at least some of my weekly social engagements get cancelled—particularly those that are more obligatory than relaxing. After all, between dinners with friends, long work hours, visits to the gym, obligatory lunch appointments, and little details like laundry, I find myself wondering on a daily basis, “How the hell did I get so damn busy?” This Times article is full of great quotes from other insanely busy people that will have you nodding your head in enthusiastic understanding, like this example from marketing exec Michael Kubin:

“He rarely feels snubbed when the other party cancels. In fact, he feels something closer to, well, joy. ‘Very often I experience a feeling of mini-euphoria when I have something canceled,’ Mr. Kubin said. ‘It’s just a matter of finding the gift of free time. If it comes at the expense of a pleasant lunch with someone, then so be it.’”