Whether it's someone who's already in a relationship, a job for which we didn't make the shortlist, or an item we want that never seems to be in stock anywhere we look, human beings want the unobtainable -- that which is difficult (if not impossible) to make ours. Why does this happen? We assign a higher value to things and people that we deem as being in high demand. If something is too easy to snag, we're led to believe that no one else wants it, so we'd be settling for less by making it our choice. Is it any wonder that stores are able to lure customers with advertisements that say "available for a limited-time" and "while supplies last"? Are those products really in short supply? My guess would be no -- at least not all the time. Retailers capitalize on the fact that people have an aversion to feeling left out. The thought of someone else possessing an item they want for themselves drives people to shell out their money, often in la...

Hands down, my favorite day -- or should I say time -- of the week starts the moment I leave work Friday and ends the second I fall asleep Saturday night. We eagerly await Fridays because they not only mark the end of the work week, but they precede two off days that will afford us at least a little bit of time to relax and spend time with friends and family. Saturdays are great, but I don't look forward to them as much as I do Fridays, probably because I see it as "the day that comes before the day before we have to go back to work." And let's not even talk about Sundays; I tend to dread them almost as deeply as I do Mondays. As I've noted in other posts, sometimes the anticipation that builds over time is more exciting than actually experiencing something. That's probably why so many people say the most enjoyable part of a road trip is the drive to one's destination rather than the destination itself. I suppose it ties into "wanting what you c...

It's a common occurrence these days for married people to get hit on by singles. Apparently, that ring on the finger does little to deter these relentless individuals. So why does this happen? For starters, we've all heard the phrase "you want what you can't have." Married people are off the market, but that seems to make them all the more irresistible in the eyes of the unshackled. It's like that forbidden fruit you shouldn't touch, but have a hard time resisting. Second, what makes a married person more attractive is the mere fact that someone liked him or her enough to make a long-term commitment. That immediately raises the person's value in the flirt's book, not to mention the fact that married people are more sexually experienced. Next, people do it because they've convinced themselves that nothing wrong will come of such behavior. They think along these lines: "Hey, it's just a little harmless flirting. He'll go home...