look forward

friend and i rescheduling something because she tells me now her points will expire march 25...

me:  'you check if it moves again...'

friend:  'it did not...'

me:  'i mean, you check nightly in case it moves again...'

friend:  'no, it did not...'

me:  'you told me before it will expire april, right?  now you're telling me it will expire in march...'

friend:  'i told you it will expire march 30...'

me:  'ok...  so you were sure before that it will expire march 30...  now you're telling me it's march 25...  so check regularly in case the expiration date moves again so we could adjust...  you know when you lose points sometimes the expiration date moves, too...'

friend:  'i've lost 4 points...  it did not move...'

me:  'you haven't hit the threshold...  when you do it will move...'

friend:  'it did not...'

me:  'gaaaahhhh!!!  i'm not talking about the past!  i'm talking prospectively!  it could move!  that's the process!'

friend:  'ah...  okay, okay...'

sometimes you have to jolt people to get them past the past...  : }