Exaggerating

Everyone exaggerates.  EVERYONE.  You can't use the word "never" or the word "always" unless you're exaggerating.  "Holy crap!  There's about a thousand deer in that field!"  Yeah, we know it was 12, and that's a lot.  You aren't lying, you're making a point by exaggerating.

Here's when it turns ugly.  Don't tell me that you have 15 voicemails to attend to, when I saw your phone, and the readout said 6.  Yes, 6 is a lot to deal with.  15 is a lie.  You didn't say "a shitload" or a "ton".  That would have been an exaggeration.  You told a lie.

My feeble mind tends to draw these grey area lines.  They are mine.  It's probably irrational, but it's me.  Is it OK to exaggerate?  Is it OK to lie?  Where is your line?

1) "I worked my ass off all day cleaning up this yard!" 

2) "I've put a million dollars into that car!"

3) "He never gets my jokes"

4) "He has never lifted a finger to help"

1. is an exaggeration.  It didn't take all day, but the emotion was made more powerful by these words.  I'm OK with this.  You know it didn't take all day, and I know it didn't take all day.  But the 4 hours you spent made the yard look great!

2. Yup.  It's an exaggeration.  We all know it was a couple grand, which is too much, and feeling of hopelessness is conveyed by the tale.

3. An exaggeration.  He got that one about the chicken and the road.  And the one about the blonde plumber.  He just isn't very deep.  It's OK to let folks know that by exaggerating.

4. A lie.  If he EVER helps, it's not fair to paint him in this light.  Maybe he doesn't help enough.  Maybe you wish he'd do more.  Unless he has literally never done anything, you shouldn't say this.

Am I crazy?  Yeah, I know, so don't answer that.  Is exaggerating as bad as lying to you?  Am I nuts for giving it this much thought?  Probably.  Have a good night.