Misery poker

Your back aches. Your feet are sore. You hate your job. All you want is to go home, sit on the couch and force your boyfriend to listen to you vent.

Just as you're ready to start, he slams the door, throws down his keys, and yells, "I had the worst day EVER."

Who wins?

That's the scenario raised in this Wall Street Journal column. The writer introduces us to "misery poker" -- an attempt to trump each other with our complaining.

I can totally relate. If someone's willing to listen, it's easy to enter a 30-minute tirade about how the entire world hates you.

When you've outlined every intricacy of your financial woes and bleak future, you finally turn to your partner and offer an emotionless afterthought: "How was your day?"

Yes, there are times when your irritable boss beats his lazy co-worker. And there are times when his botched presentation beats your lost car keys.

But when it comes to the misery world, a second-place trophy isn't a bad deal.

(via YourTango)