In an attempt to clarify my earlier desire for compartmentalization, I'd like to present ten simple rules to help compartmentalize your life, followed by a brief explanation why and how.

1. Keep Work and Play Distinct
2. Don't volunteer information; be vague
3. Keep all plans and appointments flexible
4. Hang out with people who are equally flexible
5. Don't follow a routine; avoid ruts at all costs
6. Ommission isn't the same as lying
7. Tell the truth; don't ever overtly lie
8. Eliminate backchannels; if two compartments mix consider them compromised
9. Build and abuse trust constantly
10. Hypocrisy is your friend

Let's take the points one by one. First, the adage to keep work and play distinct is key. Workmates will have plenty of time during the day to grill you; keeping them at arm's length is key. This means less happy hours, but also less stories about "what edward did last night" when you come in on Friday morning. The workplace also places constraints on the ability of one to shade the truth, which can lead to problems with #7.

Number 2 is the key to a good compartmentalization strategy. If one divulges solid intel, it can be used later on. So one should always be circumspect, though this may eliminate good stories from being told. Need-to-know also enables one to mentally achieve #10.

#3 seems easy but requires some work. If one sets firm dates, it becomes difficult to adapt to changing circumstances, something which happens quite frequently in the well compartmented life. If one friend wishes to hang out, this could upset the delicate balance of social engagements already accepted unless one has built in some flexible failsafes.

Upon first glance, number four seems just like number three. However, ensuring one's friends are equally flexible, while more difficult to do, enables one to be compartmented without any moral conundrums. If all of one's friends don't mind being blown off with no reason attached, the entire world would be much smoother.

Five is necessary to simply prevent people from some compartment from bleeding into others. The old "every Friday night you're at..." meme can cause numerous headaches when people drift intentionally between compartments.

Six is another moral issue: not telling someone what you're doing isn't the same as lying, but often one feels bad when doing it. Get over it. If you really felt bad, you'd change. Since you haven't you're either a bad person who doesn't talk constantly or a good person with the same problem. Either way a well timed omission is key.

Seven takes experience: the natural reaction to any friend who learns of the compartment idea would be to become angry. Rather than weave a coplex web of lies, it is far easier to simply admit blame, apologize and move on. Contrition isn't too tough, so long as one realizes when things are moving south.

Number eight is easy to understand: if two compartments begin to mix, there's no way to "un-mix" them. Better to simply consider them all one group...capable of instantaneous gossip transmission, etc. Best to not let this happen, but it's important to know what to do if it does.

Nine sounds bad, but it really isn't. In short, the only way to be able to have large chunks of your life separated into distinct zones is to build up trust with your friends in each zone, and then simply use said trust to move to other zones with little or no explanation.

The final numebr, ten, is the natural result of the well compartmented life: frequently one may find oneself engaged in an activity that goes against the tenets of another compartment. Relax. It's no big deal. And once one grasps this final point, you'll realize that humans are capable of anything.

To sum up, follow these rules and you'll soon have twenty friends who all hate onther but whom are all interesting. Which is the goal, right?