THE old "yes-no" equation crops up consistently in life, and how we answer often determines the colour of our day, week, life.

Should I get out of bed, "yes" or "no"? Should I not plonk a fortune on the Blues to win Origin III, "yes" or "no"?

Should I pay back debts to Eurozone creditors?

If you answered "no" to the first two questions, chances are, psychometrically speaking, you're a Blues supporter waking up last Thursday morning and in need of psychological and financial therapy.

Imagine how it felt to wake up being an actual member of the team!

Greece certainly showed how to respond to a blowout with their resounding vote of "no" to paying back all that money.

I'm not exactly sure how you run up a bill that big, other than betting on the Blues.

All I know is Greece's refusal gave global stock markets the blues.

The Greeks had an option to say "yes" to another vote, though, and they did - to the question: "Should we have a party now that we've said 'in your face Europe'?"

Europe, meanwhile, pondered that classic debt collecting teaser: "Should we send in the bikies?"

Domestically Prime Minister Tony Abbott struggled with the "yes-no" equation. "Should he allow his frontbenchers to appear on Q&A?" Answer: "Yes", if they bag the ABC; "No", if it makes Malcolm Turnbull look good.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten wasn't immune. "Should he have declared thousands in political donations before the 2007 election?" Answer: "No", if no one noticed; "Yes", if there was a royal commission a couple of years later and someone had evidence. Funny how decisions come back to haunt you.

Sport constantly struggles with the "yes-no" question. For example, "Should Aussie tennis fans cop Nick Kyrgios' behaviour after Wimbledon?"

Answer: "Yes", if he'd won Wimbledon; "No" if he continues to go on like a good sort and doesn't win Wimbledon.

I think that's what Dawn Fraser was getting at when she said that thing that she's now unreservedly apologised for.

Dawn's eloquence on issues of ethnicity poses the question: "Should Dawn Fraser restrict her public comments to things she knows about, like the Revitive IX IsoRocker Circulation Booster?"

It was a double fault on both fronts, but then again, what is it with male Aussie tennis players? We haven't had a champion player/champion bloke since Pat Rafter.

I was swayed, though, when Roger Federer went in to bat for Kyrgios. So to the question, "Did Nick tank?" I'm willing to vote, like Greece, "no". And hope Europe doesn't send in the tanks.

Which poses the next "yes-no" question: "Should we stop trying to make light of what is obviously a heavy situation watching their share portfolio sag?

Sometimes saying "no" is the easy way out. Like when someone invites you to a 60th anniversary sports club reunion.

Often you say "no" because, apart from the physical carnage you may inflict on yourself, you're worried you won't remember anyone's name.

Even though there's an open bar and, apart from the physical carnage, the chances of having a bad time because you can't remember people's names is going to be near impossible because:

a) There's an open bar and everyone at the reunion will be trying to relubricate their memory as much as you; and

b) Everyone had a nickname back in the good old days so you never knew their real names to forget anyhow.

Sure enough it all came flooding back on the night, so much so it's hard to remember why you ever would have thought to say "no" to coming.

Or indeed, when the main function ends around midnight, going.

Role model rugby league stars say nothing good ever happens after this hour but hockey players live in the moment, not the "no"-ment.

So "yes", you kick on at one of those late-night establishments where the staff respond like Greece when you ask, are you closing soon? Ah good times.

In contrast to next morning, or possibly afternoon, depending on whether you wake up on the lounge in a tux. Someone might ask: "Are you feeling OK?"

Another great "yes-no" moment.

And maybe this is the time to answer in the negative, because it possibly reflect how you're feeling.

But then again, bloody-minded pride might demand you say "yes" because you promised the night before that you'd be on such good behaviour at the reunion that you'd be able to cook dinner and clean the bathrooms the next day.

Was that a good thing to promise, "yes" or "no"? Well, "yes" and "no". There is a thing called "penance", and in these delicate social moments where, yes-no, you want to maintain a loving relationship, penance is your friend, along with Berocca and paracetamol.

And so the "yes-no" equation rolls along, reminding me of those famous song lines which I'll bastardise in conclusion.

When it comes to the "yes-no" equation it's better to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative, and forget about Origin until next year.