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A Day of Second Chances
Most mornings I chat online with my old roommate, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jethereal. This was a bad morning, with the conversation starting off with me saying "ugh" and ending with him admonishing me to try and have a good day as I ran out the door and off to work at 7:40ish. I had to be there by 8am, and it was going to be close.
I threw on shoes, jacket, etc., pulled the apartment door shut behind me and turned to lock the top lock on the door. My hand came out of my pocket empty. This was a Bad Thing because the bottom lock is a slam lock. My other hand went into my other pocket - it was lumpy, maybe the keys were there with my car keys. Nope, lip balm only. Out came the cellphone and dialing my landlord as I jiggled the doorknob in vain. Three rings and his machine picked up, he must've gone off to work already. I continued fidgeting on the doorknob as I contemplated my options: could I slide a credit card under the latch? No, I didn't really know how to do that, and the frame might be too uneven. Could I take the bus in, yeah, but that takes 30 minutes minimum, 45 to an hour typical, and I only had 15 left. I could call the landlord at the shop, I'd have to do that eventually anyway to get back in in the evening, and I'd have to call someone at work to stall my lab kids, or I could -- the doorknob turned. Well! I knew I was having issues with the lock, but that's quite convenient.
I ran in, grabbed my keys and my keys, and ran back out. As I turned to lock the door and succeeded, my cellphone rang - my landlord had caller ID and had called me back. I apologized profusely for waking him up and explained that I had thought I'd locked myself out. I'll call him later tonight when he's more awake and explain that the lock undid itself at the right moment, and see if he can figure out why it's not working right. :-P Yeah, I look gift horses in the mouth.
I told my students the story and one said "huh, Murphy worked in your favor!" She's right.
This afternoon I cranked the ignition for some 30 seconds (that's a long time) before it registered that it wasn't catching. I stopped, tried again, and it caught right up.
And now that it's been nearly a year since my recycle bin blew away (I've been putting items out in plastic bags since, which is less convenient and sometimes overlooked), I tried for the third time to drop by the DPW and get a new one, they've always been out every time I tried, and there was exactly ONE left!
jethereal. This was a bad morning, with the conversation starting off with me saying "ugh" and ending with him admonishing me to try and have a good day as I ran out the door and off to work at 7:40ish. I had to be there by 8am, and it was going to be close. I threw on shoes, jacket, etc., pulled the apartment door shut behind me and turned to lock the top lock on the door. My hand came out of my pocket empty. This was a Bad Thing because the bottom lock is a slam lock. My other hand went into my other pocket - it was lumpy, maybe the keys were there with my car keys. Nope, lip balm only. Out came the cellphone and dialing my landlord as I jiggled the doorknob in vain. Three rings and his machine picked up, he must've gone off to work already. I continued fidgeting on the doorknob as I contemplated my options: could I slide a credit card under the latch? No, I didn't really know how to do that, and the frame might be too uneven. Could I take the bus in, yeah, but that takes 30 minutes minimum, 45 to an hour typical, and I only had 15 left. I could call the landlord at the shop, I'd have to do that eventually anyway to get back in in the evening, and I'd have to call someone at work to stall my lab kids, or I could -- the doorknob turned. Well! I knew I was having issues with the lock, but that's quite convenient.
I ran in, grabbed my keys and my keys, and ran back out. As I turned to lock the door and succeeded, my cellphone rang - my landlord had caller ID and had called me back. I apologized profusely for waking him up and explained that I had thought I'd locked myself out. I'll call him later tonight when he's more awake and explain that the lock undid itself at the right moment, and see if he can figure out why it's not working right. :-P Yeah, I look gift horses in the mouth.
I told my students the story and one said "huh, Murphy worked in your favor!" She's right.
This afternoon I cranked the ignition for some 30 seconds (that's a long time) before it registered that it wasn't catching. I stopped, tried again, and it caught right up.
And now that it's been nearly a year since my recycle bin blew away (I've been putting items out in plastic bags since, which is less convenient and sometimes overlooked), I tried for the third time to drop by the DPW and get a new one, they've always been out every time I tried, and there was exactly ONE left!
"Ever have one of those days when you get the feeling that something is trying to tell you somebody?" --Neil Gaiman
off topic
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/17/AR2005111701304.html
It is a pretty well written but sharply worded takedown of intelligent design.
Meanwhile, it sounds like you have had a very strange day.