September 17, 2006

9:42 p.m.

I Didn't Have to Go!

What a goodly weird day. Because I believed someone who told me it would take less than an hour to get to the Expo, I mapped the trip too late to get there early. Okay; I could still get there perhaps on time if the shuttle from the employee parking lot was quick. Then I remembered I had to get gas in the car. Okay. I got ten more minutes down the road, feeling rather stressed about being late, and realized I'd FORGOTTEN THE &*$!@% TICKET AND PARKING PASS. They were at home.

ARRRRGGHHH!! I almost cried. I turned around and went back home, and called my boss at the cooperative to tell her I was just going to be late. She wasn't at the Expo today, but I didn't know who was at the booth and I thought she might have someone's cell phone number or something. I'm usually early to things and very organized about this stuff, and I've so wanted to make a good impression with this organization, I felt really terrible.

So I explained to her what was happening, and she said, "Okay, but weren't you on the morning shift today, 9-3?"

"No way," I said. "Three to nine p.m."

We talked about this a bit and she checked the schedule that someone else had transcribed. It occurred to me that I never would have signed up for a 9:00am start, an hour and a half away from home, and not get paid for it! Not morning person. Would have raised red flag for sure. So someone turned the numbers around on the schedule and I didn't know it.

I was mortified... I apologized, saying I'd originally written it down three to nine and that's what I assumed... and was some poor solitary person left struggling all morning in the booth by herself? No, she said cheerfully; there were two people there, and we're covered for the afternoon, so don't worry about it! Why don't you just go up and have a good time?

I was stunned. Off the hook! And it wasn't even a problem!!

So at first I was just going to go up anyway, but then I remembered that Rose and a couple of friends are going after work on Thursday, so I called her up and arranged to go with them, donating my extra ticket and parking pass. And today I went to Rose's, AGAIN, to putter around and help assemble things and generally visit.

I didn't last too long before I pooped out, though. Coming off Prednisone (blah blah, when are you going to stop talking about THAT), the week I've had, and running out of Super Blue Green Algae all at the same time -- no wonder my ass is dragging.

After eating takeout all week long, I thought, why stop now? So I stopped at my favorite Indian place and got Korma and Saag Paneer and brought it home and read my book and drank some wine and ate enormously until my fingers have swollen with all the sodium. Yum. My eyes will be puffy tomorrow, and by lunchtime I'll be craving Korma again.

I can't be pristine and dietarily responsible all the time.