forgetful

I just had the most bizarre dream. I opened the school newspaper to try to get at the crossword puzzle and things kept floating off the page at me and coming to life in my head. Comic strips were singing and dancing around. I don't even read comic strips. And it was in black and white, like the newspaper. I always dream in color. Anyway.

I forgot to blog about the funniest thing that happened to me yesterday. Rather, the funniest thing I almost did. I don't know where my head was, but I was very forgetful. Each semester, I cancel class and hold conferences with my students during one week. For the past few semesters I've been doing this when the students are working on their team projects--meeting with twelve teams is a lot easier on me than meeting with forty-six students individually. Yesterday I had to meet with three teams from each class--half of my students. I met with the teams, then proceeded to go to my office, gather my belongings, and walk to my car. I threw my stuff in the car, started the engine, and pulled open my purse to get out money and pay my parking bill. Trying to figure out how much I would need to pay, I glanced at the clock. It read 3:43, and since it's five or six minutes fast, it was actually about 3:37 or 3:38. My second class starts at 3:40. I had completely forgotten about them and was about to go home, leaving those three teams sitting around and wondering where I was.

I couldn't believe my forgetfulness. Since the parking garage is several minutes' walk from the building I teach in, I paid for my parking, drove to the parking ramp that is closest to my building, and ran out, not bothering to pay the meters (the ramp has meters; the garage has an attendant). I thought I would have to just take my chances and pay the $7.50 if I got a parking ticket. I arrived at class five minutes late. Instead of admitting my faux pas to the team I had scheduled the first meeting with, I told them, "Sorry I'm late, guys. I had to run to my car." Which wasn't completely a lie. I had run to my car, after all. I just didn't tell them I almost left them, that's all.

By the way, it's snowing. About half an inch so far. Ugh. But the weather channel said it's supposed to be sixty by next Tuesday.