Day Off

Suddenly, I had to take the day off because the preceeding 24 hours were ass.

[This is an example of starting the story 3/4ths of the way in to bring the reader directly to the crisis, getting them to ask What? Huh? and then explaining it once they've become sucked into your narrative. Or something.]

It probably wasn't the entire 24 hours; parts of the day were just fine. But Dan and I had had to get up very early to get to the doctor's for his foot (he has acute tendonitis; we are not sure how Scooter did it). I haven't been sleeping well as my left shoulder is completely whacked out. Some of my work thingers were not flowing. An abstract I'd submitted for a conference was rejected (although they graciously asked me to submit another topic and gave me extra time in which to do so).

What did me in is Old Paint.

Old Paint's left headlamp has been a nightmare for years. Sometimes it's on, sometimes it's off. For a while, a simple smack on the hood would restore it, but those days are long past. I've electrical taped it up, but apparently that's failing now too. Indeed, I will often fix the lamp and by the time I leap into the car, I can watch as it slowly fades out.

And then, the right side lamp went out. At night. Dan and I drove home with the brights on because there is no guarantee that the left lamp would remain lit for more than a couple of minutes.

The very next day (yesterday) I decided to go to the auto parts store to buy a new lamp and maybe something that would help me keep the left lamp going. On the way, I stopped at Tuesday Morning for their post-Christmas goodies sale and found a couple of things that I wanted. It was at the register that I discovered my wallet was not in my purse.

It was the straw that broke my strength of mind. I went back to the office, disheartened and sad, determined to take a day off. And when I used the online form, it broke.

Sigh.

At least today turned out relatively well. Went back and got my Tuesday Morning stuff. Got the headlamp and some gasket thinger to use on the other lamp. Knit more sweater. Played some Puzzle Quest. Now awaiting pizza delivery dude.

Day Off

Suddenly, I had to take the day off because the preceeding 24 hours were ass.

[This is an example of starting the story 3/4ths of the way in to bring the reader directly to the crisis, getting them to ask What? Huh? and then explaining it once they've become sucked into your narrative. Or something.]

It probably wasn't the entire 24 hours; parts of the day were just fine. But Dan and I had had to get up very early to get to the doctor's for his foot (he has acute tendonitis; we are not sure how Scooter did it). I haven't been sleeping well as my left shoulder is completely whacked out. Some of my work thingers were not flowing. An abstract I'd submitted for a conference was rejected (although they graciously asked me to submit another topic and gave me extra time in which to do so).

What did me in is Old Paint.

Old Paint's left headlamp has been a nightmare for years. Sometimes it's on, sometimes it's off. For a while, a simple smack on the hood would restore it, but those days are long past. I've electrical taped it up, but apparently that's failing now too. Indeed, I will often fix the lamp and by the time I leap into the car, I can watch as it slowly fades out.

And then, the right side lamp went out. At night. Dan and I drove home with the brights on because there is no guarantee that the left lamp would remain lit for more than a couple of minutes.

The very next day (yesterday) I decided to go to the auto parts store to buy a new lamp and maybe something that would help me keep the left lamp going. On the way, I stopped at Tuesday Morning for their post-Christmas goodies sale and found a couple of things that I wanted. It was at the register that I discovered my wallet was not in my purse.

It was the straw that broke my strength of mind. I went back to the office, disheartened and sad, determined to take a day off. And when I used the online form, it broke.

Sigh.

At least today turned out relatively well. Went back and got my Tuesday Morning stuff. Got the headlamp and some gasket thinger to use on the other lamp. Knit more sweater. Played some Puzzle Quest. Now awaiting pizza delivery dude.