One of those Days

Today was one of those days. Upon leaving the house this morning, I find that it is raining like crazy & sleeting at times. That is not why it was one of those days.

1. First, my umbrella broke on the way back from class. My MWF class is approximately the farthest distance possible from my office.

2. I headed home early today, to change (translate: I had to make an unplanned stop at the house, to ring out my pants in the bathtub, and put on new work clothes before going to meet my new/second boss at another school).

3. On the way out, whilst packing my bag, I get a paper cut in the palm of my hand. FROM A THICK YELLOW FILE FOLDER. I realize that I'm going to be shaking a lot of hands in the next few hours. I curse loudly.

4. I'm being responsible today, so I head to my meeting early, to make sure that I can find parking. There is no parking. I drive around for 30 minutes and have to call the department secretary, who tells me that there is a pay-lot 3 blocks away. I park there. I make a mental note that it is going to cost me between $10-20.

5. I head to my meeting and walk 4 blocks in the rain, holding a broken and so, collapsed, umbrella on top of my head.

6. My meeting goes swimmingly. I am warmly welcomed and there is talk of teaching future classes...of my own design. But I need an ID. So, we walk two blocks (uphill, which means I'm about to die) in the torrential rain, so that I can get my photo taken. Umbrella is dripping on both sides and has thus become a joke. ID will prove that I am part-aquatic.

7. On the walk back to the department, heaviest rains will be between 2-5pm today in Providence..., I give up on the umbrella. New boss is very nice. Walking tour of campus begins. The what? Here is where you'll find the coffee shop...This is the museum....let's go in. Museum guard crinkles his nose at the trail of water I'm leaving behind, as we stroll past the Picasso, Monet, John Singer Sargeant, and a 25 foot giant wooden Buddha....

8. I now walk 6 blocks back to the parking garage, sans umbrella and drenched, where I pay but cannot afford to tip, which I'm sure I was supposed to do.