as luck would have it

I'm not entirely sure how I managed to accomplish everything today given the number of things I forgot. At 5:45, as I drove to the Y to teach an aerobics class with a lot of 15- and 30-second intervals, I realized that I forgot my bag for class. The bag contains a stopwatch to time said intervals, as well as my shoes for said class, and my music for the planned routine. As luck would have it, I did have my I-pod, and the front desk had an audio cord I could borrow to connect it to the stereo. Little did I know just how much luck would need to be involved... the I-pod battery was nearly dead, so I couldn't use the stopwatch nor could I keep the screen lit for more than a few seconds at a time. I also forgot my wrist watch and the clock in the studio did not have a second-hand.

Luck, as it turns out, was also on my side when it came to shoe choice this morning. Instead of grabbing my large boots to plodded through the snow, I chose slip-ons that were sure to keep my fry warm. Not only a good choice for warm feet, but also an ideal shoe for this particular workout.

Except for a brief glitch when I pushed the wrong button trying to adjust settings on my I-pod resulting in a jarring switch from Lady Gaga to the Wicked soundtrack, I managed to get through the class, music and intervals included, with a few seconds of battery life to spare.

Having overcome nearly insurmountable odds, I thanked those who keep watch over me, and came to a new realization...I had left my work laptop at home, packed in my work bag and sitting out where I wouldn't forget it.

Speaking of work, on this day of forgetting and somehow managing to cobble together a solution, I left work (and aforementioned laptop) for a nice long weekend a mere 13 hours and 12 minutes after realizing I had forgotten my aerobics class bag - it had been a long day. I had stayed late to make sure I finished as much stuff as possible, and somehow I still got an email on my blackberry, 20 minutes after I left, requesting talking points for an interview. Bad news: talking points were on the laptop, on my desk, and my keycard doesn't work after hours. So, I point out my problem, and the next request is: I just need the reporter's number. Right, the number that is on the desk with the laptop. After 30 minutes of Web searches to try to find ANY contact info for this guy, I make one final desperate attempt to find the information - I check my work voicemail. As luck would have it, I didn't delete any of my voicemails today (keep in mind that in my little OCD world, not clearing messages immediately upon hearing them is unthinkable, so how I ended up with three messages, including the one I needed is beyond me). I was able to provide all the contact information necessary to complete the interview, and now I really can enjoy a nice long weekend.

Thank you, whoever you are, with the luck and the cobbled-together solutions. Please stay close!