How To Salvage A Bad Day

Last night, in my excitement of starting the new Dean Koontz novel Relentless before bed, I forget to set my alarm. I usually get up at 9:30. This morning it was 9:45. It's only fifteen minutes but it seemed to be an omen, as I never forget to set my alarm.

I started the re-write/polish of my small town dramedy as planned - ten pages - over breakfast (Coco Krispies and coffee.) A few hours later, seven pages into the script, I see it's approaching lunchtime, and I need to work out and do a little outdoor house stuff before I eat.

Having left my car parked in the driveway overnight, I needed to return it to the garage, so I stick my car keys in my pocket, planning to do it after I'm finished.

I work out and do my outside house chores. I walk to the driveway to move my car, so I can go in, shower, eat lunch while watching an episode of "Batman: The Animated Series. Vol II," then resume writing.

I realize that I've lost my car keys somewhere in the yard

I look. And look. And look some more. The needle in the proverbial haystack has nothing on trying to find these keys. "Needle in Canada" is a better way to put it.

By now, it's almost 3:30. I give up. Starving, I go in and eat lunch and watch my one "Batman" ep and read a chapter of the so-far-so-good-Koontz novel. I'm about to go shower, and return to the writing, when Mom calls wanting to help me find my keys. I tell her it's a lost cause. They're gone. She disagrees. She's Mom so she wins.

At 6:30 I finally get into the shower. No car keys. The day is completely gone and wasted. (I blame it on the alarm clock. Thanks alarm clock that can't set itself. A real alarm clock would.)

Being a victor and not a victim (thanks Joel Osteen for that awesome phrase), I refuse to let a bad day ruin my day. So, I'm cooking something fun to eat, listening to a CD I like while I do it, Shawn Colvin's Steady On, and watching "The O'Reilly Factor," DVR-ed Melinda and Melinda, and "How I Met Your Mother," and "The Big Bang Theory." Maybe even some "Corner Gas."

Tomorrow, I plan an Awesome Lanny Day to make up for today.