terrible, horrible, no good very bad morning

I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
--from, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst.

I dawdled too long this morning because it was rainy and dark, and I'd left the windows of my car rolled down a bit so my seat was wet all along one side, and I changed bags because it was Wednesday and I have tai chi tonight so I packed everything into my gym bag but forgot to get my security passcard out of the front of my messenger bag, so I couldn't get into the building via the stairwell as usual and had the use the front door and the elevator like a tourist.

When I absentmindedly went into the stairwell with my breakfast in hand and realized I still didn't have a passcard and was trapped until some kind denizen came down from the fourth floor, I found myself thinking of Alexander. That was my brother's favorite book when we were kids. There was a time when I could recite the whole thing from memory, but unfortunately such useful brain cells have been overwritten with Social Security numbers and PIN's, bill-due dates and bank balances. I found myself smiling to think of Alexander's petty little problems and how they seem silly to us as adults, but it is nevertheless the little things that drive us nuts. Like a forgotten passcard. Or the cell phone battery running out of juice. Or having to make a detour for gas when you're already late.

Despite the rocky morning, I think it's going to be a good day. We really needed the rain around here, the weather is cool and exhilarating, and I have good hair despite the moisture (that's the good thing about having long straight blunt-cut hair: it looks pretty much the same regardless of atmospheric conditions). I had half a brownie leftover from yesterday so I ate that with breakfast. And I'm wearing my cowgirl boots because my knee is so much better, and a pink shirt and jeans because I am a Tough Chick. And I did my meditation last night like a good little student and I have tai chi class tonight.

Yes, I think it will be a good day.