August 27, 2013

On the Path of Ones's Life, Obstacles Can Occur



My Monday was one of those...
Monday morning, I got up, slipped down the ladder to my desk bed and turned my ankle. I then went to work and it hurt but was not debilitating. Because it was the first day of school (and my ankle hurt) I asked to be put on the request off list. This means that if they send people home they'll pick from that list in seniority order. They sent 3 home...all with less seniority than me. I'm not a stickler for seniority and for all I know there might be extenuating circumstances, but after all the times in the dim dark past I had to stay late or got my shift changed and had to drop out of school because others WERE sticklers...well it tasked me.

I got kept an hour late (bad day was bad) and was late to my first class...partly because they changed around all the numbers in the arts and letters building. After showering, I met with my Japanese teacher to have him override my bizarre administrative removal from earlier in the summer. I stated my case in Japanese, pointed out that I had the prerequisite, not only that, my exam grades were good enough that I got a C despite missing 3/4 of the semester. I had documentation that the absences were due to multiple hospitalizations and I brought proof that I had actually been enrolled. I'd tried to get up with him over the summer, but no one was around...however the people in the admin building had said after reviewing my case that he'd overload me into the class, and it was merely a formality.

Alas no. The Foreign Language Department has a new policy. In order to advance to an upper level language course one needs to pass the previous course with a grade better than a C+...(better than a C+ means B...why don't they just say B?). I pointed out that I was perfectly prepared to take the Japanese placement test...but it gets worse. You see, although he was sympathetic, there are about 25 people trying to get into the already full class and allowing anyone to do so could result in a lawsuit.

I need the class and the next one to graduate next year. This news would push my graduation back to Spring 2015.

 I r skerood

He asked what I intended to do with myself since I'm obviously not going any further in Japanese if I graduate next year. I thought for a moment and asked for a syllabus. I told him I'll be camped out in the language lab, availing myself of tutors, following his syllabus and attempting to CLEP into the next class in December. I thanked him for his patience and time, bowed and left for my next class.

My next class was historical methodology...one of those freshman classes I've been trying to get for years that's always full. I'd downloaded the syllabus and done the homework and went straight to the room noted on the syllabus at the appointed time. Where I found a mathematics for business class.

I double checked, I triple checked...this was the time, this was the class listed...I excused myself and went to the library to check the website on the theory that NO ONE from the historical methods class had made the mistake, the correct time must be online somewhere.  I was in such a hurry that I missed a step and destroyed my ankle. I hobbled and hobbled...and sat until my ankle was a bit better, by which time class was over.

I then hobbled to the car, which despite being in excellent condition does not possess a working gas gauge. Fumbling with my keys I dropped them, somehow getting them UNDER the car.  As I reached under the car on my hands and knees my books slid off the roof of the car and fell on me, exploding in a tornado of syllabi. I muttered various synonyms for "Oh Darn." whereupon I noted that my thigh was muttering back....my Blackberry was talking. I picked it up and inquired as to who was calling me, at which point a person I haven't heard from in a long time wanted to know why I kept calling her. I checked my call history and it seems my new holster has been butt calling my speed-dial list.

Well after getting that resolved, as I was cleaning up the papers  I asked "God..What ELSE can go wrong."
And LO!
The almighty did answer my prayer!
I use my odometer to check my mileage, but the last time I got gas I cleared it before paying and did not have my card, so I used cash on hand, which did not fill the tank. But I forgot, in my haste to get to school, to top it off.
I ran out of gas in Ghent...there are no gas stations in 'Eclectic Ghent'. I had to hobble 6 blocks, get gas, hobble back deal with the fact that due to congress gas cans don''t work, wait for the petrol stench to burn off my clothes before getting into my car and driving to the gas station.

I then drove home...through the middtown tunnel at 4:45PM.

At work today my ankle was not happy.

Today, there was no one in my math class....a quick check of Blackboard revealed that I am signed up for (and being charged for) a cancelled class. This merits some attention.

I got back from the emergency room earlier today and am now on crutches. The ankle is not broken, but after learning about my Japanese class, my future plans may be shattered.


Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 10:19 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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1 Man, if it weren't for bad luck, you wouldn't have any, would you?

I assume you have a cane and/or crutches now.
Also, you probably know that there's all kinds of youtube videos on how to fix those crappy gas cans, not that you probably would've been able to do it then, but you should fix yours when you get the chance.

Posted by: RickC at Thu Aug 29 19:13:22 2013 (swpgw)

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