What Any Red-Blooded Southern Woman Would Do

I shared this story a few weeks back on my personal blog, but decided I needed to post it here too. You see, I believe that one of the most important things missing from society these days is the ability to laugh at yourself. C'mon - you know you've done something stupid or embarrassing. Why hide it? Why not share it so that everyone else can laugh with you?

So that's what I'm going to do.

So I was rushing one morning to get out of the house and to work. I had a meeting at 10:00 to pass my brand new accounting manual to the QA (quality analyst) for review and I was very excited, and running late. It was my first manual written since I started my position last year in documentation, and I was a little nervous about that first review.

So I got dressed, turned off the coffee pot, played ball with the
Sheltie, and prepared to walk out the door. When I went to set the alarm I had one of those moments - you know those moments when you know good and well you're forgetting something but for the life of you, you can't think of what. So I went through my mental list - dog inside, coffee pot off, lights off, back door locked, etc. and couldn't come up with a darn thing. Finally deciding it couldn't be that important, I turned on the alarm and hauled butt to work.

I arrived only a few minutes late and sent my new training manual to the printer to get a clean copy for the QA. Right after I submitted the job, the Business Analyst for the product stopped by my cubicle to chat about some items in the manual. We talked for about 10 minutes, then she left and I started to get up to go pick up the manual off the printer. And that's when I discovered what I had forgotten.

I had forgotten to change out of my "playing ball with Sheltie" shoes and put on my business shoes.

How big of a disaster could this possibly be, you ask? Well, my "Sheltie" shoes are a pair of bright blue & white, neoprene Nike hiking sandals. Now, we're casual at my office, but there are limits. So I'm wearing business casual with hiking sandals and I have my meeting in exactly 30 minutes.

So I did what any red-blooded southern woman would do - I hauled ass to Walmart to buy a new pair of shoes. And I called one of my best friends on the way so that she could have a good laugh at my expense. I made the trip in exactly 13 minutes - there, bought shoes, returned to office. Not bad, eh?

The shoes were cheap and uncomfortable but hey, at least no one stared. And I think I'm going to keep them in my drawer at work - just in case.

So what about you? Ever get to the office and realize you're not exactly wearing what you intended?

Deadly DeLeon