And it's Monday

And I already feel bad. Because one thing that happened was me being less gracious than I ought to be, and the other thing was one of those random stupid annoying things that happen.

So, the first thing: 6:15 am. I was brushing my hair and waiting for the water to get hot to wash and the phone rang.

The phone *never* rings at 6:15. Of course my first thought was "Oh no, something happened to one of my parents and the other is calling me to tell me "get up here as fast as you can."" Or that something had happened to someone in my brother's family.

The caller ID said "Unknown Number," but who knows, that could be a pay phone in a hospital (if such things still exist) or a cop calling me about a death, or, who knows. So I pick up.

Immediately get the tell-tale background noise of a telemarketing center.

What the (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted)!

So, I decided: Okay, I'm going to go aggro, because no telemarketer is allowed to call at this hour, and if the shady ones are gonna start, they're gonna get a piece of my temper.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU CALLING AT THIS HOUR" I growled into the phone.

A young, British-accented, woman's voice came on

"Ma'am?....We're calling from Folio Society."

Oh frack.

Yes, she was calling to confirm that the order went through. Oh, I backpedaled and apologized and explained I had relatives in not-the-best health and it was *very* early in the morning here and I always feared an early-in-the-day call as being bad news, and also I had received an e-mail from them saying my order went through and had even shipped, so...I wasn't expecting a call.

She rang off, but now I feel kind of terrible yelling at a customer-service person so early in the day. I *presume* she was calling from the UK, where it would be midday, but honestly? You'd think that a company that does international business would pay attention to things like time zones. Most *normal* people here are still asleep at 6 am.... and even if they went off Summer Time there just this past weekend, well, that would mean it was the equivalent of 5:15 am here.

But I still feel really bad and I hope I'm not on a Folio Society blacklist or something now.

And while I was eating breakfast (about 15 minutes later) trash pick-up came. Fine, fine, I had my rollcart out (I put it out Sunday evening because the trash collectors can show up any time between 6 am and 3 pm on a given week). But the automatic truck thing just dropped the rollcart after emptying it, and it wound up on its side, half out in the street. So I knew I needed to pick it up because it was in the way for drivers, and also, I don't want to risk it getting damaged.

So I went out in the dark (because it is the tail-end of DST, and it feels like the middle of the night here until nearly 8 am). Had a hard time wrestling it up because the trash carts are top-heavy and unwieldy and I always wonder what the tiny little women who are not as strong as I am do, or the little old people, or people who use walkers, or whatever, if their rollcart tips over. I could feel myself slipping on the wet grass (luckily I did not fall) and finally got it vertical, but got a huge smudge of mud and probably trash-water down the side of my leg (luckily, I was wearing a slightly shorter skirt and no hose - because it's going to be like 85F here today which is way too hot for nearly-November). So I had to stop off at the rest room here and wash off my leg.

So I don't know. I try not to be superstitious but I'm fearful this is setting the tone for my Monday and I'm bracing for other bad stuff.

I came in to an e-mail from a student (sent at midnight) with 'questions' about the exam they are to make up today and I know this is going to mean a big investment of time on my part (based on past experience) answering them.

So tired.

ETA: I also had a printer jam and an incredibly-spectacular (like: paper jammed in three different places) copier jam, so I guess I jinxed myself yelling at that Folio Society employee. I did get the copier jam cleared but it took some work.

I have one more class to teach today and then I probably need to write next week's exam, as there's a person with extra-time accommodations in that class and I need to get the exam over early for them.

And Bell Choir is tonight. That's good, but I'm also tired, and I admit it would be nice to just go home and get into my pajamas and watch mindless tv for a couple of hours instead.