Lemony Snicket Has Got Nothing On Me ...

Yesterday was just about the Worst First-World Problem Day of my life.

I say First World problems, It's because in perspective, there are a LOT more worse things that could happen to me, and there are more real, serious problems happening around the world which would make my yesterday look like a walk in the park.

However, the amount of misfortune I met yesterday was just such a mind-blowing, Lemony Snicket-level of misfortune, I just had to blog about it. Because I can look back on this day and laugh, and maybe in the future I would have figured out what God was trying to tell me through it. :P

I came back to the office on a Tuesday, after a 12-day long break for Hari Raya.

Being away from work for so long, and coming back to work on a Tuesday instead of a Monday must have seriously messed up my internal clock, because I waltzed in believing I was beginning another week at work on a Monday.

I sifted through 12-days worth of unread emails, when I came across an email saying that my application for the motivational talk with Nick Vujucic that I signed up for had been accepted, and I was supposed to join the workshop from 9.30am - 11am on Tuesday, 20-Aug.

I diligently marked it in my calender, told my supervisor I would be coming in late the next day, and jotted it down in the office attendance logbook, quite pleased with myself for being so conscientious.

The next morning, I drove straight to Palace of the Golden Horses for the motivational talk. I parked my car, made my way up to the convention centre ...

... and spent the next 10 minutes wandering around empty conference halls like an idiot, trying to find the hall where they were holding the talk.

It was only when I asked one of the staff members and looked at the date my mobile phone that two hard, cold truths dawned on me:
1) Today is Wednesday. Not Tuesday.
2) I am an idiot.

I made a very traumatized, apologetic call to my supervisor and told her I'd be at the office immediately, I am so sorry, please don't let this affect my bonus, sob. Luckily my supervisor was very understanding and laughed it off, telling me to hurry back.

I rushed back to my car near-hysterical with embarrassment, resisting the urge to grab random strangers by the shoulders and scream, "It's WEDNESDAY!"

As I was making my way out of the carpark, I gave my ticket to the payment booth -- total parking per entry for one day is RM 6.00 (a bit too expensive for my 10-minute stay, but whatever, I just wanted to get out of there.)

I opened my wallet and found exactly RM 3.10.

Struggling to stay unfazed, I dug around the little coin compartment in my car, gathered all the loose change I had kept hidden in there, and came to a grand total of RM 5.40. Sigh. I smiled apologetically to the cashier and asked if there was an ATM in the building.

Again, due to the unending generosity of human beings, the cashier told me it was fine, I didn't have to pay anything because he had a load of coins he didn't want adding to (plus the nearest ATM was miles away). Feeling bad, I just paid with the RM 3 banknotes that I had and drove off. I felt like I just kicked an puppy or stole an orphan's entire life's savings; I have never felt this bad in a long, long time. :(

Returning to the office, I braced myself for my meetings and proposals and promised myself I would get my act together this time, dammit. I am a perfectly capable adult woman whose life is under control. Yes. This is just a minor setback, don't freak out.

It was when I walked to my car in the afternoon to fetch something, when I noticed something was wrong.
The car wasn't responding to the key's remote control. I looked in the window and my worst suspicions were confirmed: I had accidentally left the headlights on all morning, and my battery had DIED.

I walked back to my office with this look on my face:

My life is cursed.

Once again, I was rescued by the sheer generosity of my colleagues -- one of the MY FM Cruisers came by after their cross, and jump-started my car. (I feel the need now to point that MY FM is an amazing radio station with a dedicated team of hardworking people, and you can listen to them at 101.8 in the Klang Valley~ /pimps)

So there you have it, the most bizarre, unfortunate day in my First World life. :P

To be honest, I'm not so much devastated by the misfortune as I am amazed, confused and maybe even a little amused by it. I honestly think that maybe this is one really complex sign or lesson from God (although I'm not entirely sure what the takeaway message is ... quite yet).

At the moment I'm just grateful nothing more terrible happened, and that people are understanding and generous enough to help others in need. And I learnt that I should never be too proud to ask for help -- I'm sure karma will find its way around, and there will be a time when I will be able to help others, instead. :)