Just call me Forgetful Jones

I've always been forgetful and sporatically absent-minded. Everything from putting the cereal box in the fridge and milk carton in the cupboard (doh!) to grabbing a stack of outgoing mail to drop in the box on my way out, getting in the car, and then realizing that the mail is still in my hand.

My morning routines have generally worked well enough, but after moving out here and enduring multiple instances of forgetting (or almost forgetting) things, i came up with a mantra to use every morning before leaving for work: "Wallet, Phone, Badge, Keys, Data.". ("Keys" refer to the spare house and car key i wear on a belt loop, just in case. "Data" is the flash drive i carry, containing music, working drafts, notes, etc.) Before heading out the door, i mentally say the words and verify that all five items are on me; many times i've found one missing - good thing i checked.

[Sidebar: Is "mantra" the right word? Maybe i mean to say mnemonic device. But isn't that where you take the first letter of each word to form another word? Like HOMES for the five Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior). Or the other way around, like Foxy Chicks Get Down After Every Beer for the order of sharps in a key signature (FCGDEAB). Oh, and before you say anything, that line was suggested by my high school band director - some things you can't unlearn. Anyway.]

Here's what happened this morning: I was in a rush to get out the door (flex hours => Neilam oversleeps every day). I'm heading up to the city after work for a concert (In Flames and All That Remains - both tier1 bands, i'm so excited!!), so i had a few extra items to remember (ticket, earplugs, camera, etc) plus a few quick errands (check tire pressure, hit ATM). In my rush to get going, i failed to use my mantra; i just grabbed everything and took off.

Somewhere between the gas station and bank i realized that i was missing my spare keys (i'd left them on the pants i wore yesterday). Not mission-critical, but i'd feel better if i had them - especially since i'll be up in the city tonight. Fortunately i was still close to home, so going back would only take an extra 5 minutes. Parked on the street, ran up the stairs to my third-floor apartment, pulled the keys from yesterday's pants, cliped them on, ran back out. Done and done.

I was on the freeway, halfway to work when i was hit with the uneasy feeling that i was still missing something. But this happens a lot, and i frequently re-mantra and pat pockets from the drivers seat just to make sure. And so i ran through as usual. Wallet - check. Phone - check. Badge...badge...oh bloody hell. Can you guess where my badge was? That's right, safely clipped onto YESTERDAY'S GODDAMN PANTS! ARGHHH!!!

I had about 30 seconds until the next exit during which time i debated whether or not to turn back. Again. I decided that the lost time sucks, but i didn't want to deal with the hassle of not being able to scan myself into buildings and feeling awkward all day. And you never know when you'll need your RSA key - which is why i keep mine clipped to my badge, so i'll always have it :-/

Sigh. Drove all the way back, parked in the same spot on the street, ran up the stairs, stormed through the door again, grabbed the infernal badge, ran back.

I made it to work just barely on time for our daily standup meeting.

Moral of the story: Never skip the mantra, or it might skip you. Or something.