So Close

I was just soooo close to having an efficient and productive afternoon. I drove to campus and located a fabulous parking spot. I loaded up my belongings and headed to the nearby Starbucks for sustenance and caffeination. Having enjoyed my piece of crumbleberry coffecake (what exactly is a "crumbleberry" anyway?), I proceeded up to campus, stopping in at the bookstore, because I can, and it's fun. Then onward to avail myself of the air conditioned computer lab to complete some chapter revisions and print some materials for my advisor. Met with advisor and discussed various and sundry pertinent issues to dissertation completion.

Then, I headed back to my car. A few steps along the path, a light bulb electrifies above my head: I did not put quarters in the meter. Yes, kids, today's lesson: if you don't put, say, $2.25 in the meter for 3 hours' worth of parking, you will instead receive a $25 parking ticket.

Grrrrr.