How Today Ended up Not Sucking

What?  A positive post from Little Miss Mopey Von Hatesithere?  That's right.  Today had major sucking potential, but it all got turned around.

I was supposed to go meet the head honcho of the Forensic Science Academy at the other laboratory building on Pearl Harbor at 1300 (that's 1:00 for you civilian-types) so I figured I'd walk there from where my office is on my lunch hour.  I used to walk everywhere in Provo and Boston, so no sweat, right?

Turns out, lots of sweat.  So much sweat.  It was freaking hot outside at high noon (but apparently only on one side--my arms are asymmetrically sunburned now).  To top it all off, I got lost.  The bad thing about these military bases is that everything looks the same.  There are no landmarks.  Here's an analogy for you Boston people:

Turn left at the tan building with the brown roof : Hickam :: Turn left at the Dunkin' Donuts : Boston

Yeah.  Also, it doesn't help that my sense of direction is nonfunctional on this island where everything is basically one big circle and there are extra directional terms like "Windward" and "Leeward" (still will never know which one is which).  I digress.

So Hot Alex + Running Late Alex + Lost Alex = Frustrated, angry, tearful Alex.  

Thankfully, I figured out where I was supposed to go (it turns out I had turned right when I should have turned left so there was some backtracking involved) and got there only fifteen minutes late (I called the guy and told him I was late/lost and it was fine).  I still looked (and smelled) way worse than I would ever want to look (and smell) for an appointment with a really important forensic anthropologist.  After spending two minutes at the water fountain and thirty seconds in the ladies' room wiping off my face, I sat down with the guy to talk about my assessment.   Here's where the "not sucking" happened:

What I was expecting:  "You call yourself a forensic anthropologist?  You giant fraud!  How did you even get this job!  Leave this place immediately!"

What actually happened:  "Overall, good work.  Here are a few things that you need to fix*, but I think you'll do well here."

Also, there was an impromptu quiz on fragmentary osteology.  I rocked the pants off of that impromptu quiz on fragmentary osteology.  

Sure, I still smell awful, and my right arm has attained a level of crimson lacking in my left arm, but things turned out not all that bad.  With all of these experiences that I have, I've kind of developed a new way of thinking:

"When life sucks, don't worry:  you still have forensic anthropology."

Skeleton, you are my friend.

*Like photography, which was no surprise.  I suck at taking pictures, probably because cameras that are worth more than my life intimidate the heck out of me.