when all you can do is laugh

exhibit a: i played the wrong hymn during our sacrament meeting last week. there i am, playing the introduction to what i thought was the right song, and the chorister runs over to me and starts hitting the hymn book, pointing to the song on the other side of the page. how does one recover from that? the chapel is totally quiet, everyone is listening and getting ready to sing, and there's really no way to discreetly start playing a different hymn after you've started playing the wrong one. i wanted to crawl in a hole and never play the organ in front of anyone ever again. when i had to go back up to play the rest hymn, mike so kindly reminded me which number it was so i didn't play the wrong one again.

exhibit b: i was driving the other day when a 5-gallon bucket flew out of the truck in front of me and i hit it. it got stuck way under my car and made a really awful sound as it scraped against the road. who runs over a 5-gallon bucket and manages to get it lodged underneath the back end of the car? i gradually made my way off to the shoulder and tried to look under my car like i knew what i was doing and how to get the bucket unstuck, but let's be honest, i couldn't even reach the bucket unless i layed flat on the asphalt and i was in a white shirt and skirt. not happening. i tried to kick the bucket with my foot. no luck. i squatted down and stretched my arm as far as it could reach, but i wasn't close to touching the bucket. i stood back up laughing and praying that someone would feel inclined to stop and help. lo and behold, a sheriff saw me pulled off to the side and came over to get the bucket unstuck. it's the only time in my life i've been grateful to see those flashing red and blue lights behind me.

needless to say, i've laughed at myself a lot this week.