I wanted to get to the University of Minnesota early so I could get to the front of Commons early and take some of the swag that's always offered there -- stuff like university campus service keychains, regional transportation candies and mints, and informational pamphlets.  I like it, and I like all the people-watching while getting to Commons, most notably the fresh crop of young 18-year-old babes who have little confidence now that they're out on their own.

But today, when I woke up, my Grandmother asked me to take her to Cub Foods to get some chicken broth.  I ... I didn't know what to do.  I needed to check my e-mail, but I didn't really want to jeapordize any chance of getting to the U. early because I know it'll take at least half an hour grocery shopping with granny.  As I usually do when I dither, I do my browsing, then migrate to a little porn before stopping.

It was a quarter after 11 when I was ready to take my Grandmother to Cub.  Naturally, it took 45 minutes before we came back.  I got frustrated that I couldn't tell her that one of the bags had a hole in it.  But when I finally was ready to go, it was past noon.  I had no time to get there early; I would have just enough time to make it to "work."  And because there was no parking (I should've known that was the case because everybody needed to be at the U. for the first day of classes), it took me one trip around the area I usually want to park before I relented and paid for parking at a lot.  The ironic thing about this lot is that it's just about equidistant to the location of my "job"; the only difference is that I have to pay $3.75 to park there.

Oh, and I was a couple minutes late for my "job."  And when I finally got done and ran out to Commons, what I feared could happen did: All the tents and information stations were gone.  No one wants to stay out there past 3 because there aren't the crowds that are there at 11.

I guess that means I can be pissed at my Grandmother.  They were there if I only I could've gotten out there in time -- I swear they were out there -- but she wanted chicken broth.