Forgetfulness and Flexibility

I went out of town last week with great plans for what I would accomplish. I would care for and play with my granddaughter, of course, but babies take naps, and surely I would have some down time.

And then I got to the security line at the airport in Kansas City, and I realized I had not brought my laptop. I had the power cord, and I had the case. But the case was empty.

I remembered powering down the laptop and unplugging it. I remembered winding up the cord. But I didn’t remember actually putting the laptop in its case and the case in my tote bag. And apparently, the step of putting the laptop into the case before putting the case into my tote bag never happened.

So I am typing this post on my tablet with one finger. And instead of a post about the history of Oregon, this post deals with my forgetfulness and a week without my laptop.

I don’t think I have been away from my laptop for more than a single night in at least five years. I feel ineffectual without it, as if I were facing a saber toothed tiger without a spear.

I don’t know what I will do with my time.

I can’t work on my next novel because I only have the Scrivener program installed on my laptop. I could maybe do a little plotting because I did bring the hard copy of the 1872 calendar and I could work out a solid timeline. And if I can email the sources and text I find to myself, maybe I could even do a little research.

But for the most part, work on my novel will grind to a halt for a week.

I could read for my book clubs. I have two books I’m in the middle of for two different book clubs. And another book I should have read, but probably won’t for a third book club.

I could download some documents I need to review to update our estate plan to my tablet, if I can find the email from our lawyer. I’ll have to email the documents back to myself to save my edits on my laptop. A cumbersome process, but doable.

And there are probably other productive things I could do.

But I will probably just play with my granddaughter.

When have you forgotten something and had to adapt?