Picture this: It’s Monday morning, your ass is dragging from lack of sleep, and you’ve been grading papers for about three hours. You look at the clock, realize that you have class in about 15 minutes in a different building, so you pack up your shit and walk over to the building. You get into the classroom, set down your bags, and turn on the computer. Then you reach in your pocket and realize that you have your car keys, but not your office keys. Attached to the office keys? The thumb drive with your lecture on it. Oops. You teach the whole class, writing on the board and making shit up as you go along. You manage to fill the 50 minute period without too much trouble. About 5 minutes before the end of class, you reach into your pocket for a rubber band (to pull back your hair) and realize …
You had your keys – and your thumb drive – the entire time!
Feel free to laugh. I know it’s a ridiculous story, but it’s absolutely true. I did do this on Monday. And, yes, I am now officially an absent minded professor. I swore this would never happen. In fact, I’m not even sure when (or how) I developed this particular professorial trait. I guess it’s something that happens the year that you go up for tenure?
At least you could teach off the cuff — too many people freeze up in this situation and would have canceled class.
Oh man, that’s quite a story. I’ve had far too many moments like that lately — and I don’t go up for tenure until next year!! Bodes poorly for me, I fear. I second Adam’s comment that you deserve some kudos for teaching off the cuff.
Yeah, the whole tenure thing is throwing me off my game. It’s making me very forgetful. As for teaching off the cuff, I think I’ve taught the class so often that I could do it in my sleep.