talking to myself

This morning I woke up well before my alarm with the sudden remembrance that I needed to change some page numbers in the table of contents of a book I'm finishing up for the press. Why I was thinking about this at that particular moment, I'll never know. However, the dilemma I ended up with was one in which I wasn't sure how to remind myself many hours later when I could actually do something about this particular task.

I thought about writing myself a note, but I couldn't guarantee that I would remember to grab the note in what I knew would be my rush out the door.

I thought about sending myself an e-mail, but that would require turning on the computer. And then I would surely get distracted by the messages that would be waiting in my inbox, cutting out that last little precious bit of sleep.

Then I had the genius thought of calling myself to leave a message. So after traipsing around the house trying to find one of my business cards because I don't know my work number (hey, I was close--it was only the last digit I didn't know), I called and left myself a message. "Self, don't forget to change the page number for the index in the table of contents."

Second dilemma. To my knowledge, there is no etiquette as to how to close a voice mail message to yourself. And I hadn't thought about this prior to calling myself.

"See ya later" doesn't really work, especially since the only way I could really do that is if I had a mirror in my office, and that's rather vain.

"Talk to ya later." Umm. I certainly hope not. Isn't it odd enough that I'm talking to myself now?

To end the awkward silence I was creating in my own voice mail, I ended with "So . . . umm . . . yeah . . . bye."

I concluded, especially after I got to work and listened to my message, that I am one articulate puppy. Great.

As a side note, I hate my phone voice.