Just yesterday, I drove all the way to the dry cleaners, after sorting my laundry out at home. I opened the back door to my car to fetch the dry cleaning, but it was not there. When I got home I found it on the counter, where I had left it.

Mine was having to call the poor lady at the doctor's office three tiimes because I lost my test instructions, only to find each time that they were hanging on the fridge. I managed to remember to bring her flowers the day of my appointment because I felt so bad for bothering her.

I spend a hell of a lot of time running around looking for my glasses which are perched atop my head, which I usually discover when I dig out my spare (very ugly) pair and pass by a mirror during the search. You'd think I'd learn to check atop the head first!

That's really funny, Ally. I do that sort of thing, and know it, so I'm really careful about it.

Kristin, sounds like me.

I really do have some sort of misplacedenfreude or absentmindenfreude. I think it was either Ed Morrissey or Ed Driscoll who tweeted that he lost his keys and I kept messaging him to find out where he found them, which he probably found bizarre. (I thought it might be instructive, next time I lose mine!)

One day I drove into work in nothing but my boxer shorts. Dont know how I failed to notice the lack of shoes on my bare earth driveway

Nanc, one time I was at a beer-garden type of thing, after work, which was serviced by kybos, being at a public park. My sunglasses were perched atop my head, and when I used the kybo, my sunglasses fell off my head and into the latrine. This would be why I only purchase $10 sunglasses from convenience stores. Those babies were long gone.

One of the funniest events is ancient history. When we married 35 years ago, I would drive to work, stop by the side entrance, let my wife out, and then go park the car then walk back to the door.

One morning, I stopped by the door, gave her a kiss, and drove off, forgetting to wait for her to get out of the car. She let me know loud and clear of my error.

I can usually take an honest joke at my own expense, so I told my fellow workers.

Someone drew a cartoon of a woman hanging on to the back bumper of a car, being dragged along. That was the humorous event of the day.

If I had a nickel for every time I've walked into another room of my house to get something, then when I get there can't remember what I came in there to get...too much time for the mind to wander during the journey between rooms! Usually, returning to the room I started from is sufficient to recover my context.

I was on a road trip many years ago and stopped at some random motel. I called a couple of people and both times left a message on their answering machine with message to call me back...at gave my home phone number -- I had specifically looked up the motels number but gave my home number. Obviously this was before cel phones were common.

Then there was the time I needed to drive from the office to the airport to depart on a business trip...so I drove to the freeway, got on the entrance ramp, and drove about 15 miles before I "woke up" and realized I was driving toward home, the opposite direction from the airport! Fortunately, I still made it to the airport in time to catch the plane.

And finally (last one), there was the time I poured myself a glass of orange juice in the morning (back when I was still drinking fruit juice regularly), then put the pitcher away. That evening, I opened the kitchen cabinet to get a dish or something, and what do I see? The pitcher of orange juice! Irrecoverably spoiled, of course!

Went to make nyself a sandwich and found found my key ring in the lunch meat drawer. Sure enough I found the salami I was looking for in the basket where I throw my keys.

Last year, the night before I moved, I swung through the Carl's Jr. drive-thru on the way home from work. I was so distracted, I payed the guy, and then drove off without my food. I drove all the way home, spent a little while packing, and then thought, "Hmm, I'm hungry...maybe I'll just pick up something from Carl's." I got in my car and drove back to the restaurant. As soon as I pulled into the drive-thru, it all came back to me. Talk about absent-minded!!

Of course, the best part was pulling up to the window and saying, "So...do you still have my food?" :)

MBM, I've done that-- take something out of the fridge, use it, and put it back in the pantry. Luckily, I've always remembered quickly, or I'd have some spoiled dairy products on my conscience.

And I do the walking into a room and immediately forgetting why thing all the time.

I don't know if this qualifies as absent-minded, but I'll forget a name (person, place, or title) as soon as someone asks me about it or I try to think of it. I'm actually usually really good with names, but if I'm trying to recall it, it just won't come. The funny thing is, I typically remember it at a later date when it just pops into my head. Once someone walked in to my store and I knew I recognized her as someone I went to high school with. I knew she was a class ahead of me, but I couldn't for the life of me remember her name. Cut to like a year later, I'm doing my three-mile walk through my neighborhood, listening to my iPod, and her name just pops into my head from nowhere.

About three weeks ago, a friend and I were talking about music and I couldn't remember a name. I was telling him "The guy from The Band, you know, plays guitar, his first and last names are almost the same, you know!" Sometimes I make it a point of pride to think of it without looking it up, so I ended up just forgetting about it. Cut to yesterday. My friends and I were out celebrating my birthday and "Up on Cripple Creek" came on while we were in the car. I just blurted out "Robbie Robertson!" The funny thing was the original friend was in the car and he immediately knew what I was talking about.

Oh, Pirate Jo that's awful! Maybe I should just give in and get one of those cute chains for my glasses.

About four years ago, I was waiting at my house for a lady to come by for our first date. (Yes, I had offered to pick her up, but she said she would rather meet me at my house.) I was a bit nervous and VERY eager to make a good impression. After she had arrived and we exchanged initial pleasantries, I suggested that we leave my house immediately. As I shut the front door and went to get my car from the unattached garage, I realized two things - 1) I had left my keys in the house and 2) my front door was very old and always locked automatically when shut. I sheepishly explained to my date that I had just locked my keys in the house and wouldn't be able to drive us to our first destination. Needless to say, I was very embarrassed and felt like a complete fool.

My date was very gracious and forgiving. I guess I made a better impression than I thought, because we went on many more dates and married two years later. We've been married for two years, and she still graciously forgives my absent-mindedness.

I looked everywhere yesterday and today for the charging plug for my Kindle. Couldn't find it anywhere. I searched my car, my desk, everywhere at work, until I was just ready to buy a new one.

I was sitting in my chair reading your book (of all things!) and husband took it out of my hands and laid it face down on my lap. He said, "if you get any more blonde, I'm going to have to divorce you". My charger was tucked safely inside of the zippered pocket in my Kindle holder, with my Kindle.

I felt like an idiot!

I've been known to go through the process of recording bills in the computer, printing checks on the printer, filling out the envelope return address, and then forgetting to sign the check. Don't do it on purpose! Maybe it is a subconscious money thing. Luckily have not forgotten a signature on an IRS check!

"One day I drove into work in nothing but my boxer shorts. Dont know how I failed to notice the lack of shoes on my bare earth driveway."

I'm still on the floor, while wetting my pants!

I used to take my dog Sophie everywhere. One day I ran into the drugstore, came back to the car, and drove a short distance to a dog-walking place.
I opened the back door to let Sophie out, and- she wasn't there.
I scanned the car over and over, even looking under the seats. Sophie weighs about 85 pounds.
I noticed the back window was more than 1/2 open.
I drove back to the original parking lot, terrified that she had been hit by a car.
I cruised by the back of the fire dept. next to the drug store and saw 2 young firefighters standing and chatting in the sun. With them was Sophie, sitting, tongue hanging out, one of the guys!
They said she was a great dog. They had looked at her ID tag and had left a message on my answering machine. I'll never get over NOT MISSING a big dog, then looking under the seats.

OHHH THANK YOU FOR POSTING. THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE!!! MY PEEPS!!!!

I've found both items in the refrigerator - keys and tampons. I've also found ketchup, and other fridge items in the linen closet.

The best one was however, when i went shopping back in college. One of the isles got crowded so I left my cart - went to the next isle, came back , grabbed my cart and went to go pay. I get half way through loading up my groceries on the belt at the check-stand only to realize ....wait for it.... ("I didnt buy broccoli? I didn't buy peanut butter?") I had taken someone else's cart (completely full by the way) instead of my own.

I went back to the scene of the crime, but the isle was completely EMPTY (I like to imagine that everyone was out trying to find the cart thief -moi- on behalf of the unsuspecting victim).

I was going to try to find the person but I was hysterically laughing imagining what they would say when they got their cart back (like that i had some fetish involving stealing other peoples carts - seriously, i had a close call once and got caught before i managed to get all the way to the check-stand...AWWKWARD.) - also - how exactly does one find said poor-unsuspecting-cart-theft-victim? Intercom announcement: "Hello - If you had your cart stolen recently and bought broccoli and peanut butter - please meet me at check-stand two!".

I just left the cart back on the isle and ran to my car ... I couldn't drive I was laughing so hard. I also never went to that Safeway again (in case they were checking video - "What kind of person does this, Harold!?")

Oh, and anyone ever try looking for their cell while on their cell phone?

Feebie,

I had a similar event happen to me, but a little different than yours. It wasn't quite as funny - at the time. It was my first day working as a bagger at a grocery store. I was in high school, and like most work at that age, not much to the job. Training was 10 minutes tops. One of my tasks, outside of bagging, was to wheel a cart full of items that had been filled by the checkers, back into the retail section. The cart was filled with items people decided they did not want to purchase after getting in line to check out.

So I'm bagging away, when one of the minor managers tells me to take the cart full of not bought items back to their shelves. I did as instructed of course.

When I return to the front of the store, I see the main manager, Ernie, being chewed out royally by some lady. She was really laying into him good too! In a way it was humorous to watch.

Well come to find out, the guys had played a trick on the new employee. The full cart I took back was this ladies! And her husband owned the store! Ernie was upset with me, but I wasn't fired - thankfully.

Never had big trouble mailing in the past. Had one time though where a USPS letter mysteriously took 2 months to reach its destination!

Feebie, you reminded me of an incident I'd forgotten. One December, I was shopping for a purse for my cousin at Steinmart. They have them hanging about four deep on hooks there, so you have to take the bags in front off to get to the back ones. I was taking bags off the hooks, deciding which to buy, and then made my decision and went to check out. I had taken my big coat off while shopping and draped it over my right arm, which had my purse on it. I didn't want to mess with my coat with my hands full, so I just carried it back out to the car with me, whereupon I discovered I had two mini bags over my wrist under my coat. I sprinted back inside and went to the customer service desk, trying to explain that it was all an accident. The lady at the desk was really nice, and I guess she figured I was innocent since I was sputtering about how I didn't mean to steal.

A few months ago, I was shopping and picked up something small (I can't actually remember what-- a hair clip or something) first, then did the rest of my shopping. Upon getting to the checkout, I was missing the small item. I went back everywhere I'd been trying to see if I'd laid it down somewhere. I had a flash and looked inside my purse. I'd put it there absentmindedly, I assume so I wouldn't lose it before I got to the checkout. I didn't really even remember doing it, and thankfully this cashier was also nice and realized I was just being ditzy.

Hey thanks guys! And thanks, Amy for the fabulous new word for it, Absentmindenfreude! Perfect.

I have a few gems, but the cart one had to be my favorite. Doh!

PJ, I've got a few glasses tricks too. My main one is having a pair hanging off of my shirt collar or in my front pocket, which I forget about. So then I grab another pair. My wife has, more than once, pointed out to me that I'm wearing one pair and have another pair hanging on my collar. Or sometimes I discover this when I take off a pair, go to put them in my shirt pocket, and there's already a pair there.

I'm also notorious for leaving glasses of iced tea in random places in the house. The other day, my wife came out of the bedroom with a glass of tea, and informed me that she had found it in the closet.

The motel looked nice enough, seemed somewhat vacant, not too many cars in the lot. Went in to get a room and learned that it actually was a nursing home.....

I'm always doing absent minded stuff. I leave my purse at home when I'm going to the store, only to find I have no money or cards at the checkout. I have misplaced large amounts of money in my house (mostly when I was young, in an attempt to hide it from myself.) I once found a missing high heel in a crisper drawer (don't ask, I think alcohol was involved.) I also find myself putting cold coffee in the fridge in an attempt to warm it up, instead of in the microwave where things actually get warm, and likewise have found a brand new tub of cottage cheese in the microwave instead of the fridge! My boyfriend has lived with this for 10 years, God bless him, and now just shakes his head and smiles.

I lose either my keys or my cell phone four times a week. I've locked myself out of the apartment three times in the last six months because I forget the door locks automatically. A few weeks ago, I found the paring knife in the baking cookbook. (I had been using it as a bookmark.)

And I addressed all of the labels for my wedding invitations to "Mrs. & Mrs...." Thank God my husband noticed before they all went out.