Steam and Smoke Are Not The Same

The valley is an extremely wet place. Even in the dryest of summers the air is slightly humid. I am just used to the humidity, this is the air I was born into, I'm used to having mold grow in my sinuses and being slightly moist all the time. I am comfortable that way.

Well Idaho is much, MUCH drier. It's nice to get away from the moistness for a few days and let my sinuses clear and my skin to dry out. But MY EYES. They can't stand the dry air. When I go to Idaho my eyes are so red and dry and itchy. And of course I never have eye drops because I never need them in Eugene so I don't think to bring them with me.

One morning I was in the hotel room. By myself. My family was downstairs getting breakfast and I was relishing the time to myself. I was in pain that morning because when I had woken up, I discovered my eyelids had dried to my eyeballs.

I managed to peel them open somehow, but I was cranky about it. Then I had this wonderful idea:

I'll just turn the shower onto hot and leave the bathroom door open while I get ready. That way the whole room will be all steamed up and humid and I will be happy no matter what. 

For about two seconds I was really pleased with myself. My eyes no longer felt like raisins, and I had more energy, and I was just going to sit here and let it steam for a few more minutes and then go downstairs for breakfast....

Well that didn't last. As the steam rose to the ceiling it hit the fire alarm. The stupid fire alarm apparently thinks steam and smoke are the same thing and it immediately went off.

So now I'm running around the hotel room half dressed flailing around screaming wondering to myself what I should do.

My thoughts:
"OH NO. THEY'RE GOING TO EVACUATE THE ENTIRE HOTEL"
"WHATDOIDO WHATDOIDO WHATDOIDO"
"OH NO. I'M PROBABLY WAKING UP THE ENTIRE FLOOR"
"OHNO OHNO WHATDOIDO"
"OH NO. WHAT IF THE NEIGHBORS OR HOTEL MANAGEMENT COME KNOCKING ON MY DOOR I'M ONLY HALF DRESSED"
"OHNO OHNO OHNO"

After an agonized few of seconds of confusion it came to me! I KNOW I CAN TURN OFF THE ALARM

So then I proceed to run around the room until I could find a chair to stand on, which was inconveniently placed in the back corner of the room, piled underneath luggage and all the other furniture that we moved to make room for my little brother to sleep.

Somehow I managed to dig out the chair and turn off the fire alarm before anyone came banging on my door. It was a miracle.

And then I went downstairs and pretended it didn't happen. What my family doesn't know can't hurt them, right?