ouch!

things lara has learned today:

* walking backwards down the hall in an academic building while talking to people greatly increases your chances of tripping backwards over a desk and/or chair in said hallway (in case you were wondering)

*in the event you still walk backwards and trip backwards over a chair in the presence of half a dozen people, immediately starting to laugh helps your chances that said group of people will laugh *with* you not *at* you.

* there are better and less-painful ways of getting a laugh than items (1) and (2)