Fortunately/Unfortunately

My sister went to a conference earlier this year and heard Brian Selznick speak. His hugely popular The Invention of Hugo Cabret is an atmospheric and haunting hybrid of novel and graphic novel. Which I haven't read yet, but I looked at my sister's copy.

Anyway, he'd mentioned a French children's book he'd enjoyed as a fellow illustrator, Fortunately by Remy Charlip. Here's a sample of what happens to Ned, the main character of Fortunately:

"Fortunately, Ned was invited to a surprise party.
Unfortunately, the party was a thousand miles away.
Fortunately, a friend loaned Ned an airplane.
Unfortunately, the motor exploded.
Fortunately, there was a parachute in the airplane.
Unfortunately, there was a hole in the parachute."

There was a lot of that going on for me this past weekend.

Fortunately, my WIP first chapter was in good shape, ready for a contest with a May 1st receipt deadline.

Unfortunately, I got limp-as-a-noodle sick.

Fortunately, my best friend said I could come over to her office at lunch today so she could help me get rid of a bizarre file corruption that wouldn't allow an even-page header.

Unfortunately, she couldn't make it go away and I was running out of my lunch break.

Fortunately, her friend Barry popped by and asked what we were up to. He's an engineer. He fixed the header somehow. Yay!

Unfortunately, I was out of time and had to go back to my own office to cover reception.

Fortunately, my friend said to leave it with her and she'd deliver everything to my office on her way home after she picked up her daughter.

Unfortunately, when I went to ship it by courier after work, I didn't have enough money to cover the return post.

Fortunately, my mom lent me the money once I got home and my husband will get it to the courier for me by lunchtime tomorrow.

Yay! Let's hear it for my fantastic support team!!