Misadventures and Mis-styx

Sometimes I like to multi-task. For example, I like to eat and read at the same time. Sometimes, I even eat and read and listen to the tv/my mother talking in the background. It's stimulating.
I can't always multi-task though. For example, I am not capable of carrying on two conversations at the same time. Not even two IM conversations. Just can't do it. Sometimes, multi-tasking is physically impossible. And sometimes, multi-tasking is illegal. Sometimes, multi-tasking calls into question the integrity of an entire literary publication and its staff.
Here's the long story: I decided to volunteer as a slush-pile reader at a local lit journal in St. Louis: River Styx. I also submitted to the journal's international poetry contest. I never thought this was a problem, but, alas, I am an idiot.
Yesterday, I'm sitting in the office with another staffmember (I think she actually might get paid), and we're a little dismayed over the quality of some of the submissions, and she says, "Yeah, this is the only poem I've liked today," and hands me an envelope. It's my submission. And she actually marked "yes"-- yes that it should get considered, sent on, read by other people! It's very exciting, and I stammer, "Oh my gosh, that's my poem," and everyone in the tiny office turns to stare... After much confusion as to what I had actually done ("staff members don't generally submit to their own contests"), and a lot of laughing at me ("now I know the journal is rigged, I'm submitting every time!"), I had to make the choice: did I want to be considered for the contest or did I want to stay on at River Styx and actually have friends who are into writing?
I chose friends. I am a sucker. And that is the Writer Lesson du jour.