Feeling like a right idiot...

[Telmereth]

Okay, hello everyone. I need to get this off my chest.

To give a bit of background information, I am currently working with one of the academics in my department (I'm an undergrad, in the Chemistry department) to produce a poster presentation for a show in a few weeks time.
He seemed nice at first, but today he seemed to be a bit snarky, which has left me feeling like an idiot and a little bit cross.
I emailed him with a few questions about my poster, and I asked if perhaps he would take a look at a different, completely unrelated poster that I had done several months ago and give me his opinion on its layout and design.

I attached the file to the email and sent it on its way. Unfortunately, it didn't attach correctly, so I send another brief email saying "here is the completely unrelated poster I mentioned in my last email. Sorry it didn't attach properly the first time!"
I checked my email a few minutes ago to find a reply saying:

Telmereth:
   You appear to have sent me a completely unrelated poster called completelyunrelatedposter.ppt.
   What is going on?!
       Professor I-don't-read-my-emails

This has made me quite cross, because I've had to send a grovelly reply going 'oh I'm so sorry for the confusion, blah blah blah' and also now he is going to think me a right royal muppet, an image I had hoped to avoid in the penultimate year of my degree!

Any advice on how to calm down? And more practically, to save face with the Prof?

[shadowfox79]

I'm a little surprised that you feel like a muppet, actually. I've encountered this not-reading-emails business with academics before, and my usual response is to reply saying "As I said in my previous email... etc", thereby politely proving myself right and making them feel like a muppet.

If you hadn't already sent your reply, I would have suggested you do that. It generally makes me feel better without any loss of face - for myself, anyway 

[NOVA Lady]

I don't know the professor personally but I bet he's basically forogten the incident now. Some people who are very busy don't read things thouroughly. I would just explain, and then move on unless he mentions something.

[Shoo]

I bet your 2nd email, containing the attachment, arrived in his inbox ahead of the original email.  Either that, or he just opened the 2nd email first, and replied based on that one alone.  He probably read the original email after that and got the answer to his question.  It wouldn't hurt to forward the original email again and apologize for the confusion. 

[madmusician]

I would forward the 1st one with a little note about how sorry you are for the confusion.

[Telmereth]

Thanks for your replies. I am feeling a little calmer!
shadowfox79 - yes, I wish I had thought of that. Will remember for next time...
Shoo - I hadn't thought of that, and it does sound plausible. I have already replied to his message but as it happens did pretty much what you suggested.
Marina - I think you're right and I should just move on. I just hate feeling like an idiot... 

[Twik]

Sometimes when I'm catching up with email, I start from "oldest first", and end up answering something, only to find further information that was sent later.

If I start from "newest first", I answer only to find missing information further down.

You can't win, it seems.  Possibly your prof got caught by the same problem.

[Telmereth]

Yes, Twik, I reckon that's what happened. He said he'd never read my original email!
The good news is, he apologised and replied to my question promptly last night! Yay!