After a Friday of Receipt Porn, I Can Finally Say I Got the Dirt Therapy I Desperately Needed

From 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. I sat in my makeshift office in Donnarumma Ding Dong and worked my way through grants and yearlong spending, matching expenditures and receipts with funders and gifts that have invested in the Connecticut Writing Project at Fairfield University. The numbers are many and the expenses plentiful, but I'm proud to say that all of this is for Connecticut teachers and their kids. We did well this year with our funding, but someone has to be the accountant and, well, I'm not able to hire Chitunga, so I had/have to do it all myself.

By afternoon, I was crosseyed and left right after a rain shower in time to welcome the sun and a beautiful evening. I got on my scrubs, began to weed, trimmed the trees and bushes, planted a few annuals and perennials, and put another coat of protective layering on the new Adirondack chairs. I very much needed an extended period of time in fresh air, with sun, getting myself filthy and feeling like the outdoors is getting ready for the summer chaos and its events.

I have to applaud and admire Chitunga who is choosing budgeting, money, spreadsheets and accountability for a living. It is tedious, mind-numbing and frustrating work that I'm glad only comes my way once or twice a week. As my colleague Dr. Anne Campbell said, the grant work becomes another full-time job. I'm getting there.

And are you ready for this? This morning, I looked at the calendar and I have the entire day without events, obligations or responsibilities. I can't remember the last time when I had some a period of time. I have to put away laundry, clean inside, and tackle the garage, but I look forward to it because the weather report calls for a perfect day.

Hello, Saturday. I'm so glad you've come my way. I hope the two of us will have time to dance and enjoy one another's company. Wow! The work has been something else.

As for the receipt porn? Let's just say that Workday requires me to photograph every receipt so it can be uploaded to the University system. It is whacky to photograph receipt after receipt after receipt to send to my computer from my phone so I can add it to the online system. The new way of doing things is supposed to make things easier.

Nope. That would make sense.