Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Working nine to five; what a way to make a living…

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Only three days into the first working week of the new year, and I’m exhausted. I have a self imposed goal of closing last year and opening this by week’s end. The alternative is to have two years open at once, and in twelve years I cannot bring myself to do it. Government accounting is too complex and my brain too fossilized. I make neat piles and dispose of them systematically and am done. I cannot worry about two years at once.

The program turns red X’s into green check marks as the close progresses. I was down to one red X yesterday, struggling through the warning on the screen that I was in in statutory violation of some important thing and could not continue until I cleared the refund I made to the road super of the health insurance I over deducted. 

I struggled with the fine print for an hour and by luck and tinkering found I could make a negative allocation of the amount back to the payroll account and hey, presto, the green light came on. Good enough for the government, as they say.

The clerk before me retired in his seventies, as I am now. I teased him he didn’t want to deal with CCR registration on-line. That’s Central Contractor Registration, not Credence Clearwater. CCR was the original platform for awarding government grants. It has morphed into the colossus that includes IPP and SAM, which I must use to obtain government funds.

I told a completely disinterested trustee recently that state government is pushing on us to file our accounting records in GASBE or GAAP format. It would mean mapping all our accounting records to look like, at year’s end, some general accounting formats prescribed by the National Accounting Standards Board. Still not the real thing, but on the road to uniform records from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

To that I say baloney; that’s why we pay the auditors, and we must pay them anyway. This year I had to pick whether I was filing one of the G’s, or my old friend, Regulatory. Next to Regulatory was a note, Not Recommended. Sez you; and I filed Regulatory. The year I don’t have a Regulatory choice will be my CCR year. End of my term or no, I’m outta there.

Add physical therapy and fetching children from appointments and I am beat. This afternoon I took a nap, waiting for Laura to come out from jazz band practice. Tomorrow she has art after school.

At lunch time today I rearranged the stock left at the gallery.  We changed the display to feature two right angle sections, and I think it all looks much more accessible.  I put everything on nice coat hangers today, put a scarf through one of the grids, and went back to work.

I need to weave this weekend!




22 comments:

  1. Joanne, really? I could never do all you do. That government payroll whatever, I couldn't do in a million years. Much less weaving and caring for teenagers. You are golden.

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  2. You are a superstar. You will miss this someday - a little bit, anyway.

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  3. sounds like you need a couple of more hobbies and a boyfriend to bother you between activities! that's a joke! naps sound good. I am great at naps. I can sleep in the doctors waiting room! ha ha ha have a good one and don't overdue.

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  4. Joanne -- I am amazed that you are involved in so many activities. No wonder you take cat naps in between it all. -- barbara

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  5. I swear, I do not know where you get your energy from.

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  6. You are the real Superwoman. Also, if there was a Superman, he wouldn't be able to keep up with you.

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  7. Happy New Year to you! Your output is double that of people half your age so you have a right to be tired. I pray you have the renewed energy to do what you need to. You always amaze me.

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  8. What is it with governments and changing systems that have been working well for umpteen years?? Can't they just leave well enough alone?
    Your t-shirt and wraps display looks lovely.

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  9. No wonder you're tired. You're working full-time (and overtime?), raising two teenagers, keeping a house and weaving as a side job. You could run circles around most 30-year-olds. But PLEASE slow down a little so you can enjoy retirement when you get there, okay? How's your arm doing this week?

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  10. I'm tired reading about all you are doing! I know you can't slow down (much) but allow yourself the naps when you can sneak them in!

    betty

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  11. I am in awe at all you achieve. Naps are more than deserved, and probably essential. How is your arm?

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  12. " I make neat piles and dispose of them systematically and am done. I cannot worry about two years at once."
    Yes, Joanne - my method of organising, too. I'm not a "multitasker", and don't want to be.
    Your tax system sounds even more complicated than ours.
    When I see the clothes on the hanger, I feel their softness - as in the beautiful scarf I have from you. So special!

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  13. Joanne, I am speechless about how much you achieve in your life - and full of admiration too.

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  14. I wouldn't have been able to keep up with you in my 30's, let alone now! As always, I stand in awe.

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  15. Hari OM
    Phew... I need a lie down from just reading this... but it puts me in mind of an old adage; "if you need something doing, ask a busy person"! YAM xx

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  16. You wear me out. I had to deal with government regs as a teacher and I flushed my brain when I retired. I won't even do our taxes-that's Mac's job. I handle day-to-day, no regulations, I run wild. Take care.

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  17. Credence Clearwater Revival sounded better than the Central Contractor Registration ever could

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  18. You make me laugh... you can keep your sense of humor while trying to close out the last year... having been PR/Acct Payable manager of a hospital for 20 years, I loved year-end. Okay.. fiscal year-end or payroll year-end? Well... both... but (also in my 70's) these days I'd just say F(obscene) it all. Yep... you are one strong woman!

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  19. Sounds to me like you need the weekend to take a well deserved nap.

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  20. No wonder you are tired. I don't think I could do it all like you do. I struggle enough with just keep up with the house, the cooking, the laundry, and two teens. Can't imagine throwing a full-time job into that! You deserve all the naps you can muster!

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