I-5

I attended a(nother) workshop - this one in Sacramento. I almost didn't go - my desk is piled high, I have a budget to present to the board in 4 weeks and the 'issues' surrounding preparing this giant 'to do' are too numerous to go into here. Suffice it to say that the last place I needed to be today was sitting in a hotel conference room. But I'm so glad I went because I did get a lot out of it - the subject was year-end closing so feasibly, it really is just another long list of things to be scared out of my mind about - but oh well. At least I now KNOW what looms ahead in the upcoming few months. It's a crazy busy time of year for a CBO and this year will certainly test me in many, many ways. But I went and got some reassurances from various folks in attendance that it does get easier in time. I sat at lunch with staff from a district with SIXTY THOUSAND ADA (average daily attendance) which makes my minute 2350 seem non-existent. I can't even calculate their budget - I tried and my phone calculator did the 'to the eighth power' thing - it's a huge number. Here I am wishing/thinking I want to add a budget analyst type position - and they have dozens of analysts. And accountants. And I have me, an assistant and one payroll clerk. And one TBD position that I haven't decided what to fill with yet. Anyway, it was a great workshop and I have a really REALLY long list of things to do on top of the year-end closing to do list they provided. Wrote notes on note paper the entire time - who to ask what, things to look into. It got my brain power going and helped me reinforce to myself that I do love this kind of 'stuff'.

There was a steady stream of school buses heading south on I-5 - undoubtedly headed to points south for various 'senior/8th grade' ditch days. H.'s class went to Great America yesterday - they had a ball. He returned home sunburned, exhausted and decked out in a hat airbrushed with a beach scene and his name. And his wallet $60 lighter from the hat and food he bought - all with his own money. He had a great day. He graduates tomorrow evening and then we'll have TWO high school students in our midst. Yikes. We will share the celebration with the parents of C. and K. previously mentioned - the same family we celebrated Confirmation with a couple weeks ago. We'll have dinner there, head to the ceremony and then go back over after to continue the festivities. It will undoubtedly be a fun filled evening and we're looking forward to it.

On the way home from Sacramento, I stopped at Starbucks - I'm reasonably sure I know every Starbucks location between here and there. Got my iced tea and continued south. I know this is going to sound silly - but there's something about finding that familiar green logo that makes me 'happy'. Content. Like a safe place to 'find' wherever you happen to be traveling. Their product is consistent and their staff is friendly and 'finding' one is kind of a 'security blanket' that I appreciate having. I know it's silly - but making that 'stop' when I've been up since the crack of dawn, driven hours to arrive where I need to be, sat through a long, information-packed class in a too-crowded room for 7 hours and am now heading back south towards home is just so reassuring. So happy that I can afford to do that - blessed that I can. It's a luxury that is a relatively reasonably priced 'perk' I give myself in exchange for working hard and long at what I do for a living. I can't wait for retirement when I'll visit any and all Starbucks I find on our travels across the US and abroad. I do love my iced teas.

Ciao for now!