Notebooks

My desk is presently cluttered with papers, pens, my cell phone, a debit card, a bag of microwave popcorn, 1 liter of bottled water, postcards from Bozeman, a mouse pad with Bailey's beautiful face, a fax machine, the switchboard console, a box of tissue, a phone directory, a computer screen, one speaker, and two notebooks. Notebooks spread open wide, one more organized than the other. The notebooks are my lives, one that is, and one that will be.

To my left, a red notebook with "Procedure Manual" printed on the front. This notebook contains all I do on my job. Section titles: Faxing, Guest Apartments, Human Resources, Lobby Decorating, Phone Lists, PIC Cards, Room Reservations, Sub Instructions, Survey Monkey, Switchboard, Work Study, and Lost & Found. I've created this manual for my replacement. Yes, all of this is saved electronically also, on my computer, but in my world of seven children, I tend to over communicate. Besides, I can hold this notebook, and feel how very heavy it is, and I'm somehow satisfied, that I do things. This will be passed on to Mrs. Danae Castle, the future University Receptionist, and more importantly, my daughter. How perfect that I was leaving my job and she needed one, how perfect that she endured a rigorous interview process, and how perfect that she loves notebooks!

To my right, a funky pink plaid notebook. This notebook contains all I can't forget about the next couple of months. Items include: Business cards from Jim, Troy, and Joel, three men that have helped immeasurably with our move to Bozeman, an Amoritization Calculator, rental truck agreements, hotel reservation confirmations, utility emails, income analysis, 08-09 School calendar, placement recommendations, basketball camp registration, and a Chief Joseph Middle School Program Guide. This will not leave my side for two weeks.

Notebooks. They keep me sane!