Full Moon, Cold Night, Work Done

[Originally written Wednesday, January 23, 2008)

I found zero today. I am ready for the board meeting tomorrow, after I sacrifice some tree limbs to make copies of all the documents I finished today. Preliminary financial statements for fiscal year 2007 (9 pages). Finance resolutions for the annual organizational board meeting, reauthorizing banks and signatures, and listing transfers to and from and between fund balances (5 pages). 2008 budget, with cover page showing results for 2007 and projections for 2008, organized by program and grant (17 pages). Little of which will actually be read... They'll read the budget cover page and the resolutions, because they are written in words rather than numbers.

We ended up with a teensy bit of red ink (.08% of $1.65 million), and the net from operations was within $100 of what I predicted at this time last year.

I'm happiest with the new budget. I was able to find a bunch more money for utility bills, and keep salaries largely untouched. If I find the time to actually monitor what we are doing this year, I think we are set to end the new year in better shape. My solemn vow is to focus better. Because I want this agency to keep afloat, because I'll never have another job with this much flexibility and paid time off.

Yeah - I have 6 weeks of paid leave this year, without touching sick time. That's because I didn't take all my vacation time last year. This year will be different, I plan to enjoy it all.

So - now to think about something magical. It's a full, or nearly full, moon tonight. I've been looking at the moon on and off since I left work, shining through wispy clouds over a wintry landscape. We've had winters when we had to park our cars at the end of the driveway and walk the quarter mile in to our home, and when the moon is full, it's almost like walking in daylight, but better. The trees cast detailed shadows, the snow glistens, with here and there an iridescent spark, and I feel like I am drugged on something especially good for the world to look like that.

Tonight I am wondering why full moon nights in winter so often are clear, bitter cold nights. Bitter cold here in the Adirondack foothills is 11 degrees, and dropping. It will be below zero tomorrow morning.

I can remember walking home from a sauna at the neighbors in 30 degrees below, and hardly feeling it. Alas, the neighbors and the sauna are a distant memory.

It's 8 degrees now.

No picture of the moon tonight - but here is a picture of what it looked like through my dining room window this morning. I want to learn how to photograph moonshine.


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