"Better, Sir?"

Posted 9:25 PM by Michelle
It's finally starting to cool down, now that it's past 9 PM and full dark. We are in a particularly hot spell and it breeds napping and staring out the window. Instead, I sequestered myself at one of my two offices, the one with air conditioning and high-speed internet, and forced myself to write my first grant. Parts of it are good, parts of it are drippy, and maybe some of the numbers don't make sense, but at least I have a first draft. Once I started I couldn't stop. I skipped lunch and a yoga class and made myself sit there and hit keys. Only once did I get up to stare out the window, befuddled by a sentence, and less than a minute later I'd worked out the wording and was back to my desk.

I sent it to my boss to see if, well, really, to ask him if it was ridiculous or sucky or good, and I haven't heard back. Really, I mean, what the fork, I've never written a grant before so if it sucks, there is a darn good reason.

I'm a little concerned that I'll get to the office tomorrow and he'll dissolve all of my feelings of productiveness and self-worth by telling me it's no good, so I'm hanging on to what feels like one of my most productive days. Other things are crashing and burning, invitations not answered, fundraising not going well, and a certain Mr. Crappy Poopy Pants trying to take away some of the funding we've already earned, but at least I got the first draft of this damn grant done.

I can't believe that I was in New York just last week. It seems like a zillion years ago, and I wish I had the whole week to do over. It was a good lesson in expectations, and in carpeing some diem whenever possible.





This is a bunch of kids in summer camp playing "Red Rover". I spent all of about ten minutes in Central Park this visit, but at least I got to watch this. I totally miss summer camp, even though I only went a couple of random times. I want to go somewhere for a few weeks where we ride horses and paddle canoes and make friendship bracelets and drink sweet instant tea every morning after bunking with a host of spiders. I so totally want to do that right now.

If you told me I could have either 1) a burly fireman to love or 2) high-speed internet at my home, I'd have to think long and hard. And then ask nicely for both.