Excitement next September

I went to the travel agent's office on Friday to give her the group's first big deposit on our tickets - she'll be faxing in the order early next week. I sat in front of her desk and we talked of whens and hows and passports and playbills and it was all terribly exciting. It served to remind me just how quickly the next ten months will pass, too: I remember sitting in the exact same seat two years ago and thinking, This is kind of a long time to wait. But no, no it isn't. And all the waiting makes the trip only that much more exciting anyway. News to me, that was, since I am not big on delayed gratification.

When I got home, I sent out an email to each member of the group, telling them what was going on and oh-yes-by-the-way-I-need-more-money-from-you. I absolutely hate having to ask people for money around Christmas time, but unless we want those two really special field trips to get booked up on us again, I have no choice. I sent a copy of the email to Pat, who has agreed to be my financial advisor, and he responded by sending me back a custom-made spreadsheet to help me keep all incoming monies cleanly organized. Because, money? Money I cannot organize. I do not understand it. Silverware drawers? Those I can organize. Sorting students into age-appropriate groups at the Indianapolis Museum of Art? Piece of cake. Making sure everyone gets to Hilbert Circle Theater for a symphony performance or to the Indiana Repertory Theater for a play -- contract signed, money paid, directions sent out, group met in lobby -- and I am your girl.

But keeping track of several thousand dollars in other people's money for a nearly one year period? No can do. Or, to put it more vividly, scared out of my freaking mind to do. I did it last time, although I'm not sure how, but I felt confused ninety percent of the time. It was awful. So when it came to things I wanted to do differently this time, my number one thing was Do Not Go To Another Student Performance, Like, Ever, Because the Students Will Behave Like Baboons and You Will Want to Kill Them, but running a close second was Have Someone Else Handle the Money.

Excitement abounds, 'struth!