1 February 2002

You know all those chores I said yesterday I had to do? Well, guess what?

... I actually did 'em!

No, seriously. I spent a good while at work plugging away at this document I'm writing, until I reached a point that I couldn't really go any further without suggestions or feedback. So I sent it off to a couple of other people for comments.

When I got home, I collected all the mail that I'd been too lazy to open, and the bill that was on the table, and assorted other things, and then I dug out the checkbooks, and I took it all over to my chair.

I got my computer logged in, and I checked out Columbia House's website. According to their records the unopened DVD on the table is Jurassic Park III, a movie I could not want less if I tried. I poked around a little more and found a webform through which they would send me a return label, and ordered one.

Then I moved on to the mail. Trash... something for the files... trash...

What's this? A check from a magazine subscription that I'd cancelled - good!

Trash... something for the files... Oh, I get paid tomorrow; I'd better put that in the checkbooks.

Trash... trash... What's this? A check from Amazon.Com? Why? I didn't return any- Oh, neat. My referrer's fees finally amounted to enough for them to send me a check. It only took four years. Heh.

And that was it. No more bills; just the one credit card bill I'd already opened. I pulled out my checkbook and wrote the check (well, there goes most of the paycheck I'm getting tomorrow...) and put the envelope together.

And then - because once I finally get around to doing these things, I do them right - I got the computer again and fired up Quicken. I entered a handful of checks that hadn't been entered yet, and the last two paychecks. Before I picked up the most recent bank statement, I checked to make sure that Quicken's bottom line matched mine. (Because mathematicians suck at arithmetic. It's true!)

I got out the bank statement, and started with the savings account - it's easier, because there's never more than four transactions in a month - two paycheck direct deposits (I have the bank split my paychecks between all the accounts it's supposed to go in; a little into savings, somewhat more into checking, and the rest into the joint checking account, to cover things like the mortgage.) - and maybe one or two ATM withdrawals, because I like to always have a little cash on hand.

I'm always forgetting to put my paycheck deposits into Quicken, though, especially for the savings account, and I never remember to record ATM withdrawals. My tendency is to wait until I get the bank statement and then just enter whatever it says into Quicken.

So I did that, and then I moved on to the checking account.

All the checks matched up just fine. But Quicken only had one paycheck listed. (I told you, I'm always forgetting.) No sweat, I'll just... Wait. Quicken's bottom line had matched my checkbook's bottom line. Without the missing paycheck.

I dug out my checkbook again and flipped back to December. Yes, there's the paycheck from the 21st, and...?

Sure enough, I'd completely forgotten to record the paycheck from the 7th. I have more money than I thought I had!

Feeling sheepish that I'd forgotten, but happy about the new-found money, I updated my checkbook register and Quicken, and finished reconciling. Everything else came out even, thank goodness.

And then, dear readers, I got my ass up out of the chair and I went and did the dishes. (Which isn't saying much; I just had to put the clean ones away and then move the dirty ones into the dishwasher.)

Amazing and astounding, I know!

But before you get too impressed with my impressiveness, I'll confess: I forgot to put the bill in the mailbox this morning.

--Liz