Workin’ 9-4 *Cue Dolly Parton*
June 28, 2022
If you were unaware, I have recently acquired a job that is quite gripping and absolutely thrilling: Working 9-4 at an accounting office. It is equivalent in excitement to the frenzied disarray of file cabinets, the rigorous dismantling of cardboard boxes, and the perpetual ringing of phone calls that I am definitely not allowed to answer! In the language of my boss, “Oh mercy me! Oh goodie gum drop! Like I said hon.”
So far, I have spent a total of 111.5 hours in this office. I arrive at 9 am, turn on the computer, and open a program called Medlin. It is a most exhilarating program. First, you click on it. Once you’ve recovered from the exhaustion of that repetitive task, then the program proceeds to show you all of the small businesses the office works with. After clicking on the desired business, my job focuses on two things (for right now): Payroll and Accounting.
Payroll is a fancy term for… Drum roll please … Alyson is responsible for your paycheck! Say what? Crazy talk. I even paid my mom’s salary just last week.
Many people claim they know people. But your accountant knows em’ better. Bank statements. Credit card statements. Cash receipts. All tell a good story. All explain why some people are getting unusually large and broke lately. I mean, if you saw this, what would you think?
05/24 Krispy Kreme $ 10.76
05/24 Circle K $ 20.34
05/24 ATM Fee $ 5.00
05/24 ATM Withdrawal $ 500.00
05/24 Chick Fil A $ 27.39
05/24 Circle K $ 35.47
05/24 Food Lion $ 185.56
05/25 Krispy Kreme $ 10.76
05/25 Atrium Health $ 376.34
Gas, donuts, Chick-Fil-A, and going to the doctor because those donuts were not sugar free. The American Dream in a bank statement.
My favorite time? Lunch. It is here I find out the joke of the day. A recent one has been prevailing lately:
“I heard in the news that the term ‘monkey pox’ is offensive. But I’m wondering…which monkey complained?”
I have to keep reminding myself why on earth am I doing this? Sometimes I’m so jobless, I start inventing work. My latest invention: organizing binderclips on three paper straws. Other tasks include eyes glazed at the NC Department of Revenue website, quietly peeking at the cake inside the mini fridge, stuffing envelopes, getting rebuked for paper clipping bank statements instead of stapling them. My favorite: slowly observing my coworker also being jobless.
Ok ok, I know why.
I’m actually very grateful for this job. Training isn’t always easy, and there is definitely a learning curve. But one of these days, I’ll have a piano studio. And one thing’s for sure, I’ll be in the same boat as these businesses. I’m hoping to learn as much as I can to aid in the financial aspect of a future school. Here are a few things I have penned down:
Separate the expenses for the business and personal accounts.
Make it a weekly priority to organize receipts/records
Get a file cabinet and many folders
Make your own ledgers
4 pm strikes, my desk falls apart, and I’m out of there. Racing out in my red car (5 miles above the speed limit - I like to live on the dangerous side of life), I reflect on another taxing job at the accounting office, and prepare to teach another piano lesson to close out the day.
Galatians 6: 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
To God be the glory,
Alyson
