We had no more money to spend. They insisted on that. They were adament. Then-on the day of the earthquake they came up with uh-can you spend another $843?

I just put in a requisition to spend $511. Can't see where to spend more-not with stuff that we don't need, and don't have a place to store. Ordered extras of things we run out of. This was after us "running out of money" just a month ago! This is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!

Think they would know how to budget it by now. We have to spend within 1% of our budget every year or we get in trouble. OK, but they don't give us the total until Congress passes the budget,which this year wasn't until June/July. Then it has to be distributed to each division within each agency; by that time it is near the end of our year. Now is the panic because Congress AND OPM will think that we don't need the money if it is not ALL spent by 8/31/11. Talk about a catch 22.

Just got a call asking why I didn't double up on some of the orders to spend more. I know that there is another secretary that can order. But did she? We don't know cause she doesn't tell anyone, but she does tend to have trouble with her orders a lot of the time-she can no longer order calendars because she ALWAYS gets the wrong year when she orders. Part of the problem with her is that she faxes her orders in, I ALWAYS call my orders in. I trust speaking to a live person so that if there is a difference in price, a product not in, or any type of problem I can fix it or at least I know about it right then!! She likes the 'short cuts'. Oh well, this is normal for government. Hurry up and stop, or I should say STOP and HURRY UP!!