Back when I had a houseful of wee ones, I always loved their interest in everything about my life.  (Apparently, with age, I've become much less interesting . . . but that's another story.)  Every day when I returned from work, I was greeted with hugs, kisses, and a monstrous exchange of information - who got hurt, who had so much homework, who misbehaved, what the neighbors said or did, and so much more, ending with "what did you do today, mommy?"

When I was a legal secretary, I loved to answer that question because it was so easy.  Computers had not yet invaded offices, and I had an actual inbox full of work to be completed.  To my great satisfaction, this work moved in a quasi-orderly fashion into my actual outbox.  At the end of a workday, I could survey my desk and assess some level of productivity.

When my actual inbox and outbox were replaced by their virtual cousins, things got harder to quantify.  At least for this country girl.  Somedays the kids' question flummoxed me to the point of muteness!

Although my wee ones are now well into their 20s and mosty in their 30s, today makes me remember their famous question.  Probably because today is a prime example of doing a lot that you just can't explain!  So here goes . . .

Mommy, Mommy, what did you do today?

Well, I answered about 65 e-mails and a dozen phone calls (notice the 5:1 ratio).  I completed 34 financial transactions online, and four online forms.  I transferred ten presentations into Adobe files, and posted them on a website.  I arranged four multi-person meetings - all via the magic of e-mail!  And I took an online quiz to be able to retain my purchasing card at work.

There is almost nothing I can hold in my hand and say "I completed this!"  Everything is very ethereal.  And even though I can list it out and it seems like a good amount of work for a full day, I miss that old satisfaction of seeing a stack of newly typed documents.

I hope you don't take this as the rant of a crazy old lady.  I love technology and have embraced each new wave.  I have personally moved through my career from a manual typewriter with carbon copies to today's phenomenal equipment, without any kicking and screaming.  But sometimes, psychically, I really, really miss that old thrill of seeing physical results from my labors.