Getting Personal

Challenge from our area newspaper.

Name, age, town of residence
Diane  61, Paxton

Profession: Explain in one sentence what it is you do.
Hard to answer. I'm a Jill of all Trades and a Master of Some.  Currently I own an accounting/tax preparation business, and I'm Executive Director of a non-profit economic development group.

What time do you typically get up? What do you do the first hour of the morning?
Between 5:30 and 6.  Walk the dog, watch my spouse eat breakfast, grab a Coke, and visit my dad at the nursing home.

What did you have for lunch today? Where? With whom?
 a cup of homemade chili and a piece of cornbread at home with my spouse

Best high school memory.
Graduating.  I was anxious to get on to college and bigger and better places, but I've ended up right back where I started.

Tell me about your favorite pair of shoes.
BORN clog wedgies. They're so comfortable and they give the illusion I'm 5'4".

What does a perfect Sunday afternoon include?
Treasure hunting by attending an auction, flea market or estate sale

Was there one book you read as a child that you still cherish? Own? Read?
 1950's Nancy Drew mysteries.  I still own many.

Where on earth are you dying to go? Why?
San Francisco to see my older daughter who has lived there for six years and I have yet to visit her.  Sometimes life's obligations don't allow you to leave, but there's always Skype so I have seen her apartment without physically going there.

Tell me about your favorite pet.
They've all been wonderful, but Dusty, a miniature Schnauzer, has a special place in my heart.  About a month after we brought him home from the Humane Society, he got hit by a car, needed surgery, and was convalescing from a broken hip in the kitchen of our home.  I slipped and fell down several steps of a staircase in our foyer.  As I lay dazed on the floor, Dusty appeared at my side and nuzzled me.  Unable to walk and with surgical drains and stitches, he had scooted himself over 35 feet through three rooms just to check on me. He survived 5-6 years after that.

Have you discovered as you matured that you are becoming like one of your parents? Which one and how?
Physically I look most like my dad, but I have my mom's smile. The rest of me had to come from previous generations because, unlike my parents, I am a shy, analytical, less traditional, outside-the box, libertarian character.

What would you order for your last meal?
Baked peppered salmon, baked sweet potato, fresh steamed asparagus, and my homemade coconut pound cake with fresh raspberries

What can you NOT live without?
Oviously air, food and water, but the Internet is high on my list.

Who do you have on your iPod?
I don't own an iPod, but I enjoy every genre of music.  My music collection has everything from Frank Sinatra to Jimi Hendrix to Broadway musicals.  I do own a Kindle, but you didn't ask what's on it.

What’s the happiest memory of your life?
About 20 years ago when my husband, two daughters and I spent a day at Billie Creek Village.  We were having such a good time that I ran a few steps ahead of them, jumped up into the air, and clicked my heels in front of everyone there.  They laughed hard because they couldn't believe I'd do something like that in public.

If you could host a dinner party with any three living people in the world, whom would you invite?
libertarian Wendy McElroy, investment advisor Doug Casey, and entertainer Dolly Parton

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
From my two favorite quotes:
 "A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others."Ayn Rand
and
"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." Mae West

What’s your best piece of advice?
Never buy cereal without a coupon and always when it's on sale.

What was your first job, and how much did you make an hour?
Filing at my family's business (all of us siblings started at the bottom) . I don't remember what I got paid but I'm certain it wasn't much

What was a pivotal decision in your career, and how did you arrive at that decision?
Retiring from the family business at age 55.  It allowed me to focus on areas of my career that I most enjoyed.  I had always planned to put in 30 years there and then follow my own dreams, which I have.

Do you have a bad habit? What is it?
I'm addicted to regular Coca-Cola, but I limit it to 24 ounces a day so I don't overdose.

How do you handle a stressful situation?
I used to play some furious songs on the piano, but since I sold it, I just get in the car and drive around in the country for some quiet reflection. Actually I don't get stressed over too many things.

Sunday Stealing Meme

A. Age: Old, wise, and experienced
B. Bed size:  2 1/2

C. Chore that you hate: grocery shopping with all those people who move in slow-motion

D. Dogs:  Babbi, Pudgie, Hunter, Sid, Dusty, Lola but not all at the same time

E. Essential start to your day: caffeine and sugar at the same time via Coca-Cola

F. Favorite color: Blue

G. Gold or Silver: Might be too late for gold, but silver may still be a good investment

H. Height:  Short and sweet

I. Instruments you play:  piano and saxophone but not simultaneously

J. Job title:  boss lady and janitor

K. Kids:  Yes and I joke, too. They don't call me Wry for nothin'.

L. Live:  No. I was pre-recorded in a previous life.

M. Mother's name:  Surely.

N. Nicknames: ####, *****,!!!!!!

O. Overnight hospital stays: They force you to spend the night after childbirth even if you want to go home.

P. Pet peeve:  tardiness

Q. Quote from a movie:  "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies."   Prissy, Gone With the Wind

R. Right or left handed: right except when I'm playing billiards

S. Siblings:  One down and one left

T. Time you wake up:  Dawn.


U. Underwear:  Is that a yes or no question?

V. Vegetable you hate:  I have yet to meet one I didn't like

W. What makes you run late:  Nothing. You know old people are ALWAYS early.

X. X-Rays you've had: on my feet for fun at the shoe store

Y. Yummy food that you make: It's all good that's why I'm known as Yummy Mummy.

Z. Zoo animal:  Cougar

Tuesday Tirade

I don't know how many times in the past few hours I've heard the replay of our President trying to sell his deficit reform bill by saying "Middle-class families shouldn't pay higher taxes than millionaires and billionaires,"   From my 30+ years experience in dealing with tax issues, wealthy clients pay substantially more in taxes than the middle class.  I know for certain that many "wealthy" people would be very happy to pay the same taxes as most middle-class families

There are many households with incomes under $50,000 who pay no taxes and even receive bonus refunds (refunds in excess of any taxes they paid). Why is it "fair" that they pay no taxes? It is only "unfair" in the minds of some politicians when "wealthy" people don't. And who defines "fair share" and "wealthy"? 

Finally, a report exposing the lies of the President's speech shows up as a top story on a major Internet site today. You can read the article here.  The government's own statistics indicate the President doesn't have a clue about tax issues.

Music Monday

A little present from my daughter:

Tuesday Titillation

Someone with brass balls got violated.  News editor was on vacation when story broke.

Music Monday

Sunday Stealing Meme

From Sunday Stealing:

1) Who is the last person you high-fived?
High-five is so passe. I bump fists.

2) If you were drafted into a war, would you survive?
No, because if they start drafting women over 60, we're all dead for sure.

3) Do you sleep with the TV on?
Nope. It's too heavy.

4) Have you ever drunk milk straight out of the carton?
Only if it's an individual size carton, but I prefer drinking from a glass.

5) Have you ever won a spelling bee?
No, but I won a mathematical bee once and he taught me everything I know about finance.

6) Have you ever been stung by a bee?
I'm too smart for any sting operation.

7) How fast can you type?
Sometimes the computer can't keep up. Those piano lessons paid off.

8) Are you afraid of the dark?
No, dark chocolate is my favorite.

9) Eye color:  old blue eyes

10) Have you ever made out at a drive-in?
Best date I ever had...

11) When was the last time you chose a bath over a shower?
See #8. When there's dark chocolate in the tub. Otherwise, it's showers only 'cause I really like quickies.

12) Do you knock on wood?
Only when I want to see if someone is home.

13) Do you floss daily?
Depends on what it is I'm flossing

15) Can you hula hoop?
Yes, I have big, swingin' hips.

16) Are you good at keeping secrets?
My clients hope I am.

17) What do you want for Christmas?
Ham

18) Do you know the Muffin Man?
The one who lives on Drury Lane?

19) Do you talk in your sleep?
OMG - I hope not.

20) Who wrote the book of love?
Upton Sinclair among others