Can it get any more taxing?

Three weeks to April 15 and the motherboard on my office computer dies on Friday. Saturday morning was spent purchasing a new computer and all day Sunday transferring data and software for full day of appointments on Monday.

In between, there was a trip to hospital emergency room for yet another (third) elderly parent in past six weeks.

Thank goodness the forecast includes no more dark clouds for the next few days.

Christmas sweaters, Easter sweaters, they're all the same

Just in time for the holidays. My daughter spotted this on a recent road trip in California, and immediately thought of me. 

Rambling randomness

I've never understood why casseroles are so popular in the United States.  This one contains ground beef, green beans, tator tots, cheese and the requisite can of soup.  This is an exception to the proverbial "rose by any other name."  If you called this slop, no one would eat it.  Call it a casserole and it's a family favorite.  Fortunately not my family.  Perhaps I'm a snob, but I'd much prefer a hamburger steak, steamed green beans, and a baked potato with a small wedge of cheese (forget the soup) than this concoction. It would be a much more appetizing presentation and would not require much additional labor.

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Quote seen on Facebook Sunday:  "Tomorrow is the beginning of the second US Civil War."  People are not at all pleased with the health care bill.  Even if there is no second civil war, I think some politicians who voted yes will be in the unemployment lines after the next election.

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I don't condone the N-word, but in the 1960's Rep. John Lewis was a protester angry at people in power, so why is he intolerant of protesters who are angry at  him now that he's the one with the power ?

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I"m now watching Season 2 of "Damages." I think I enjoy this series so much because most of the evil, conniving people are baby boomers: Glen Close, William Hurt, Ted Danson, Michael Nouri and Marcia Gay Harden. Ok, I'm really watching it because of William Hurt, the star of all my early adulthood fantasies.

Unfortunately, he's put on some weight and hasn't aged well, but I still think he's a great actor, especially when portraying a brooding, soft spoken intellectual.

By the way, Happy 60th Birthday, Bill (March 20, 1950).

2081

2081: based on Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron".  Tammy Bruce's cinematic debut.  Reviews have been good.

I haven't seen it yet, but hopefully very soon.

8 down and 4 to go

My new year actually starts January 15.  That's generally the first day tax practioners can begin efiling. From that date until March 15 is always a whirlwind of paper shuffling, computations, crying, laughing and empathizing with clients' lives.

And if you think April 15 is the only deadline, you'd be wrong. Within those first eight weeks is the deadline for W-2 and 1099 forms, the deadline  for sending those reports to the IRS & Social Security, March 1 for farm tax returns, and March 15 for corporations, partnerships, and trusts. Add to the mix every Tom, Dick, and Harry that knows he's getting a refund and wants it yesterday and it results in the busiest eight weeks each and every year.  I'm not complaining; if I didn't truly enjoy it, I would quit in a heartbeat, but I love my work and my clients (well, most of them.)

The eight week period has been a bit more challenging this year. Approximately 4 out of 5 tax returns in the first few weeks had reportable unemployment compensation.  Clients were depressed, emotionally drained, and scared of the prospect of no income when the unemployment runs out. Some had marriages that were in deep trouble.  They appreciated an empathetic ear and additional appointment time to share their sorrows. (No extra charge for the wet shoulder).

Then in January, my mother had a medical emergency that landed her in the hospital for a few days.  That brought some sleepless nights and extra work to make sure my father had what he needed while she was gone.

By the time she got back home, my husband came down with influenza, which was an especially strong respiratory virus infecting most people in the area, including many of my tax clients. With a little pampering, he was over the worst of it in about 10 days, and I did my best handwashing to avoid getting it myself. I could not afford to get sick at this time of the year and deal with parental issues on top of it.

Unfortunately, my 98 year old father-in-law came down with it and pneumonia and more.  He was succumbing quickly and also required hospitalization where he lay in isolation and the prognosis was bleak for a week.  Then he turned the corner and started getting better. After a two day nursing home stay, with oxygen and day help arranged, he is now home recouperating, but 24 hour care is required for a while. So husband is spending evenings and sleeping there for now and I'm hauling meals across town.

Fortunately the pace of work slows to a manageable level for the next couple of weeks, until another major landslide after April 1 when all the proscrastinators start rolling in.

This is simply an apology and a warning.  I'm sorry I haven't been posting as often as I should, resorting to lame memes at times, but as you can see, life got in the way.  The warning - if I disappear again between April 1 and April 15, don't worry. I'll be back in full force soon.

Sunday Stealing: Judd's Merged Meme

From Sunday Stealing again:

1. What were doing 10 years ago? Wondering what it would be like to be 60

2. Five snacks that you enjoy in a perfect, non weight-gaining world: Coca-Cola, brownies, chocolate truffles, coconut cream pie, New York cheesecake

3. Five things you would do if you were a billionaire:  hire security, hunker down in a hotel room, quit cutting my hair and nails, sit around naked, and develop OCD.

4. Three of your habits:   sleep, eat, eliminate

5. Five jobs that you've have had: insurance broker, real estate broker, real estate appraiser, tax preparer, accountant, all at the same time

6. Five places that you've lived: Mom and Dad's, dorm room,  apartment, newly constructed house, Victorian house

7. Five things that you did yesterday: slept, ate, eliminated, worked, showered

8. Five people you would want to get to know more about:  More than five - all the people in my blogroll I haven't met in person yet.

9. Abortion: for or against it? for it - until the fetus is old enough to live on its own outside the womb (approx. 26  weeks), but why would any woman wait that long if they don't want the pregnancy

10. Do you think the world would fail with a female president?  I didn't know there was such thing as a world president, male or female

11. Do you believe in the death penalty?  Can you be 100% certain the person is guilty?

12. Do you wish marijuana would be legalized already?  All drugs should be legalized; then we wouldn't be spending billions of dollars on a domestic "war" and prices would fall substantially for those who are stupid enough to want to buy recreational drugs.

13. Are you for or against premarital sex?  How old are you?

14. Do you think same sex marriage should be legalized?  I believe this is not a sex issue, but a single versus married issue. I advocate eliminating all marital benefits, then single and married people would be treated legally equal and this would not be an issue.

15. Do you think it's wrong that so many Hispanics are illegally moving to the USA?  I advocate eliminating all public welfare for residents and non-residents and then this too would not be an issue.  Let anyone come who wishes to work and live here. We are a nation built by immigrants.

16. Should the alcohol age be lowered to eighteen? There should be no age limit.

17. Should the war in Iraq be called off? Bring home the troops and send those who voted for it in their place and see how they like it.

18. Assisted suicide is illegal: do you agree? One should be able to make any and all decisions regarding one's own body. It's none of the government's or anyone's business. People should be able to committ suicide in a humane, painless way with assistance if requested.

19. Do you believe in spanking your children? No, they are bigger than I.

20. Do you worry that others will judge you from reading some of your answers?  What, me worry? I'm not planning to run for any public office

Bring me a dream

I always wanted to be the one who sang the low "Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum" at the end of every line.



This song is such an ear-worm that no one could possibly  meet up with Mr. Sandman and dream, unless one wishes to dance a quick-step with him.