I haven’t written because we’ve been doing company and personal taxes all last week and into this week. I won’t bore you too long on the nightmare we went through with Turbo Tax and Quickbooks online except suffice it to say that when they told me Quickbooks online can go on Turbo Tax (like the mess of a desktop version we changed from which at least DID–all INTUIT programs), it wasn’t true.
Too stressful to do much of anything but deal with these taxes. Turbotax says they have to do another update on Feb. 9th before we can file our personal taxes (which shouldn’t change much). It wasn’t great news but not nearly as bad as my worst fears, either. Anyway, nothing else can be done until the 9th. But I also did enough projections on income for our imminent retirement to see that even though the first year will be tight until we get a balloon payment on a house we sold –and sell our apartments– we should be ok going forward. My husband is busy planning boat repairs we really don’t have money for if we’re going to paint the house…
Most people who know they have to pay money, put off doing taxes and filing, but I want the news immediately–good or bad. I hate things hanging over my head and I’m not a procrastinator. As I recall that might be the only compliment I ever got from my dad (besides left handed ones). My mother never gave them either –once close to when she died she said I was a lot like her and referred to me as “my daughter the writer.” That was it.
Still procrastination is tied to mental illness. This one idiot ex-friend of mine said his shrink gave him a book on procrastination on the first visit.
He never read it, of course. I’ll spare you the rest of his craziness.
I digress.
So on to my dream. I haven’t been keeping a journal like I should be in order to get back into my novel. Soon. So why Matthew Stafford throwing the football?
My dream.
It wasn’t him, I don’t think. In my dream. But I dreamed I was watching a football game (which we’ve been doing–all my teams lose except for last year when Matt won the Superbowl–wish it could have been for the Lions). Anyway, I was watching this football game and this quarterback threw the ball and I caught it sitting in my living room. I was very amazed at this as you might imagine and I asked my husband if that last pass was incomplete, which I expected on the field since I had caught the ball. And yes it was incomplete on the tv. But since I caught it, that seemed wrong, too. It was quite a lucid dream because I was aware in the dream that it was a very cool dream and quite funny.
But I did better catching the ball than many of my teams during the playoffs. (Especially the Rams who should have beat the Seahawks right before the playoffs which in turn would have put the Lions in the playoffs–though that was mostly the officiating which sucked).
But now that the taxes are mostly done, I can get back into my writing/exercising routine.
More on my maintenance diet soon. And my weightlifting. I have quite a few thoughts on that.
Meantime, I’m enjoying watching the left twist in the wind and do their usual dissembling so that only Republicans must follow rules (not Clinton or Biden. –he whole point is everything these idiot Democrats have tried to hang Trump with (and there have been like 30 lawsuits, I guess– are all things anyone could be charged with.) Most of it was made up bilge. Whether you like Trump or not, nobody in this country should want these idiots doing this stuff–or censoring, demonizing, intelligence agencies out of control– like a banana republic. This woke garbage is nonsense as well. I was a libertarian and for gay marriage and very limited pro choice (reluctantly). But all this is out of control. It’s clear everything they DO is about controlling people. The administrative state — which must be worshipped– supplanting God, of course.
I don’t watch much, though. One of my resolutions was to limit it to one show/night and even limit that. One can only stomach so much. The right isn’t much better because they are just there for power as well and keep caving to the left. Though they ARE somewhat better.
Happy Tuesday.
L.E.K. 
Is procrastination REALLY tied to mental illness? (If so: it explains a lot…). It’s been a lifelong plague.
I’ve (unintentionally) stopped watching streaming video/TV/movies; I do watch YT (though less and less, as creators get banned or lose interest), but mostly very small content creators. I also read a lot of Substack.
I suspect I’ll start reading real books again soon.
Good to hear from you!
This shrink thought so. And I see many more think so:
https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/is-your-chronic-procrastination-actually-a-matter-of-mental-health
Hope you are well and playing with your nieces/nephews? Cold here. XO
Ahh, yes, the old income taxes. We use a CPA those there is no confusion or mental breakdowns in our household. I tried QB and TT once, but gave up. I’m waiting for one of those 89 K IRS agents to knock on our door. I’ve installed a 3 ton weight above the entrance that should take care of them. I got the idea from the Roadrunner and Coyote saga.
You, sir, are a genius! I like the way you think!
Just a grateful soul and humble servant, but still full of vinegar and fire. Thank you.
Hi Phil–well, starting next year we’ll have to have a CPA. We have some capital gains coming into the picture and we can’t figure the recaptured depreciation and all that. We’ll be getting a balloon on our last rental house we sold and selling our apartments we hope on a land contract soon. I doubt that will help with the mental strain because it will take them forever to do it. I think I’ll take your idea of the 3 ton weight! Brilliant thought!
I always figure on doing my taxes the first weekend of March, becaue by then I have all the paperwork. I’ve used the H&R Block program since 2014, and I’m satisfied with the results.
Ronald Reagan was right: government is the problem. If we had jut enough government to enforce the laws (the ones that prevent us from killing each other or stealing other people’s stuff) and keep the infrastructure in good shape (and I mean really maintain the roads and bridges, not just talk about it), I’d be happy.
Another smart man..:I totally agree with you.
Hi John, I can’t stand to wait that long even though I know we always have to pay these days. It hangs over my head…
I’ve been binge watching old movies, chosen is really good, but old old movies! Lol. Take care, I use paper plates off and on. Depends on what I cook,lol.
Ha!