Not your typical tax problem

Seeing as tax season is almost upon us, I decided I should sit down and attempt to do my taxes this weekend. I figured I'd need 3, 4 hours or so, since taxes are supposed to be hugely onerous and time consuming, right? I mean, why else would we all hate them so much? (Oh, yeah, other than that whole money-that-I-don't-get-to-keep thing. But besides that, I mean, what's to hate?)

So, I got everything ready, sat down...

...and about 40 minutes later, I was done. Maybe not even 40 minutes. I wasn't keeping good track, but I know it wasn't more than an hour. And my first thought was, "Done!" Followed by, "Wait. That was waaaaaaaay too easy. That can't be right." At which point, I decided not to go on to my state taxes, because what's the point of getting them all wrong too?

Thing is, I'm pretty sure I didn't miss anything. I don't bother with itemizing or anything like that. I prefer to keep things simple, and I'm willing to let the government keep a few more dollars of my money to spare myself a headache. It's not money I had, so how bad can I miss it?

I also tend to work on the premise that maybe if I don't try to drag every penny out of the government that I can (thus avoiding that fun tug-o-war), then they will leave me alone. I don't make a stink for you, you don't make a stink for me. Fair's fair, right? Theoretically, it should work. But only if they got the memo.

Of course at this point, I can add an extra hour or two to my tax preparation time for the general unease I've felt, and then add the time I'll spend checking it again--say 30 minutes or so, and I'm up to what, 3, 4 hours? Which is about right. And then I have my state taxes, so yeah. The onerous part, not so much, but I'm definitely set for time consuming. Ish.

Getting things done

I always seem to forget how good it feels to be productive in my personal life. I think I am pretty productive at work, considering that the big overall projects can't be knocked out with any kind of quick turnaround.* I also have multiple projects going on at any given moment, but I do find that there are little milestones I achieve, which are rewarding. 

Anyway, I always seem to forget how nice it is to check things off my personal to do list. My brain has this mentality of, "I've worked all day long and had to be focused on the job. Now I just want to ooze."** So I don't ever get anything done. 

I also have this problem where I'm so worried and stressed so often, that I spend a lot of time feeling worried and stressed. You may not realize it, but it takes a LOT of effort and time to be worried and stressed. So, I feel like I'm super busy and don't have time to get things done, only to realize that I am busy worrying and stressing. Which is completely non-productive, exhausting, and not good for any kind of health. 

But today (once I finally got going***) I actually got quite a bit done. I didn't move mountains or anything, but I felt like I accomplished something. And it was a good feeling. 

The thing is, I always know that it's going to feel good to be busy and to do things. But I don't seem to do anything about it. Like, do things. And I'm not quite sure what to do about it. I used to be good about keeping a to do list on my iPod. It was great, because I got to tick things off (why is that so satisfying?!). Then, somehow, I fell off the wagon on that--maybe it was having the Kindle, maybe it was just me dropping the ball. But I've never really gotten back on track. But I really liked accomplishing something with my day. I like how it felt. I hope I figure out a solution that works for me, because I could use that feel-goodness in my life. 

*You try sorting through 250 boxes of material from more than a dozen different people from the last 40 years. It isn't quick. 

**If your brain tries to tell you this, ignore it. Brains do not always know what is good for them. 

*** I think the software for the 3.4 release is a bit buggy, because the boot up is really sluggish.

They're back...

I know I have complained about how cold the weather has been (come on, let's be honest, who hasn't? Besides maybe penguins and polar bears. And snowmen). And I really am tired of the cold. And not being able to walk on the sidewalks. And curling my toes in my boots as though that might gain me some traction. And having my nose running every time I step outside. And requiring 5 layers at all times. And dirty, nasty grey-black snow.

However, I have discovered one wonderful thing about winter: No Geese.

I hadn't even registered they were gone, not consciously, until a couple of days ago I heard the honk of doom outside my apartment. And suddenly, I realized what a tremendous boon the snow had been: No geese! Now psychopathic hissing gangster birds marking out their territory with massive amounts of goose poop everywhere you try to step. No hordes of territorial fowl hogging the sidewalk. No goose poop. No obnoxious honking all day long. No goose poop! (If anyone is trying to start a fowl fertilizer business, I know where you can get some product cheap).

And now, the blissful reprieve is over. They are back. The sidewalks are barely clear of ice and they are going to start filling up with manure. So I say we fight back, and deport those stupid geese back to where they came from. Which is presumably Canada. Anyone else with me? Eh?

Wish List

sunshine
a really good peach
self-control
energy
an administrative assistant for my life
Cafe Rio or Jamba juice
people to get along
a trip to a zoo
a reset button
a hug
rain boots for puddle hopping
puddles to hop in