Tired

I think I will stop griping about the "stimulus", "bailout", "giveaway", or anything you want to call the rat. Obama doesn't have a clue about economic matters and none of his cabinet or staff seems to either. If his advisers are telling him this is what needs to be done, they are full of B.S. too. Same for Congress. Maybe I am wrong and I am the one whom doesn't comprehend the crisis, and I for darn sure am not an educated economist, but I trust my own eyes and ears a lot more than those of any politician.
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I am still feeling terrible from the RA, but not quite as badly as I was. Over the years, I have learned to live with much pain, but this soreness all over my delicate, young body is wearing me to a frazzle. Nothing lasts forever, 'though.
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Still springlike weather here, mild, cloudy, and windy; the heavy winds are a sure sign the season is trying to change. Still haven't seen a robin, but Maggie has some at her home, and she also had snowdrops blooming a couple weeks back.
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I do income taxes for family members using TaxAct software, and usually the tax codes change once or twice during the filing season, but they have already changed four times in the first month this year. It is mostly clarifications, but I am wondering about the impact the stimulus package will have. If you have already filed, and if you qualify for any of those big tax breaks, and if they are retro-active, will you have to file again? Of ... by... and for ...! Phooey!
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Over it!

Wilbur


For all intents and purposes this Christmas is over. Presents have been opened and goodwill has been prevalent throughout the world. This is actually the worst one ever for me. I suppose I am the only man alive whom could be lonely in whorehouse; even if I could afford to be there. They do charge for services in such places, don't they? I wouldn't know because an upstanding citizen like myself would never frequent a house of ill repute. A life of walking the straight-and-narrow has been mine, with nary a glance left nor right. I am such a good person!
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Thank you dear ones for reading my drivel over this past year, and especially thanks to my loyal friend Alice who has been a sweetheart for more years than either of us care to remember. Thank you my true internet friends. Most of you I have known for only a year or two, but each one of you has enriched my life with your kindness and wisdom. You have come to mean as much to me as anyone I've ever known, and I consider you as the milk chocolate of my existence. The virtual world can be most unkind at times, especially when one becomes comfortable with others and all of a sudden they are gone into the ether.
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I hope I have come through this season with my sense of humor intact; sometimes it is all I have to see me through. Now that the difficult period is past, we can all dwell on more mundane things ... like INCOME TAXES! One damn sure better have a sense of humor between now and April 15.
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Last, I thank Carolyn. She is the one with the true sense of humor for allowing me to get by with writing about her in this blog. Either she has a sense of humor, or she doesn't read my stuff. Most likely the latter!

At the Park

This old boy was way over optimistic about his tax preparation time. At the rate I'm going, it'll still take a couple more days. I am very tired, and I will take a couple days off and talk Carolyn into going to Cade's Cove as soon as a pretty weekend and Monday/Tuesday are forecast.
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The day I had the ticker fixed, one of the nurses—a male—noticed some scratches on my leg and said that I shouldn't scratch myself. He said I should "pat" the itchy places instead. Now that makes me wonder, when my scrotum itches, am I really supposed to pat the part of my body that is most sensitive to being "disturbed"? A man cannot think straight without scratching himself down there, and would probably get some great feedback if he started banging on his crotch every time he has an abstract thought. Not to mention the damage he can do to his fertility and the fact that he may end up rolling on the ground and vomiting because of the pain. Girls, take my word for it, it doesn't take a big hit to put a man down. Sometimes a love pat will do the job.
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Now, back to taxes...
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It is now 6:56pm and I am about 90% done with our taxes.

Alice brought me a violet


Two weeks left in tax season and I'm still procrastinating. Finally finished Jeremy's taxes and will e-file his federal later today. On ours, I have filled out the income part, but haven't begun the expenses. It looks to be about the same as last year when we got a small refund. Income is up slightly but expenses are up greatly. It is difficult to get into taxes with the improving weather and photos needing to be made.
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Rode with Carolyn to Sam's Club today and then had her take me by and old and abandoned grist mill on Knob Creek. The old place needs some TLC. Got a couple decent photos, using the pocket Olympus camera.
The Olympus is an enigma. On bright days, it takes very good photos, but when the day is overcast and dull, the results are terrible and mostly unusable. All photos made with the little fellow need a lot of work in software because they are "soft" and lacking in contrast and sharpness. I have to use ISO 200 just to get a decent shutter speed. Can't expect too much from an inexpensive camera, though.