Getting Out Before Getting In

“You have always had psychic ability, and today it is at its peak, dear Gemini.” See, even my horoscope believes I am psychic.

Is anyone else ready for February to be over? I am not really sure what I think March will bring, but I am bored of February and to think we have an extra day is making me even more anxious for the month to be over. Maybe it is just because I am tired of reliving February 2007.

Now that I am 26, I have had plenty of opportunity to figure out what I might be in this world, but let me tell you that Income Tax Specialist is not one of those occupations.

I have always loved tax time, reviewing your T4 to find out just how much money made, and then question what you spent it all on, large chunks of money being sent to your house and squandering all of your newfound money on frivolous things, and then wondering where all of your tax return went.

For years I have just had my mom prepare my tax return. I understand, that’s kinda lame. I could just go to H&R Block like the rest of my age bracket. But I decided that now I was 26, it was time to do my own taxes. After all, how hard could it really be, it isn’t like I have a spouse or any dependants to claim. So I gathered up all of my T4s, tax receipts, a number two pencil and one of those green accounting visors, and set up to do my taxes.

Now, I am not completely stupid, I knew that I couldn’t just do a good enough job with just me, a calculator and tax forms. So I went out last night to buy tax preparation software. Forty dollars and few minutes of debating between the basic and standard version of the program, I set off to begin collecting the money owed to me.

Everything started pretty well and quick. I entered all of my personal information without any problems but once all of the initial information and my initial T4 slip was entered, the program became much more difficult to follow and understand. For the life of me or the program, it would not let me enter my second T4. Three hours later, this lame software was still guiding me through entering all of my foreign investments, which, yes, I did tell the program repeated I didn’t have. I don’t know if I was the flawed one or if the tax program was poorly designed. In this world of point and click, shouldn’t this program be a little more user friendly?

I completed my taxes last night and will be getting an okay return. (If only I made less money.) Right now I am just praying I entered everything correctly and don’t get audited. Maybe next year I will hit up H&R Block just like everyone else, or at the very least get my mom to do my taxes again. The amount of effort exerted just to get my mediocre tax return doesn’t really seem worth it.

Here’s to:

Lent. Only twenty days to go, and already failing so bad.

Natural fibers. Rocking the wool, cotton and silk at work today and looking like a champ.

Old Ways Week. Obviously it was so good last year, we thought we should try it again.

Incidents and Accidents. Hints and Allegations. And any other Paul Simon lyric you want to include.

It has been a while, but good luck to us all, and by all means, God speed.

Lots of love.