Evidently, when you claim a total loss, it becomes a red flag to the IRS that you want to be audited. So, we are NOT getting that chunk of change back after all. Hubby read the 2009 tax code front to back, and we decided it would not be to our benefit to even mention the fire in our taxes.
So, let the living on the edge commence: never having enough money to buy shit you want, and sometimes not even having enough money to get what you need. Oh well, it's the story of my life so why should it change just because I'm nearly a half century old?
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Careful For What You Wish
God. She works in mysterious ways.
Apparently, when you lose everything in a fire, Uncle Sam has a heart. We will be getting a nice chunk of change back in a couple weeks; once everything shakes out.
Enough where I can get that iPad, that mo-ped AND pay the final payment on the first Thresholds.
Let the adventure begin.
Apparently, when you lose everything in a fire, Uncle Sam has a heart. We will be getting a nice chunk of change back in a couple weeks; once everything shakes out.
Enough where I can get that iPad, that mo-ped AND pay the final payment on the first Thresholds.
Let the adventure begin.
Da Bombshell
I want a $499 (or more) Apple iPad. No longer do I simply desire an iPhone. I want the motherlode.
Speaking of mothers, mine has an obsession with small technology gadgets also. We want tiny things that go beep and light up and store factlets about our busy lives.
Steve Jobs and the iPad Intro in Jan. of 2010
Blatant promotion for Apple, so I expect a check in the mail, Steve.
Speaking of checks...our appointment with the tax accountant is inn 3 hours and hubby is searching frantically through our paperwork. We hope to get a nice refund to augment the check we AREN'T getting from the family member who embezzled from us.
We need more money more money more money. We have NOTHING in savings, and we need a basement finished, a garage, a sun porch and a deck built. Hmmmmmmmm. Dreams. We have dreams.
We also have bills. Medical bills resulted in a hike in premiums for the little guy. Figures, fucking insurance companies and big business that rules the world.
OK. I am a consumer and I am a bitcher. I can have it my way.
Speaking of mothers, mine has an obsession with small technology gadgets also. We want tiny things that go beep and light up and store factlets about our busy lives.
Steve Jobs and the iPad Intro in Jan. of 2010
Blatant promotion for Apple, so I expect a check in the mail, Steve.
Speaking of checks...our appointment with the tax accountant is inn 3 hours and hubby is searching frantically through our paperwork. We hope to get a nice refund to augment the check we AREN'T getting from the family member who embezzled from us.
We need more money more money more money. We have NOTHING in savings, and we need a basement finished, a garage, a sun porch and a deck built. Hmmmmmmmm. Dreams. We have dreams.
We also have bills. Medical bills resulted in a hike in premiums for the little guy. Figures, fucking insurance companies and big business that rules the world.
OK. I am a consumer and I am a bitcher. I can have it my way.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
If I Grow Up
I wanna be Dr. Ruth, plain and simple. Except I wanna take advantage of the Internet and sit on my ass spreading the wealth. Wealth = knowledge of one's own sexuality and healthy relationships therein.
I want the world to love more and hate less. Is that so wrong?
I want the world to love more and hate less. Is that so wrong?
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Spring Break: Training the Humans
As I sit and hammer on the keyboard, Gordon sleeps between my feet on the floor. The 8-week-old bundle of cuteness can shit on my foot, literally, and I will praise him for NOT shitting on the carpet.
Actually, as I typed that, Gordon woke up and whimpered, so I took him outside immediately. The little puggle pooped immediately! Talk about PRAISE! Good dog! Way to go Gordon!
So it's officially Spring Break, where we have a week to train ourselves as to the needs of this new baby we have willingly brought into our household. A $300 bundle of joy joy joy joy down in our hearts.
Actually, as I typed that, Gordon woke up and whimpered, so I took him outside immediately. The little puggle pooped immediately! Talk about PRAISE! Good dog! Way to go Gordon!
So it's officially Spring Break, where we have a week to train ourselves as to the needs of this new baby we have willingly brought into our household. A $300 bundle of joy joy joy joy down in our hearts.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Meet Gordy
8 week old Gordon, from the craigslist ad.
We are going to hop in the caddy and go get Gordon from a puppy farm south of here. I had a wild hair and looked for puppies on craigslist (actually was looking to get rid of the killer rabbit there) and found this puggle. I fell in love, and so did Son #2.
Can't wait to take lots of photos and photoshop Gordon on his adventures in the Bleu household. Bet the two cats aren't going to like him one bit. Chaos shall ensue, to be sure.
And I love it.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
High-Tech High School Drama
What we have here is a failure to communicate...
Two weeks ago, I awoke to a frantic gmail chat from Ranae. To sum:
Her sister, Anna, had been the target of a new facebook group that had sprung up over night. The "I dislike Anna Strong" group was full of vitriolic comments explaining how much she was disliked. Basically, the two girls got into it on instant messaging and decided to bring the whole world into their drama by being mean on facebook.
As I later figured out, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle in a situation like this.
Another teacher saw the group, and posted for them to knock it off after I had already issued this warning:
"This takes "Mean Girls" to new heights. Solve this by school tomorrow or I get involved." Shortly after these warnings, the girls took down the site, but others sprung up in imitation. I stopped reading the drama.
The next day, a colleague, who is Anna's swim team coach, mentioned it to me and was very appalled that the mean girls would do this to Anna. She said the other teacher who had posted on the site had told the Principal, and the girls were being called into the counselor's office over the whole ordeal.
Later that night, I had a nagging feeling that I didn't know enough about first amendment rights as they pertain to the Internet and schools monitoring such speech. I remembered the two previous times where I have turned in students for facebook infringements on common sense (The I hate Mrs. Danner group; The Bad/Good about XHS.) In both cases, the Principal simply talked to the offending parties and asked them to take them down. The kids obliged. End of Story.
But is it? Do students have the right to free speech on social networking sites? Do schools have the authority to monitor student comments on them?
Then, my way-back machine-like memory kicked in...I was a definite trendsetter with the XHS Planet X forum back in my first and second year -- young wannabe journalists would sound off on topics of their choosing and a culture was born. BUT, the administration got uncomfortable when it was a school-hosted site and when the parent of a teen who committed suicide heard kids were discussing her son's death on the site protested.
So I've been on both sides of the proverbial fence. Do I support student's first amendment rights or not? So I set off on a google search (Rupert Murdoch, you may drop me a check in the mail for the product placement any time) for phrases like "student first amendment rights" "first amendment or harassment?" "do schools have power over off-campus speech?" etc.
And the best part is i found a review of the related literature that was only 24 pages long. Both the mean girl and Anna were in my newspaper class (that's why i was going to get involved) so I had mean girl read the review and write up a story, either opinion or feature, over the literature.
Brilliant, eh? I don't have to read it and she can educate the whole student body, and I'm also happy to report that nearly 3 weeks later, mean girl is not so mean and Anna is not so cocky.
Nevertheless, I'm having the 5-year itch about switching jobs or direction in life. Drama does that to me.
Two weeks ago, I awoke to a frantic gmail chat from Ranae. To sum:
Her sister, Anna, had been the target of a new facebook group that had sprung up over night. The "I dislike Anna Strong" group was full of vitriolic comments explaining how much she was disliked. Basically, the two girls got into it on instant messaging and decided to bring the whole world into their drama by being mean on facebook.
As I later figured out, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle in a situation like this.
Another teacher saw the group, and posted for them to knock it off after I had already issued this warning:
"This takes "Mean Girls" to new heights. Solve this by school tomorrow or I get involved." Shortly after these warnings, the girls took down the site, but others sprung up in imitation. I stopped reading the drama.
The next day, a colleague, who is Anna's swim team coach, mentioned it to me and was very appalled that the mean girls would do this to Anna. She said the other teacher who had posted on the site had told the Principal, and the girls were being called into the counselor's office over the whole ordeal.
Later that night, I had a nagging feeling that I didn't know enough about first amendment rights as they pertain to the Internet and schools monitoring such speech. I remembered the two previous times where I have turned in students for facebook infringements on common sense (The I hate Mrs. Danner group; The Bad/Good about XHS.) In both cases, the Principal simply talked to the offending parties and asked them to take them down. The kids obliged. End of Story.
But is it? Do students have the right to free speech on social networking sites? Do schools have the authority to monitor student comments on them?
Then, my way-back machine-like memory kicked in...I was a definite trendsetter with the XHS Planet X forum back in my first and second year -- young wannabe journalists would sound off on topics of their choosing and a culture was born. BUT, the administration got uncomfortable when it was a school-hosted site and when the parent of a teen who committed suicide heard kids were discussing her son's death on the site protested.
So I've been on both sides of the proverbial fence. Do I support student's first amendment rights or not? So I set off on a google search (Rupert Murdoch, you may drop me a check in the mail for the product placement any time) for phrases like "student first amendment rights" "first amendment or harassment?" "do schools have power over off-campus speech?" etc.
And the best part is i found a review of the related literature that was only 24 pages long. Both the mean girl and Anna were in my newspaper class (that's why i was going to get involved) so I had mean girl read the review and write up a story, either opinion or feature, over the literature.
Brilliant, eh? I don't have to read it and she can educate the whole student body, and I'm also happy to report that nearly 3 weeks later, mean girl is not so mean and Anna is not so cocky.
Nevertheless, I'm having the 5-year itch about switching jobs or direction in life. Drama does that to me.
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