Some Thoughts

I'm wearing a button down collar shirt today that I got a few years ago, and I think it's time I took this work shirt out of rotation due to the yellow stained underarm areas... I'm trying not to spread my arms too much today so I'm avoiding describing anything that would require large sweeping hand motions and I'm lucky not to have any meeting or conferences or any interactions that require I raise my hand.

I've almost finished my personal email account transition from hotmail to gmail. I'm enjoying, but am still confused by, the conversation collapsing feature -- especially when it's to or from email addresses in which multiple people are involved. I'm on two email groups and it takes me a bit longer to realize if I've read a message or not.

My last admittance makes me sound like an imbecile, but to be fair, I have a horrible short term memory.

I have a selective accent. I like to say words with "orr" like I'm from New York. So, I'm hArrified about my hArrible short term memory. And, since I live in Boston, I might admit that I can occasionally act retaahhhded (although I really don't use that word -- only to illustrate my comment). Wicked.

Somewhere between graduating college five years ago and the present day, I've become less "screw the man" in my ideology and a bit more mature... or I guess practical in my thinking, which is unfortunate. Somedays I wish I could be less concerned with adult matters -- saving for retirement, making car loan, student loan, credit card payments on time, worrying what kind of home I'll be able to afford when I eventually get sick of renting. I wish I could return to the screw the man Lany of yesteryear... and not feel compelled to work a 40 hour, Monday - Friday job.

I love and hate reuniting with people on Facebook, because there's that part of me that compares myself to my old classmates. I hate that about me. I also hate that my friendships with some people make me feel inadequate -- and not because of anything the other person has done, it's just a difference of priorities, and therefore different lots in life.

This time I've spent writing my thoughts should have been devoted to a project that I really don't like at work. It's not the work so much, but that I'm not the one to make the final decision... I'm just doing the research. But once that decision is made, I'll have to be the one to hear the complaints from the stakeholders.

I wish more people would send positive comments. (I'm thinking about this project at work.) I just wish people thanked each other more... or thought first before making stupid remarks. And I wish I had the balls/stupidity to finally tell people that I DO think they're fucking morons, and I wish they were just as dumb to think that I was kidding, so that I wouldn't create a bad relationship.

I went to a casino for the first time ever on Saturday and won a little bit of money playing black jack, thanks to my mom's guidance. It was such a rush, holding the chips in my hand when I went to cash out. This will be a very occasional outing for me... and I'm glad to have waited this long to ever go. I think I have an addictive personality about some things... or to be more positive, when I get into something, I do it 100%. So.

My birthday is coming up and I'll be 28. I'm overall content where I am in life, but I always wonder what the next is for me.

I've been collecting redeemable bottles at my desk to help out my rugby team's bottle drive fundraiser and it took me practically three months to collect $2.

I can't wait for spring to be here. I could be having an awful day, but if it's sunny and mild outside, that silver lining trumps all. My body was tricked last week into thinking it was spring and while I had nothing spectacular to look forward to one particular day, I was just so happy. I can't wait for that Saturday or Sunday to come when I can walk outside without a coat -- just walk around my neighborhood and people watch while I eat ice cream.

I locked myself out of my home this morning and disrupted my morning routine. I LOVE my morning routine. I am anal retentive or mildly OCD about getting ready for work. I am absolutely not being sarcastic when I say I enjoy keeping a schedule in the morning. And since this morning's circumstances delayed me about 40 minutes (closer to the time more people leave for work), my favorite neighborhood coffee shop was busier (yes, though delayed I stopped for coffee), and the T was that much more crowded.

I'm now going to return to my research project.

Taxes

I just attempted to prepare my 2008 taxes online. I've done it myself for a few years and it's been straightforward: I'm single with no dependents, I only have 1, maybe 2 W2's, and I haven't owned anything of significance. I also never reported the interest paid on my student loans, which I know means less of a return for me, but I couldn't figure it out (I'm not very good with holding onto forms I get in the mail)... so anyway, it's never been all that confusing.

The only differences this past year were that I bought a car and reported the excise tax paid and I bought (and sold) company stock through my employee stock purchase plan.

So, I don't get who these people are that both Turbo Tax and H&R Block are talking about when they say they've found their clients an additional $2500 of returns. Do you have to own a home? A hybrid car? Have 3 kids? Be a student?

I have no idea. I know I'm not one of them, though.