02-04-2025 -- A pain in the taxes

Howdy all. So I started the yearly tax documentation gathering. I think all 1099s and other income / expenses forms are available. Printed off at least 50 pages of uselessness yesterday.

Why do so many documents include pages saying, “This page intentionally left blank”? And title pages, and pages with tons of items that say $0.00? Just include the items that mean something.

Anyway, now I need to pull out my ziplock baggie of paperwork accumulated over the year. Receipts for donations, medical deductibles paid, etc. Then create a summary of everything. All this so I can hand over a larger ziplock baggie to the tax professional.

Certainly not a fun time.

Yesterday the temperatures outside reached well into the 40s and some minor drizzling too. Most of the snow has melted, but my front yard is still mostly a dirty white.

At least the driveway and walkway are clear and almost dry.

Today the temperatures are stuck in the 20s going sideways and then down. No more snow in forecast for a couple days.

And now, my first foray into politics in this blog.

Ugh!! WTF is happening? Much, much change. Too much, too fast. My head is spinning from what is reported one day, and reports that it is not happening the next day, to total fear that nobody is safe from being excluded from the future of the country.

And hey, I need my Social Security check. I did my 50 years of paying into the system. Most of those years, I contributed maximum amount. And while I also worked on my own retirement funds (yes, I started way too late), I was expecting to use both for at least another 10 - 12 years. But if inflation flourishes, and my Social Security check is gone in 5-6 years, I’m in trouble too.

As for the other items, like altering the way education is funded, and creating pathways to potentially deport individuals building the country, and retribution plans to punish each other, and hating on individuals that aren’t of the same mindset, slow down and think this stuff through. I realize changes are needed, but remember the human race is made up of so many varieties of groups, and each of those groups made up by individuals. Don’t hurt the individuals to eliminate groups that aren’t part of your ideal world.

We all need to take it a little easier on each other, and Enjoy Life