AHH! I Hit Snooze.

Not really. I got up, usual time, with the alarm.

I did tons and tons, starting right away in the morning. Some demanding stuff, too. I'm telling you right now, I did NOT slack yesterday. That's not why I didn't publish a blog post. I fully intended to.

I was going to make it short and sweet, talk a little bit about picking up work on the side and what that does to unemployment benefits (it can reduce them during that period but it's okay; I'll cover that later this week). I also was going to tell you about how I actually did wash my kitchen floor after all, back on Monday when I said I was skipping it to do other things, because I'm just kooky that way sometimes with all my lists and To Dos. But nope, didn't write it, no Tuesday blogging. Not a word.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I SKIPPED IT. Not only that, I totally forgot about it!

Why? How? What task could obliterate what has been my most beloved hour of the day, every day, since the day my position was eliminated almost three weeks ago? What To Do for Yesterday made me Not Do the one To Do I love To Do every day? I'll tell you what...

But first you have to make that foreboding three-note descending run that precedes bad news:

duhn duhn dunhhhhnnn.....

Taxes.

*shivers*

*gags a little*

&%#$curses*!&%!

And I've only barely gotten started on them. Just to put some framework around this, because you might be saying So what Faith, how bad can it be?: Last year, I not only owned my own fitness studio business, I also liquidated some of it and closed it, but maintained some personal training clientele, as well had as a freelance writing and marketing business in my home. I also had a regular job. Plus there's our kid in college who needs to go back in time and un-become our dependent, and also become a resident of another state for a retroactive college tuition refund... This, fair reader, is a helluva lot of numbers. Of which I'm not a fan. And forms and records, and almost all the worksheets, I think.

I typically learn many words that end with "-eciation" and "-ization," and participate in explorations that usually provide me with new education on concepts like "limits" and "not allowable."

I do this all myself, because for me it's still easier (so I say), with a couple of great computer programs, than gathering all these myriad of records which requires me to do all the legwork anyway, packing up the totals and categories, and bringing them all to someone else to put into their computer. So what Faith, how bad can it be?

Well, on the bright side, I guess it would all be much worse if I had any serious money to deal with. Or to hide. So, there's that.

Also, I must admit that this year it would be all be much easier if I had entered one receipt, payment or expense into the system at any time throughout 2011, instead of just putting hard copies in files with notes on them. Leaving them as To Dos.

That is all I have to say about that.

Except that I have perhaps stumbled upon a valid reason to be happy I am unemployed with these extra hours at my disposal, at this time. I didn't just say that.

Yes I did. It's the little things. The big things, too. Finding Peace. And all that jazz.

Speaking of jazz... and blues, and soul... The great singer Etta James died several days ago. I'm a longtime fan of her voice, her style, and her bravado. Here's five minutes of oxygen usage that shuts me right up about boring stuff like taxes and whatever else I was saying. Don't miss a moment.

Something's Got a Hold On Me

Some people channel stuff and there's no denying it. I love the internet for letting me be a witness. I love wondering why she's wearing that sweater, too.