Taxing Directions

I was so mad yesterday at my tax employer. They gave me an address for my "training" that just plain doesn't exist. I didn't know that, however. I googlemapped it, and was shown a spot near the 605 fwy, quite a ways from my house. Darn! I'd picked that location because I thought it was close.

I should have done a satellite view, though, as I would have seen that it was an empty lot. But I drove clear out there, got off and would have been right on time if the place had existed. But I looked and looked for it, came back to look again, then followed the road clear past the Santa Anita Racetrack when I had enough.

I pulled over and called the person in charge of training, Tami. No answer. So I 411'd the company and got transferred to a local office where I tried to ask the guy who answered where the heck this office was. He ended up being so helpful by telling me the correct address. Turns out they gave us the office number where the address should be.

So I turned around and went there, wondering why the heck the person in charge (Tami?)didn't send out a message, an email, some kind of "heads up" about the wrong address? There had to be 30 people scheduled to go there.

The funny thing is, once I arrived an hour late, I hadn't missed anything. I think they had just gone around and introduced themselves and gotten the books. They were just milling about in class, so I got to say hi to all my friends and get my books before they settled down and started passing around the sign-in sheet. So I got full (paid) credit for the hour I lost.

It was good to see my friends, but sometimes the company just seems so disorganized that I get frustrated.

Lost Info

The other day I was in the tax office, and answered the phone. A man was calling with a question - he knew that his ex-wife had filed an extension, but he didn't have a copy of it. He wanted to file his taxes, but he didn't have his ex's SSN nor that of his step-daughter. He'd need those to file as MFJ or MFS.

I asked if he couldn't look at some past returns or papers that might have it, but he said no, his ex took everything. I asked if he couldn't just call her and ask, but he said she wasn't responding to his calls or emails.

For some reason, I brought up how he was going to file for this year, and he said, "Oh, I'll be filing as married. Because I'm married again."

OK, now I understand why he doesn't have any paperwork and why his ex won't return his calls.

Not sure I feel sorry for this guy...

Ups and downs

I certainly do like the Ups. K's team won last night, and now are going to the Semi Finals! He is SO, so happy.

Last week I had mixed news. First, I got an estimate for the roof damage on our rental, and it was $7,+++! I was so bummed out. Then I found out the Insurance was going to pay for most of it, and I was SO relieved!

Then I found out the company I work for filed my tax return before it was ready, without my permission. The only person who should have filed it is me, and it wasn't ready yet! I suspect management, because files on "hold" count against them somehow, and I think a specific District Manager saw it was basically finished and just filed it. I think this because she has shown that she doesn't care about us workers, plus someone else discovered that this DM removed her password from her return.

I'm so mad I'm thinking of suing them.

But then I passed my Super Duper test, and I was VERY relieved about that. I wanted to finish before my birthday, so I could just enjoy it. I don't know if I felt more relieved about passing the test (I'd had lots of distractions) or finding out the duplex roof was going to be paid for.

The new client that called me a few weeks ago has so far turned out to be my favorite clients ever! They had a realistic idea about the price, they were ready to sell, and they totally trust me. They said, "What ever you say, we trust you." Wha? Well, that's just great!

And so far my plan has worked and they accepted an offer over the asking priced. Yay!

Then, one of our best friends (Dan - the one who almost died in the river) told us he's selling AND buying a new house, but he doesn't believe in mixing friends and business.

Wha? Why do I have such crumby friends? Does he think he'll KEEP his friendships by refusing to work with them? If his wife started a business and we went to her competitor, that would be the right thing to do?

His next door neighbor, when I met her at a party, turned out to be in Real Estate and taxes, just like me. We talked about real estate and I said I'd made some friends and lost some friends because of it, and she said, "If someone knows you are in the business and that you work on commission? If they don't use you, they're not your friend."

And I think that philosophy has some merit. I would do this for my friends, but if I find they feel differently, I figure that they're not really friends - maybe aquaintances. But how am I going to cut Dan out of the picture? He almost died last year, for heaven's sake. But I can tell you that his next-door neighbor is pissed off at him right now.

But if he's going to move closer to us and do questionable things like this to us (which mostly I blame on his wife - it's not the first weird thing), I doubt we'll be seeing much more of them than we do already.

K was trying to make it better, saying "Remember unconditional love?" And I sadly said, "But it turns out I'm no good at that! I tried with The Boy! Remember?" And we laughed.

I'm still trying.

Since then, K's team has won yet again! They're going to their league final playoff game!

Wow.

Good day

Tuesday was such a good day! It's rare to have such a good day, so I'd like to remember it.

First I was working, and my appointment was an old tax client from my previous office. The company had closed that other office, and I don't know how many clients will drive the extra distance to see me this year.

Anyway, I was really glad to see her. When I first met this client she seemed really cranky. Fortunately, that doesn't really bother me anymore. The next year, I realized that she had kindof a fun crankiness, and it really wasn't very cranky at all! This year she positively LIKED me and even gave me a hug when she left.

That made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Then, while I was helping her, I missed a call on my cell phone (or rather, didn't take the call because I was with a client.) Later, I checked my messages and found that a potential new client called me for my OTHER business. Yay! That almost never happens.

Oh happy day.

Then, when K got home, he told us that his basketball team (of juvenile delinquents) had beaten the best team in their league! Every year he has high hopes for this team (which is different every year), but this is the first time they've actually done fairly well. And winning against the best team is unprecedented. He was positively giddy.

I wish every day could be like that.

Ambush at Breakfast

When I got back from vacation, there was a flyer in my box at work about a breakfast they were having at a local Country Club. I like breakfast and really any free meal, so I was all in. The flyer promised an "Extravaganza", said, "you don't want to miss this!" and that there was a "guest speaker" with "new marketing ideas."

I was looking forward to it! Even tho I'm not a big fan of this country club's food. Breakfast!

I was only 5 minutes late, but when I got there, everyone was already eating! But they brought mine out very quickly, and it was GREAT! That should have been my first clue that something was amiss. It was a delicious blend of spinach and eggs, served with bacon and potatoes. There were also baskets of toast and rolls and fresh orange juice.

After we ate, my boss talked a little bit and handed out a few awards, as I expected. Then she went on to say that many people have wanted to buy her business over the years, and finally the right company approached her at the right time, as she's getting older and it's a big responsibility, etc., etc.

She sold the company! To the company across the street that I decided against to work with her instead! One lady burst into tears. Many of those people have been with her 20 years or more.

Then she went on to say that the owner of THAT company was here and wanted to talk to us. This was our "guest speaker"! Well, he came in and opened up this bag, and said he had a bag for each of us that already included our business cards and name tag and tee shirts with the new logo on them, and all the info we'd need to make the transition.

He kept bringing things out of the bag, and the lady next to me kept exclaiming, "Holy Mother of God!"

Then, he went on to say that he'd brought people from the company to meet us and give us more things and answer our questions. With that, he opened the door to the room next door, where people from that company had tables set up with information and bags and other things on them. They handed us mimosas as we walked into the room. I took one even tho it was a weekday morning, because all of a sudden I NEEDED A DRINK!

No one really looked me in the eye and looked very welcoming, so I slipped out and went home. I took a few days just to let things kindof sink in, and then I did some checking around. Even tho they'd made it so easy to stay, I decided to take my marbles down the road and gamble on another company.

Some of you may remember that I just changed companies about 6 months ago. I finished notifying everyone, and now I have to start all over again! Hopefully this company will be stable for awhile.