I mailed my state income taxes in yesterday, after going back through and correcting them to get back a few dollars. As you all recall, the instructions via our lovely and talented Department of Revenue seemed to indicate (by using the words, "Taxes you cannot deduct") that our local Birmingham and Jefferson County occupational taxes could not be part of the deductions for taxes you've paid. The occupational tax subtraction has been there for years, and this was the first year I can remember them being ineligible for a deduction.
SO, I had everything all filled out last weekend, said something about it here on Possumblog, and then thanks be to the great help of Stan, the Gummint Man, who pointed out that the state had issued a correction. It seems the instruction booklet was wrong, and you CAN deduct local occupational taxes!
Now, despite the fact that I cannot believe this was a simple "error" in printing the instructions (being that it wasn't just a typo, but a complete revision), I have no proof of rampant bureaucratic malfeasance in the Revenue Department. SO I said 'let it go.' And then I went and redid my return to get back the bit of money I had thought I was going to have to pay.
WELLLLL, let me tell you--it's a darned good thing I went back through and did it again, because not only did I get a reduction of about 30 bucks for the taxes, I also found out that I had based my original tax-owed number on the WRONG INCOME. I had looked at the line $1,000 more than my actual income, so I saved another fifty bucks.
Wound up writing a tiny check, which is the way I like it. Much better to owe a bit at the end than have a big refund. Big refunds are a whole year's interest-free loan to Uncle Sam.
OF COURSE, had I actually been allowed to keep that money, I would have gone and spent it on stuff instead of having it to spend all at once on an extravagant big-ticket item.
This year, I promised Reba that we'd replace our mattress. Fourteen years is a bit on the longish side for mattresses, even good ones, and even ones that get turned regularly. And even one with such good memories.
But it's gotten beyond turning now, and Reba complains of backaches all the time, and we just can't have that. SO, time for a new one.
I had thought about one of those 'spensive Tempur-pedic ones that allow you to jump up and down without rocking the other person (and no, I don't normally need that kind of isolation), but if we spend all the refund money on that, I won't have any left over for funding my latest "I'm a Big Moron" Project.
Yes, it is car-related.
At this time, only Larry Anderson is aware of the actual depth of my dementia. Of course, he is what psychologists call "an enabler," and I think actually enjoys the prospects of the blithering moronitude that will surely follow in a few months.
I'm just hoping a nice mattress will make up for it with Miss Reba.
Posted by Terry Oglesby at April 14, 2005 12:26 PMYou're buying the Mercedes?
We need a new mattress desperately. Ours is far, far past 14 years old and not turned regularly. We were about to go shopping for one when our furnace went kablooie last fall.
Mattress shopping ... such fun! (Especially if you have a few kids with you for testing the "bounciness quotient.)
I think Miss Reba might be more "amenable" to helping you out with breaking in the new mattress as opposed to the vehicle. Plus, when you think about it, you spend about a third of your life on your mattress, so you deserve the best.
Posted by: MarcV at April 14, 2005 01:32 PM"Enjoy" is such a harsh word. More on the line of "loves company".
Posted by: Larry Anderson at April 14, 2005 01:48 PMWe bought a Select Comfort, the air mattress, several years ago that we love. They sell reconditioned ones for a sizable reduction from the list price.
Posted by: Janis at April 14, 2005 01:54 PMWHAT MERCEDES?! WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT A MERCEDES!? UHH--LOOK! A BADGER! OVER THERE! LOOK!
Marc--you're probably right about getting the ultra-bestest mattress and getting it broken in good, but that only goes to further illustrate the scope of my debility.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at April 14, 2005 01:54 PMLarry, as in "misery loves..."?
Janis, how do you like that mattress of yours? Do you have any back or joint problems that make it better than anything else?
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at April 14, 2005 01:56 PMRegular Possumites know that I have been offering a "free" Mercedes for several months. I have had nothing to do with any Mercedes purchase Terry might be thinking about other than to point out that I have never seen a badger in a Mercedes.
Posted by: Larry Anderson at April 14, 2005 01:58 PMThat's why everyone should look over there! QUICK!
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at April 14, 2005 02:01 PMHard to say whether it would be better than anything else.
Before we bought it, we were sleeping on a 20-odd year-old mattress and I was visiting the chiropractor for neck pains.
I can come up with an aching back if I do a lot of bending in the house or yard. The mattress gives me perfect rest.
The advantage in our household is that Lyman likes a softer mattress than I do. I like mine very firm. When I lived alone, I would often make a pallet on the floor. We can adjust our sides to our liking.
We find that we seldom need to pump air into it.
I assume it would not be perfect in a family where children bounce on beds, though.
My one complaint is that since it is not framed (you assemble it yourself), the sides bulge a bit. I believe the Sleep Comfort stores offer something comparable, with a sturdier frame. Though not a better price.
Posted by: Janis at April 14, 2005 02:06 PMOh, andI have just briefly tried something like the Temper-pedic. It's too soft for this bear.
Posted by: Janis at April 14, 2005 02:24 PMI just hope the store clerks don't mind when I wallow naked on their display models.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at April 14, 2005 02:31 PMI could have done without that last image.
And Miss Reba might be willing to help you break in the back seat of the non-Mercedes. It has a backseat - the one you're not buying, right?
Posted by: skinnydan at April 14, 2005 03:06 PMSorry.
And yes, the car I am not thinking about not buying does have a back seat. Or not.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at April 14, 2005 03:10 PMThank you for the mattress visual!!! I hope I can sleep tonight. How many kids has she given you? Buy her the best mattress made.
Tracy
Terry-
You know there is nothing like rolling naked on display models!
AAHHHH!! YOU'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE! It is a very nice mattress, and the buying and transporting of it is somewhere in here.
And yes, I like rolling on naked display models. Or whatever.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 30, 2005 03:20 PM