Tax time

and the amount of paperwork that I shred each year is of epic proportions. Going through my files and folders for pieces of bureaucratic information that I am obligated to retain for the next seven years is a component that I am very methodical about. Hence, the piles of paperwork on my bedroom floor and elsewhere that I have accumulated but was too lackadaisical to file or shred. Receipts from every purchase that I have made since 2004 to now. Can we say ANAL? Somewhere, somehow, the madness has to stop. My self affliction and knowing that I have contributed incalculably to global warming by the amount of shredding that I do on a daily basis. Mostly I can lay blame on the retailers and advertisers who struggle for my attention to open their infinite allotment of junk mail only to be returned persona non grata in my shredder. While I wait for a few important documents from my bank concerning my home, I have, at the ready, my tax forms. My goal this year, unlike most years, is to focus on having the mailed tax forms dated before February. Last year, I had it ready in January and because life got in the way, it did not get mailed out until April 15th! How's that for pre-planning? I'm a clutter-bug and there's no denying it.

A day of nothing

or was it? With a week filled with activities and having completed tasks on my to do list, I am still wearing my robe and slippers listening to "How to Organize your life & get rid of clutter" on my laptop on loan to me from Lynn. It is a very good 4 CD wealth of information on getting my clutter bug life organized and in the hopes of ridding myself of my "piles" of paper stuff. Throughout my day, I have filled with sleep, making a vegetable soup in my crock pot, I thought about going to the bank but can save that for tomorrow, answering emails and phone calls. I start work next week and have been savoring my last days of bliss before going back to a full intended work schedule as I hope to pick up plenty of hours, overtime included, to help me get back on track to my financial outlook and staying healthy. Being off from work for four months is foreign to me as I have never missed a day of work for the past eleven years. Eleven years of perfect attendance and being on time to work. For what? Lynn says my epitaph will read: "Here lies Lani with perfect attendance BUT no Ford Explorer!" (Smiling)