The Inevitable. Death and Taxes!

I had most of our paperwork so I figured why not start our taxes?  I put it all together, got calculations, figures... I own my own business (Avon) and have to fill out a lot for that, then there are the simpler things; husband's W-2, Student Loan, deductions, etc.  All finished except my last W-2 from my temp agency job.

It finally came.  I input the info.  I made a whopping $2800 and paid $55 taxes withheld.  It reduced our refund by $400.

Yeah, that makes sense.  We are a  less than $50,000 a year household (by a hair), so $2800 should totally reduce our refund by $400.  Keep in mind, this means if I had not worked that job at all, we would be getting a $1600 refund.  That kind of pisses me off.

Outlines

Like query letters, outlines are a necessary evil of writing. Frankly, I still don't have the hang of it.  I know I was supposed to learn it in school, but I always just researched the information, then wrote my essays, checked spelling and grammar, and turned it in.  I didn't have bad grades.  What was my incentive to waste time on an outline?

Now I find I write myself into corners all the time.  Why?  Because I hate to outline.

Can you blame me?  I sat down to start an outline on a new novel which is not completely conceived at this point.  I thought starting an outline might help me fill out the rest of the idea.

Instead I typed this:

Reading Tarot in a Cabaret

The filthy club’s lights danced brightly off their targets leaving the rest of the room dark.  The only sign of other humans came from their laughter, clapping, and boisterous cheers, yet she could see him and knew instantly that her life would change drastically.

When a tarot reader turns the card of death, it does necessarily mean a physically death.  Despite the ominous, demonic image which stared through the soul of the person whose card were being read, it indicates a deep transformation of soul, love, employment, or spirit.

No, the card with the foreboding word Death written across the top of it did not mean someone had to die.  Perhaps it was the Emperor or the Priestess that had been turned who were actually responsible for the fact that someone had to die in order for someone else to live.

And I would frankly rather explore that than to write a stinky old outline.

Outlines SUCK.

That is all.

Things I Don't Understand about Web Hosting...

1. They have no interest in loyalty - Pretty much all web hosts offer a great introductory rate.  You can get a year for $1 a month, but after 12 months, you pay full price.  That means every year, it's much cheaper to change your host than to stay where you are.  Even with transfer fees it has saved me hundreds.  It's just a big pain in the ass.

2. Their discounts are not useful - Let's say you want to pay for 36 months.  Hey, we'll still give you a deal!  Do 36 month commitment and we'll only charge $3.49 a month.  Yes, but that means paying 2.49 a month more than I have to for the first year because they don't let you do 1 year at $1/mo, then the next 2 years at $3.49 a month.

3. Their comparisons are ridiculous - Several hosts will put up a comparison chart of why they are better than comparable hosts.  The thing is, if you excel in one area, you fail somewhere else and the same goes for your competitors.  The only people who care about some of the things you offer are web developers and corporate web gurus who actually run web pages from their own servers and don't need your hosting limitations.  The only people who care about your other features are the ones who can get them free through weebly and wordpress.  If I just want to build web pages for indie artists, small charities with tiny budgets, and personal web pages, you're all the damn same.  

I might as well save my pennies, pay the $1 a year, and then switch service next year because none of you want me to stick around.  If you did, you would offer discounts every year or give me a deal for purchasing more right now rather than offering me small amounts for a year of service and then hiking the prices to what others might consider "cheap", but I consider a lot because these pages are not making enough money to support $150 investments.

If it was $3.49 a month for one year, $2 for a 2 year, and $1 a month for a three year commitment, that would make sense.  Or even if you gave me $7 for one year, $5 for 2 and $3.49 for three, I would take it.  I will not take $3.49 for 36 months when $1 a month for the first year is available.  Frankly, it's the principle of the thing.  You want my $$ to keep coming in?  You reward me for loyalty!

I Don't Need Friends. I Have Friends as a Favor to Them...

In the last two weeks I've made plans with a bunch of friends.  Four times I've been cancelled on because they are "not feeling well."  This is a vague excuse that anyone can use at any time and I'm just supposed to say "Aw.  Feel better!" But I'm pretty sick of it.  One person has had a chronic illness and it's legit so I, theoretically, am not allowed to be annoyed by those cancellations.  Another friend was going to spend five seconds fixing a necklace for me which was supposed to be a Christmas gift, then she turned it into a "girls night" then she wasn't feeling up to it so I could come another day... except Christmas was only a couple of days away... and I was just wanting five damn minutes.

I actually get this a lot.  They want to hang out, we make plans, then the last minute, "I don't feel well."

Yeah, it's cold and flu season.  Yeah, I'm the fat person so according to all the skinny people using health as an excuse to JUDGE ME, I should be the one getting sick all the time, yet I'm the one getting ditched constantly.

Maybe I'm no fun to be around.

That's fine with me.  It's actually sort of in the design.  I don't like people and I don't need friends so if I'm no fun to be around, stop trying to make plans with me in the first place!

I find things to do.

I'm not a sad and lonely case.  I'm actually quite happy on my own.  See "introvert" as opposed to "shy".  Reference Hermit in the dictionary.

But fuck all.  I am so sick of "I'm not feeling well," as a reason to ditch your friends ALL THE TIME.  Suck it up once in a while or just stop making plans.  How much of it is real and how much is psychological?

Today I just have had it for the last time because the thing is, now these people are going to come back later and say "Hey, let's do something!"

But I don't really want to make plans with you.  I want to make plans that rely on the only person I can count on.  Myself.