Death and Taxes

First things last - I did my taxes last night and found the whole experience to be quick and easy. I bought TaxCut from Target, installed it (and the state version), updated them, imported my W-2’s, uploaded last year’s info, and e-filed all in less than three hours, and voila! I owe the federales a hundred bucks. I did some digging and found that a) I have many fewer tax deductible expenses than other people in my salary range, and b) my promotion late last year was just enough to kick me into a higher tax bracket. Next year should be better, especially if I don’t forget to take all my extra books to the library. At least the state of Georgia is being nicer to me. They’re covering the feds’ hundred bucks with a few more to spare. I donated some to the Georgia Wildlife Foundation since they didn’t support my favorite charity, Chainsaws for Indigent Spree Killers.

Now, onto the death thing. My coworker passed away sometime between Wednesday evening and this morning. We took a collection to buy the family some food (I don’t know if they are starving or just hadn’t had time to shop). In lieu of flowers, they asked that donations be made to their local high school marching band. I like that – a useful gesture instead of stinky, overpriced, overrated weeds. Flowers suck. Music rules!

There seems to be something going on here. In the last week or so (in order) a coworker lost her husband due to complications from routine surgery, another lost his aunt due to natural causes, and now we lose a coworker. What’s next? Who’s next? Did I leave behind any incriminating evidence? Wait, don’t read that last sentence. I’d get rid of it, but I spilled Mountain Dew on the delete key.

All I can say is it’s a good thing I bring my own bottled water to drink. Also, that heroin is pretty good at warding off the ill effects of cube work.