Taxes, Our Responsibility, Our Right

26. January 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Our Life Together, Ranting

For over a decade, I have relied on the services of TurboTax for preparation of taxes.  Each year I do Scott’s taxes, my taxes, Gary’s taxes (his are EASY) Dad’s taxes.  I used to do Pam’s taxes.  If I had to do these manually, I’d be stuck up a creek!  By and large, though, with TurboTax, I’ve had it pretty easy.  Not so much for 2009.  I’ll come back to this in a moment.

One of the most resounding lessons I recall learning from my Dad as I was growing up was that, in a land that guarantees us so many rights, it is essential to remember that for every right, there are responsibilities.  We have the right to free speech, but we have the responsibility to exercise that right appropriately (the cliche about yelling FIRE! in a crowded theater comes to mind.)  It was the sense of responsibility for defending those rights that encouraged me to join the US Army.  We have the right to vote, but we have the responsibility to actually DO so, and do so from an informed conscience.  I admit, this last responsibility is one I’ve neglected for a few election cycles.

Scott and I embraced the opportunity afforded to us by the State of Iowa to legally marry.  We did so because of the rights that come to us as a result of that piece of paper, the marriage license.  I never forget, though, that there are responsibilities that come with many, perhaps all, of those rights.

Over the years I hear from friends about this thing called the “marriage penalty” that come at tax time.  This year, I’ve learned it for myself.

First of all, here’s what Scott and I now have to do.  I have to prepare my own individual tax forms, Federal, Nebraska, & Iowa tax forms.  I file as Head of Household because I have, until August of this year, supported Gary.  Then I have to prepare Scott’s tax forms, Federal, Nebraska, & Iowa.  He files Single.  THEN, I have to prepare a third set of tax forms, Federal, Nebraska, & Iowa, combined for Scott and I.

When it comes time to file, I file Scott’s Federal and Nebraska forms, MY Federal & Nebraska forms, and OUR Iowa forms. 

First of all, I find it totally annoying to have to go through that.  But that’s the way it is, with our current laws.  Scott and I are only married, from a mere legal perspective, in Iowa.

Generally every year, Scott and I get refunds from the Federal & Nebraska returns, I get a refund from Iowa, and Scott pays to Iowa an amount roughly equal to his Nebraska refund.

As a result of the joint return for Iowa, we owe Iowa taxes an amount slightly larger than if we were to file all our forms individually.  But, overall, we are only paying combined a little less than if we did individually.  But, looking at all the forms, if we were legally able to file “Married filing Jointly” all three taxes we’d take a hit of about $1,000.00.

So, now I understand the Marriage Penalty my “Het-married” friends are talking about!

And you know what?  When that day comes, I’ll proudly and happily pay that penalty!  Because, the right to be legally married to the person I love, a right denied to us, as second class citizens of the United States of America, is a precious right, and it is one I’ll gladly and proudly take responsibility for… even if it means losing $1,000 or more in refunds.

Forecast be Danged!

24. January 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Eric's Life

This morning, Scott and I dutifully watched Channel 6 weather so we would know how to plan our day.  That dreaded four letter word was used.  Snow.  But, the good news was we were told we could expected a few flurries, and a light dusting.

It’s been snowing steadily, and heavily, for the past 4 hours.  We have two inches of snow, the roads are a nightmare to drive on (as I discovered) and getting in to my driveway took 4 attempts.  The tracks my car left on the driveway resemble the tracks a sidewinder leaves on the desert sand… I kid you not!

Now, 2 inches of snow really is not a lot, I know that.  I know of one city in our neighbor to the north that would LOVE to receive this snow.  I know of another up thar that would sneer at our measly pittance of precipitation.  It’s not really the 2 inches… it’s the fact we were promised flurries and a dusting!  But, my oh my, it is sure pretty to watch!

Scott has spent the afternoon working on homework.  His first 2 semesters, Scott took 2 classes a semester.  This semester he got motivated, and is taking 3 classes.  He’s finding it a bit much, I think.  Three classes aren’t in and of themselves that heavy of a load.  But, Scott is also working full time, and remains heavily involved at church, working 5 hours every Sunday, 3 hours every Thursday, and generally has a meeting or two every week.  So I toughed up and cooked a gourmet dinner for the family tonight so Scott could get his assignment in by midnight!

There’s nothing like chili-cheese dogs and Doritos for a gourmet dinner!

Things have not changed much for me.  Still no job, and still no job in sight.  No one is hiring, and my friend who indicated that he would probably have something after the 1st of the year has now told me that they had another hiring freeze in place.  I’ve made it a habit at night to not go to sleep until I’ve reviewed all the good things I have in my life.  It’s not a hard challenge at all!  Life is good.  I can look at all I have, all the wonderful friends in my life, all the things I’ve accomplished in my life and know how truly blessed I am.

You know, this snow is gorgeous!  The temperature out there isn’t really all that bad.

But I’d love to move somewhere warm and sunny.  Is there such a place?

Some News

15. January 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Uncategorized

Hey friends & family,

I’ve just learned, after a 4 day silence during which I had come to believe that the worst may have happened, that the young man, Tyler, whom I asked you all to pray for back on Tuesday, was brought out of his coma today.  His condition is still guarded.  He is still unable to talk, but is interacting with his family.  They are still requesting prayer.

So, to all you who prayed, thank you!

Eric

Prayers Requested

12. January 2010 · 3 comments · Categories: Uncategorized

Hi all.  This prayer request comes from the brother of a friend of a friend of someone I kind of know.  It doesn’t really matter how I know him.  I just know this.  A young man by the name of Tyler has been in a horrible auto accident, and is now in a coma.  His brother has requested prayers.

prayin4ty

Princess Nikki

04. January 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Eric's Life, Pets, Ramblings

Scott and I share our lives with Princess Nikki.  Or is it Princess Nicky?  Or Princess Nicki? Or… well, we never have, really settled on a spelling for her name – but that’s neither here nor there.  For information how this little darlin’ came in to our lives, you can read about it here.

Perhaps I’ll just settle for Nikki.  That spelling is as good as any.

Nikki loves the three of us.  She dotes on me; she’ll bypass everyone else to greet me when we come home.  I like that.

Nikki has her challenges in life.  She’s a dear, sweet, timid little girl.  Scott and I and Gary are her little family.  But when anyone else comes in to our home, Nikki becomes very fearful.  She barks ferociously, but prefers to do so from her hiding spot behind my legs!  If Scott or I aren’t around to protect her, she will run and hide wherever she can, though preferably beneath our bed.

In addition to her fear, Nikki has some other little issues.  Nikki does not like to be watched while she… does her business.  We must turn our backs on her… but not too far… so that she can peacefully do her thing.

Nikki also does not like water, in any form.  When it rains, it is very difficult for her to relax enough to… do her business.  And, because of this, she really hates bath time.  It used to be that we literally had to tranquilize her in order to bath her.  We’ve overcome that, but bathtime is still a very stressful time for our little princess.

In my previous post, I told about the nearly 30 inches of snow we have on the ground (and are expecting another 7 in the next 72 hours.)  Snow makes it very hard for our princess to go out to do her business.  After the last big snow, it took her nearly 3 full days before she just could not contain herself longer.  Fortunately, she found a relatively private location on our driveway on the other side of our car.   When fresh snow arrived, we made sure to go and clear a path to the “dark side of the car” for her.

She has another issue.  Her paws are ticklish.  Because of this, she doesn’t like getting her nails trimmed.  But yesterday, we finally had to do get her claws taken care of.  We grind them with one of those “Peticure” devices.  She doesn’t like this, either, but she does tolerate it.

Unfortunately we put it off so long (we could hear her anywhere in the house because of her clicking, clicking, clicking claws) that we discovered her dew claws had grown so long as to curl back on themselves.  It even appeared that they had pierced in to her paw.

Nikki also is losing hair on her sides.

So, this morning, Nikki and I braved the –17 degree cold and visited another of her great fears… the veterinarian!

The visit was good and bad.  The dewclaws weren’t as bad as we feared, easily trimmed, no surgery needed.

But, the hair loss has a rather nasty treatment.  Our poor Princess Nikki must have her semi-annual bath tonight.  And Thursday… and next Monday… and next Thursday… for a total of four weeks!

I’m not sure who dreads the baths more… Princess Nikki or her Daddy!

Let it Snow – NOT

03. January 2010 · 1 comment · Categories: Our Life Together, Stayings at home

Welcome, my friends, family and others, to the year 2010!

Over the past month, we’ve gotten more snow than I can recall in a very long time!  I do remember more… but I was a kid then!  I think it was the winter of 1970/71.  My cousin and I and some friends were able to dig tunnels in the snow from one side of our house to the other, all through our back yard.  I remember having little rooms off the tunnel.  It was great!

Back in October, the local weather personality predicted that over the course of the winter we’d have something like 30 inches of snow.  Boy, was HE wrong!

Back in October, we had our first snow.  It should have been a warning to us!  That first snow dropped 6 inches on us. I think the forecast was for 2.

Then, in November, nothing.

December started out cold, but dry.  Then, on the 12th, we got our first BIG snow fall… 12 inches in just under 24 hours.  The drifts in our driveway were huge!  And of course, our snowthrower failed to start so we had to dig out by hand.  We did just enough to get the car out so Scott could go to work.  Fortunately, the next day, we were able to get the thrower started and finish off the driveway.  The next two weeks were cold, no melting whatsoever occurred.

As Christmas approached, we were warned that we’d get another big snow.  It began Christmas Eve with driving snow.  It was really beautiful to watch, but both Scott and I had to be out driving in it.  By December 26th, we had received another 12 inches of snow!

So, by the new year, we had accumulated 24 inches of snow in the area. This presents a bit of a problem for the Hays-Strom family.  Much of our driveway is sunken in relationship to the rest of the yard, so snow must be tossed up over then retaining walls.  Not a problem for our snow thrower… in normal years.  But the snow fall this year is not normal.  Having a pile of snow in our front yard that is knee deep, on top of a retaining wall that is from 12 inches to 18 inches high means that the snow from the driveway had to be thrown up… a long way!

The last thing we need now is more snow!  Fortunately, as Saturday dawned the weatherman was telling us we would only have a light dusting of snow overnight.

So, this morning, I awake, look outside and my jaw dropped.  That light dusting of snow amounted to an additional 4 inches!  We didn’t have time to do any shovelling before church this morning, so we resolved to clear the driveway when we got home.

Unfortunately, returning home at 2 p.m. we couldn’t even get to within a block of our house… there was an accident up the street, and the police had our road blocked.  Parking the truck, we trudged through the snow to our driveway… to discover it was blocked.  The accident literally occurred right in front of our house.  A red pickup driving up Harrison with a man, his wife and his child, slowed as a white pickup came SPEEDING down Harrison, and swerved in to the wrong lane to go around a snow plow stuck in front of our house (on the other side of the street) and plowed – at speed – in to the oncoming red truck.  By the time we got home, the woman and the child in the red truck had been taken to the hospital (we’ve been told it was precautionary, that both were ok).  The twerp in the white truck … well, I’ll keep my opinion to myself!

Scott and I spent a couple of hours getting our driveway cleared, with help from the young man across the street who has a bigger snow thrower than us!

And they’re telling us we might be expecting up to 10 more inches of snow in the next several days.

I wanna move.

Someplace warm.

Mercury sounds pretty good, right now.