The Daily Peeve / Rant

I vote for tax simplification. When I started in 1973 with IRS audit, we did all our computations by hand with pencil and paper. Easy peasy.

When I left, no one could use paper and pencil since it was too complex. People on the counter were even formally trained in each area and never allowed to answer any! question not in their direct area no matter the simplicity of the question. They would be written up. They had scripts on the computer for answering the questions that went on and on to try and identify each and every permutation that could arise from even a simple question. If they missed something, again written up. Plus there were areas that none of the counter people were trained on since the areas were deemed "too complex". Customers were directed to the phones. Some is understandable. There are accountants making 6 figure salaries trying to make complex decisions and a counter person making $25,000 can hardly be expected to "know everything".

I even had people in my own office refuse to answer a question from me and we both worked there and it was a business related question. I was steamed and they heard about it.

So my peeve is tax complexity.

I doubt a tax preparer would pay for themselves, as I take the standard deduction and doubt I can beat it with no mortgage interest (cause renting) and no major healthcare expenses (because I'm not sick - thank heaven). But yea just complexity, makes it worth what it will cost, that I fully expect to pay for out of pocket.

I have had taxes so complex that tax preparers don't understand them (and it wasn't the cheap people at H&R block either - but like I said this years aren't *that* complex). I think having tax software at this point is becoming self-fulfilling in making tax more difficult, they dont' even care if they vote for ever more complex taxes because the software will do it (of course while it makes it less difficult, that's not entirely true).

I vote for tax simplification too, it doesn't even have to be a flat tax, the brackets themselves aren't the complex part (and they've existed for ages), just tax simplification. It would change behavior? Oh bully you mean I wouldn't have left my money in an old 401k from a job I had 2 years ago, because I dont' want to move it until I talk to a tax accountant about that specific issue even though I know it should be tax free? Because that's really how tax neurotic I have become after repeatedly being burned. My parents did their own taxes for years, I always thought I could do the same, but I have hired accountants some years, and I have begun to suspect taxes may never be simple enough to ever do any years tax return myself ever again. And I wonder if I'm stupid because my parents for years ... only I *know* I'm not stupid or unable to do simple math or follow a logical chain (like tax logic), but sweetana is right, they're just becoming more and more complex. I am going to take my guess at this years taxes, finish them up, and file, because I've gone to far to bother with an accountant this year, but in the future yea ... need major tax consulting.

I love my oldest DS. And I am so very proud of him. However.... He is stressing out big time right now due to end of the school year stuff and the responsibilities of the solar car team. Which makes him impossible to talk to. He snips at everything we say. Nothing we say is right. He's grumpy and irritable. As much as I want to know what he's up to and how he's doing I can't stand to talk to him for more than 5 minutes.

OK, now DS#1 has really ticked me off. He got the package. He didn't seem to appreciate it much. To be fair he did say he loves us a couple of times. But... he said he is eating good (ha! I have my doubts about that based on his history). Said he is sleeping 8 hours most nights. Just different 8 hours than I do lol Said he the most stressed when he talks to us because he then he has to talk about how he is failing 1 class, not doing so well in another and how he is so far behind on his solar car stuff. He doesn't have anything new to say. And there are things he just can't talk about now regarding solar car because it is top secret.

Sounds ok doesn't it? However, it was 2 long FB instant messages. He said we never seem to get that he is constantly busy. He can't tell us about solar car unless we ask him specifics which would require him to give us an hour of background information to even get to. He is frustrated with always have to tell us the same things. blah blah blah

I know part of why I am so mad right now is that my feelings are hurt. But I just want to give him a good shake for being such an arrogant jerk!

Getting sick after posting in the gratitude thread that I hadn't gotten sick.

Kara

Quote:

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Originally Posted by treehugger

Getting sick after posting in the gratitude thread that I hadn't gotten sick.

Kara

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Well, that sucks. Isn't the universe supposed to provide or something?

My peeve(s): airplanes waking me up at 5am, dog peed on the floor, dd took everything out of her closet and threw it on the floor (AGAIN), doctor says I need foot surgery for broken big toe (after telling me 2 years ago it wasn't broken!), dentist estimate for my teeth came to $11,000 USD, and the full-time job I was offered disappeared - the college district de-funded the position.

Ooh, Gardenarian :confused: Sounds like a good night to crawl into bed, pull up the covers, and forget what happened today.

My mother does not get, and she's a smart woman, but simply DOES NOT GET, that I do not find her needling and teasing and poking and jabbing about grandkids funny. DO. NOT. And now she's taken it to Facebook. I literally cannot mention the words baby or kids, I cannot share with her that friends are pregnant or tell funny little kid stories, because she takes ANY mention of a baby as a chance to get her little jab in. No matter how many times I tell her this bothers me. It's hurtful, it's annoying. I think she honestly thinks she's being funny. And I feel like an idiot because it quickly puts me squarely in the emotional realm of "rebellious teenager." "Ha! She thinks that's the way she's going to get a grandkid! Well, I'll show her!! There will be no children in this house!" Really mature. Doncha just love how those emotions have a mind of their own?!

Rant over.

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Originally Posted by fidgiegirl

My mother does not get, and she's a smart woman, but simply DOES NOT GET, that I do not find her needling and teasing and poking and jabbing about grandkids funny. DO. NOT. And now she's taken it to Facebook. I literally cannot mention the words baby or kids, I cannot share with her that friends are pregnant or tell funny little kid stories, because she takes ANY mention of a baby as a chance to get her little jab in. No matter how many times I tell her this bothers me. It's hurtful, it's annoying. I think she honestly thinks she's being funny. And I feel like an idiot because it quickly puts me squarely in the emotional realm of "rebellious teenager." "Ha! She thinks that's the way she's going to get a grandkid! Well, I'll show her!! There will be no children in this house!" Really mature. Doncha just love how those emotions have a mind of their own?!

Rant over.

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well that sucks badly. So let me be an alternate-universe mom to fidgie and say: My daughter is so great! She's got a great job and hubby, and they just renovated a fab old house. They did all of that work themselves, can you imagine! She's got so much energy! Her summer project is a new community garden. And she's got all sorts of ideas for businesses and activities. Her life is so full and busy! Oh, grandchildren? Why does she need them? I certainly don't care if she has kids or not, it's her life.

DH likes to poke and tickle physically--me and our dogs. He does it much less since I told him that he thinks that because he likes it, we do, but I need him to stop. It's fun for him but not for us, I said.