Topic: CLOSER THAN EVER (Read 90743 times)

JMK · « **Reply #60 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:07:49 AM »

Hilarity at the retirement home department: I play a lot of retirement homes, where you Hainsies may be aghast to hear I am thought of as a personable and entertaining visitor. I get a kick out of playing for these folks who otherwise don't have a lot of entertainment in their lives, and they seem to love the fact they can call out virtually any tune from their memories and I can play it for them. Typically what I do is play a little concert for the first half of my time and then ask for requests for the second half. Well, last night there was this extremely elderly gentleman (I'm guessing mid-90s at least), sort of half asleep on the couch for most of my first half. I asked for requests and he suddenly blurted out "America." Wanting to make sure I did the song he was thinking of, I asked "Which America?" Pause. "North America!" he shouted, leaving everyone in gales of laughter.

Later, one of the "friskier" women, who always dances when I play came up and thanked me. I told her we needed to get her a miniskirt, leather boots and fishnet stockings. "What makes you think I don't have those already?" she asked.

When I told her she could be a Go-Go dancer, her best friend chimed in, "I think more of Went-Went dancer."

I love these people.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #61 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:10:09 AM »

Quote from: Jennifer on April 29, 2008, 07:51:28 AM

I have one might be a stupid question.

DR Elmore posted that he got a tax refund check that he was not expecting (hence he is not depositing it).

DR Jennifer, it isn't a stupid question but my situation has nothing to do with deserving a refund or knowing what you will get or pay to the IRS. That's all I'll say publicly.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #62 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:11:12 AM »

Quote from: Ron Pulliam on April 29, 2008, 07:54:09 AM

The answer to your questions is "yes", and Larry was very much concerned because the check "appears to be" a refund check but that was not something he was expecting. That means, of course, that there is some other reason for the money being sent to him -- the economic stimulus rebate or the IRS found an error and recomputed his taxes in Larry's favor or it's all a HUGE mistake and Larry would be liable to return any portion of the money he chose to spent when the IRS figures it out...hence Larry's reluctance to do anything until his accountant returns to the city.

I

Thank you, DR RonPulliam! That was so much better than anything I could have said!

JMK · « **Reply #63 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:13:20 AM »

Refunds: Well, you don't always know, and I can give you an example. Three years ago our (former--and you'll soon know why) accountant did our returns and said we'd be getting a few hundred back from the Feds, maybe about a hundred from the State. Lo and behold several weeks later there was an electronic deposit in my bank account for thousands from the Feds and many, many hundreds from the State. Like Elmore, I was convinced they had made some error. I called the Feds and actually (believe it or don't) got a very knowledgeable and nice lady who informed me, after looking up the records, that our idiot accountant had forgotten to include my self-employment taxes in the taxes paid and had therefore miscalculated the whole return, including our refund.

Jeanne · « **Reply #64 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:13:51 AM »

A Great Big HAPPY BIRTHDAY
to
The Vixter!

May you have a lovely day!

Ron Pulliam · « **Reply #65 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:15:13 AM »

Quote from: elmore3003 on April 29, 2008, 08:11:12 AM

Thank you, DR RonPulliam! That was so much better than anything I could have said!

Thank you for your affability re: my addressing a question to you on a personal issue.

Kerry · « **Reply #66 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:15:43 AM »

Good Morning, dearest friends! I'm afraid that is all my pea brain can come up with at the moment.

You are treasures to me.

More later.

Jeanne · « **Reply #67 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:19:55 AM »

Quote from: JMK on April 29, 2008, 08:13:20 AM

Refunds: Well, you don't always know, and I can give you an example. Three years ago our (former--and you'll soon know why) accountant did our returns and said we'd be getting a few hundred back from the Feds, maybe about a hundred from the State. Lo and behold several weeks later there was an electronic deposit in my bank account for thousands from the Feds and many, many hundreds from the State. Like Elmore, I was convinced they had made some error. I called the Feds and actually (believe it or don't) got a very knowledgeable and nice lady who informed me, after looking up the records, that our idiot accountant had forgotten to include my self-employment taxes in the taxes paid and had therefore miscalculated the whole return, including our refund.

I'm know there are other horror stories, too. Some years ago, a fellow I worked with, a self-employed consultant like myself, told me that he had originally gone to a large accounting firm, assuming he'd be in good hands. He had no idea they weren't doing his returns correctly until he started dating a woman who was a CPA. She looked at his returns and discovered many, many errors. It seems that the accounting firm had given my friend's returns to a very junior staff person. My friend soon married the CPA.

Jeanne · « **Reply #68 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:20:22 AM »

Does DR FJL wish to chime in here?

Jeanne · « **Reply #69 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:21:43 AM »

Hello, Kerry! Nice to see you. How are you keeping?

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #70 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:21:58 AM »

Good Morning!

I'm up, I'm up... I tried to log on earlier to no avail, so I went to the gym instead.

JMK · « **Reply #71 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:22:17 AM »

Jane: re: moving. Go with one of the nationals (Bekins, for example). Do NOT go with the locals--we made that mistake when we moved into our current home from our house on the southeast side of Portland. We hired "All America Movers," and got a psycho mover who was in the throes of a divorce, threw our stuff all over in a rage and later dropped my grand piano, cracking the case. It tooks us many weeks of threatened lawsuits to get everything taken care of. The State was little if any help, although they do have a department specifically for licensing movers, which I only found out about after a lot of investigative work.

Jeanne · « **Reply #72 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:22:35 AM »

Like some other DRs, I have a lighter-than-usual day today and am MOST PLEASED about that!

Matt H. · « **Reply #73 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:24:15 AM »

Quote from: elmore3003 on April 29, 2008, 08:02:31 AM

I watched THE TUDORS last night; it's really moving and quite emotional. From previews, I think there's going to be a ton of turmoil through the end of the season.

I'm looking forward to it. It'll likely be the first of the three programs on my DVR that I watch this afternoon.

Thanks, DR Elmore, for a preview.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #74 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:25:29 AM »

Hmm... The site's server still seems to be having some issues. I wonder if all of DR SWW's smileys are still affecting the board?

*Since the smileys/emoticons are treated as graphics, I'm guessing that that post in question was/is eating up more bandwidth than normal for a standard page of posts.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #75 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:26:05 AM »

Quote from: DERBRUCER on April 29, 2008, 06:33:39 AM

I shall refrain from using any language or discussing any situations she did not experience in RENT.

der Brucer

Hmm... The mind boggles. Simply boggles.

Ron Pulliam · « **Reply #76 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:26:34 AM »

Quote from: Jeanne on April 29, 2008, 08:22:35 AM

Like some other DRs, I have a lighter-than-usual day today and am MOST PLEASED about that!

How nice that the fog is lifting and that a few rays of sunshine are beaming through!

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #77 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:26:49 AM »

Quote from: elmore3003 on April 29, 2008, 08:02:31 AM

I watched THE TUDORS last night; it's really moving and quite emotional. From previews, I think there's going to be a ton of turmoil through the end of the season.

I suspect they will go through a batch of axes.

der Brucer

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #78 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:26:53 AM »

DR FJL - Speaking as a musician, I am not offended.

*I'm wondering if the stage manager was informed about the lack of drummer for tonight's student preview?

Jeanne · « **Reply #79 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:28:37 AM »

Quote from: JMK on April 29, 2008, 08:22:17 AM

Jane: re: moving. Go with one of the nationals (Bekins, for example). Do NOT go with the locals--we made that mistake when we moved into our current home from our house on the southeast side of Portland. We hired "All America Movers," and got a psycho mover who was in the throes of a divorce, threw our stuff all over in a rage and later dropped my grand piano, cracking the case. It tooks us many weeks of threatened lawsuits to get everything taken care of. The State was little if any help, although they do have a department specifically for licensing movers, which I only found out about after a lot of investigative work.

I would concur with that advice. My biggest move--cross-country--was also my easiest and best move. It was with North American Van Lines. However, I'm told that a lot depends upon the driver, and the firms know who their best drivers are.

Jane, you might want to check into MoveSource.com. I would not recommend them if there are many valuables, but they do provide good prices. They are basically a broker; they contract with the big firms and pass on the discount. However, some of their people are more knowledgable than others. But for someone with a "basic" move, they'd probably be fine. They have a good website, too.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #80 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:28:39 AM »

-Just been watching more of the coverage of the storm damage from Colonial Heights and Suffolk, VA. A little too close to home, literally. Thankfully, my friends who live in Colonial Heights were spared during the tornados.

Matt H. · « **Reply #81 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:29:24 AM »

Quote from: JMK on April 29, 2008, 08:07:49 AM

Hilarity at the retirement home department: I play a lot of retirement homes,

I love these people.

My last years in high school and my first two years of college, my grandmother was in a nursing home. A couple of times a week (or on the weekend during college), I would walk there from my house and play the piano for them from about 4:30 until their dinner hour at 5:30. They were always SO grateful for any attention, and they loved seeing someone young come in and be around them.

I wish I could have taken requests like you, DR JMK, but alas, I didn't have that kind of musical talent.

Matt H. · « **Reply #82 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:31:13 AM »

Now, I'm going to head downstairs to check the mail and then start on lunch. I've having spaghetti with mushrooms and meat sauce. Haven't had it in months and am really looking forward to it.

WBBL.

Jeanne · « **Reply #83 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:31:29 AM »

Quote from: Ron Pulliam on April 29, 2008, 08:26:34 AM

How nice that the fog is lifting and that a few rays of sunshine are beaming through!

Thank you, Ron!

JMK · « **Reply #84 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:31:52 AM »

I'm sure it's my youth that most impresses the old folks.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #85 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:31:55 AM »

DR Jane - As others have stated, since Bryan is moving across the country - well, at least to the middle of it - go with a National company. It will make it easier to deal with any problems and issues should any arise.

*If Bryan does want to put some sweat-equity into his move, he could always pack up a majority of his belongings, put them on the truck, and then hire a team of movers to take care of the larger items. And if he's renting from U-Haul, then there's also a better chance of having storage available in one of their self-service storage centers.

FJL · « **Reply #86 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:32:33 AM »

A tax return can only be expected to be as good as the info supplied by a client. Mistakes on tax returns can be a matter of garbage in. garbage out, even when an accountant is on the ball. Tax preparers are not mind-readers. If the client doesn't tell the preparer that he or she made estimated payments, for example, the preparer does not know to ask, he or she just doesn't list what the client didn't give him. If the client doesn't think to give the preparer some of his business deductions, it's not the preparer's fault that they don't ask where they are. Requiring the preparer to chase the client down when in most cases the answer is "I gave you all i have" would cause higher fees all around, since the questions would have to be asked of almost every client.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #87 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:34:35 AM »

Quote from: Matt H. on April 29, 2008, 08:24:15 AM

I'm looking forward to it. It'll likely be the first of the three programs on my DVR that I watch this afternoon.

Thanks, DR Elmore, for a preview.

Keep the Kleenex close!

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #88 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:34:39 AM »

Quote from: JoseSPiano on April 29, 2008, 08:25:29 AM

Hmm... The site's server still seems to be having some issues. I wonder if all of DR SWW's smileys are still affecting the board?

*Since the smileys/emoticons are treated as graphics, I'm guessing that that post in question was/is eating up more bandwidth than normal for a standard page of posts.

When Woody gets home at 3:30 I'll have him delete the post.

der Brucer

Jeanne · « **Reply #89 on:** April 29, 2008, 08:35:29 AM »

Lest I forget,

ALL-IS-WELL VIBES to BK for the BRAIN, his auto, and his tummy.

News:

Author Topic: CLOSER THAN EVER (Read 90743 times)

FJL