I am reminded of the old Beatles song "The Taxman" upon writing this
entry. I don't know all the words, but basically it all boils down to
'He's going to get you, and there ain't no way out of it." My absence
from this site for the week, was primarily due to spending all my
precious free time on piles of documentation, and gathering personal
records for the Internal Revenue Service. Don't you just love that name?
If I had not been so thoroughly frustrated this week, I think I might
laugh. Whoever is the author of that famous phrase; "Nothing is sure but
death and Taxes" was a very wise man. I cannot think of anything so
determinedly more permanent or final than the word Tax. Now maybe you
have not had any hassles or problems and have just skated along,
blessedly with most of your paycheck intact and very happy about the
adjusted 'outcome'. I am one of those that is not a happy camper. I
cannot get into a long story here, but it was not Income Tax Evasion. It
was just a 'simple' matter of being left with an unfair proportion of
the tax bill from my dearly 'expatriated' ex. I could not keep up with
my Quarterlies because of that, and got behind for three years. I even
set up a payment plan with the IRS right away. I file on time and when I
got back up on my feet, I also stayed current with the Quarterlies. You
have no idea how outrageous the penalties and interest are. Someone told
me they can sometimes be more than $25 a day. I had heard about an Offer
in Compromise. Unfortunately the "Kindlier and more Gentle" IRS is a
'Stupider' IRS. You cannot get the same answer from anyone , no matter
which department you reach. I applied in September of 2000. In April of
the following year they asked for more info. By the end of 2001 I was
wondering what took so long. I was informed that the person that was
working on my case was no longer there. /Who was it assigned to ?/ I
asked, expecting to get a logical answer. She told me that no one else
had been assigned. I was surprised. / You mean it has just been sitting
on someone's desk?!/ 'Uh, yes I guess so', was her response. Being the
"don't give up the ship" person that I am, I got the ball rolling again.
In August of 2002, I received an official IRS letter in the mail. It
very casually informed me that the forms I had submitted were obsolete
and they were enclosing new ones to be resubmitted.
##**^^**$#####!!!***!!!!!(I cannot print my real reaction on this public
Blog) The story goes on and on. You just wouldn't even believe the rest
of it If I told you anyway. I have now gone online and also called some
numbers of 'Tax Relief' promo letters I have gotten in the mail. Each
company says what the other one told me is a pack of lies and there is
no way if I approach it from that angle, the IRS will even give me a
break. Others ("the best specialists in the country", they say) let me
know of all their great references and how they have helped 98%!(can you
imagine that!) of the people that come to them for Tax advice. The
difference in fees is astounding....even from attorneys...ranging from
$250 to $2800. The guy who offered to do it for $250 says his company
has been in business for over 8 years and the other companies
overacharge for nothing because there really isn't any 'representation'
at all. Just a bunch of forms being taken care of and mailed in to the
IRS. * Then what do I need you for ?* I asked him. I really don't
believe there is anything you can do about lowering your taxes unless
you have a maven for a CPA or Tax Accountant. From the first time I ever
voted , and from the very first 'adult', after college paycheck I ever
received, I never saw any major differences in my Tax burden. No matter
who is in the White House, there doesn't seem to be any changes in my
check. If you are self-employed, it is even worse because you are paying
double Social Security; since you are both the 'employer' and the
'employee'. With all my expenses, I am no millionaire. (But it is so
nice not to have a boss!) The only big tax break California ever saw was
the passing of Prop. 13 which lowered property taxes substantially for
all homeowners. But the IRS ? Forget it! You pay less in your dreams. My
Canadian cousin is tired of my whining. He told me I should come up to
Canada to live and work and find out what real heavy duty taxes are! He
seems to think Americans are spoiled as far as complaining about taxes
in comparison with the rest of the world. I suppose he's right. But I
keep thinking of those guys at the Boston Tea Party and all the fun they
had.............and if we are spoiled we do so like to quote the
Constitution and stick with our hopelessly romantic ideas of paying less
to our dear Uncle Sam. Hmm.............. I suppose maybe us Americans
should have more respect for our elders, even when do get our bottoms
spanked once in a while. After all we are spoiled! Peach Supporter of
the *Tax Free America * (not to be confused with Range Free Chickens)

I went to the pantry this morning to get out three of my favorite boxes
of cereal, ( I like to mix them up). I set them down on the sink.
Immediately 5 million crawly black 'anties' speedily spread out in all
directions. When I moved the boxes from the site, I was horrified. They
were all over the place and scampering fast away from the impact. Luigi
heard me scream from the other room. I sputtered out all kinds of
expletives and squirmed when I found one crawling up my arm. I committed
much homicide this morning with a damp sponge. Those little monsters do
not drown that easily . You can submerge them so they are covered in
water, and then when you stop the faucet, those buggers are still moving
around at the speed of light. If humans had that kind of
indestructiveness just think what we could accomplish! I told the
Manager of my apartment building , and he told me I was the only one
with an ant problem. Figures. He said he could 'spray'. But I am not too
convinced about the procedure as I have two cats and it is right inside
the pantry. I suppose I should be fortunate that I do not live in
Venezuela. I am told that the Marabunta down there can overtake and kill
a man if he is lying down. I will have to remind myself that when I go
into the Rain Forest, that snakes and scorpions are not the only thing
that I must fear. Luigi grew up in Caracas and I really wanted to hike
up to Angel Falls with him when we go down to visit his parents. I am
not so sure now........thinking about that little ant this morning
making it's way up my forearm......... Considering that the Marabunta is
a giant compared to our homegrown ants here in California. Next
Episode:*The Revenge of the Ant Killer* Peach

A much anticipated United Airlines Flight # 279 from Orlando to LAX,
arriving 2:57 pm today. This will fit in later. I had a very strange
dream last night. I was pal-ing around with a male buddy of mine. I do
not remember the whole dream, but a few things are very vivid in my
mind. On day I was over at his place(apparently). I was sitting around
in my pajamas reading a paper, while he was in the shower getting ready
for something. His girlfriend pops over. She was an elegant 'Beverly
Hills Chick', dressed very nicely. She greeted me courteously and wanted
to know who I was. I must have told her that we were just friends, and
started immediately chatting about all the beautiful dresses they were
showing in ads in the paper and complaining that I couldn't afford
them.(Now don't jump too any conclusions yet. I hang out sometimes in my
P.J.'s all day at my desk at home when I don't have an appointment). Now
that is not the end of the dream. When I woke up this morning the first
thing that entered my mind was that this guy was a fellow Blogger! And
then I pondered on the dream a little longer and realized the woman was
also a Blogger. Then I remembered the rest of the dream. I was somewhere
in a store, looking to buy a Wedding vase. The Woman next to me(who I
believed at first to be someone's mother) told me that I could have
gotten the over $100 price tag vase in Palm Springs for $39.95. I said
to her isn't that always the case, being able to get it somewhere else
cheaper. A man was also standing there. (apparently her son). He was
someone I knew.(Not the first man described above), He was relatively
short, about my height(5' 71/2"), Jewish, and wearing a sport jacket. He
put out his hand and offered me a crumpled up $100 bill and some other
$5 and $10 dollar bills as well. At first I refused . /Oh no. You must
take this money./ he said, putting the bills in my hand. I finally
accepted the money to pay for the vase. I hugged him feeling warm and
very attached to him. The only other thing I remember is the woman(His
Mom I thought) giving me a ride somewhere. This is also a visual I can
remember well. We were driving up to this corner , being surrounded by
empty fields. It reminded me of the place the bus dropped Cary Grant off
in the movie "North by Northwest"( the scene with the crop duster plane
chasing him). This is where it gets interesting. I realized all of these
people are Bloggers I have been visiting on a very regular basis lately.
The first guy and the woman I figured out first. The first Man is from
the South, very sweet and dear, down to earth, writes essays,rides his
bike,travels and wants to find a woman to love and have kids. The
Beverly Hills woman is also easy to figure out. At first I thought my
dream was about setting up these two people, wanting to be a matchmaker
.........but they are so totally at opposing ends of the personality
spectrum,and from very different lifestyles that I doubt they would hit
it off. (She wants a Jewish guy with means.) The Jewish man in the dream
at first I could not figure out. But due to the action in the dream, I
remembered. I won a contest on someone's Blog and he sent me $50 to my
paypal account as my prize. I was just trying to be a little outrageous
on his Blog. (once in a while to get away from my goodie2-shoes self
image). The descriptions don't always fit in dreams. The blogger who
gave me the money ,I think, is neither short nor Jewish. And then the
last solving of the puzzle came together. The 'mother' in the dream
really is a mother but too young to have a son that old. But she is a
very sweet person who helps people, and came to my aid yesterday in
answer to a desperate e-mail. What is a little puzzling is that 2 men
are missing in this dream(unless I forgot part of it). The first man I
can understand because I have just very recently started up again to
visit his Blog as he was on hiatus for three months. The other man I
have been visiting (his Blog) on a daily basis . It is very possible, as
in all dreams, that characters in the dream may represent more than one
person. The times I was pal-ing around with this character at different
turns could have been one or the other. (Who was the one in the shower?)
Before you go making cracks about the shower and my
Pajamas

Though I walk through the Valley of Addiction I will fear no
evil.....Thy Rod and Staff, they comfort me...Thou leadest me to the
clear waters of the 12-step Program...... Help!!! I have become an
Addicted Blogger. I am serious about this. It is not my Blog that is
becoming the problem. It is other Blogs. I have been spending a lot of
time reading other people's Blogs and leaving Comments.(especially RWT).
It is becoming a hazard and I am desperate. It is interfering with my
work. I do not use a Computer for work. My home and office are the same
place. In order to earn $$ I have to get away from the computer, off my
but, and out the door! Today I was late for an appointment(not business
related) and it was because I had totally lost track of time. ' Miss
holier than Thou' thought she wasn't addicted to anything and believed
the BS she was propagating in her head. I don't even watch Soap Operas!
Where have the mental controls gone? I cannot afford to do this
anymore.....at least not the way I have been doing it. I have decided to
quit the surfing for the next business week. But I will continue to try
to keep up with my Blog to stay current, so please don't let my
addiction stop you from coming by. Next week I am going to have to set
up a schedule, namely setting my alarm for about 1 1/2 hours earlier so
I can Blog Hop and still hope to have enough time to work. I have tried
doing this at night and it doesn't work either, because I have to work
at night sometimes too, which means I start blogging at Midnight and get
to bed too late. If I sneak around your Blog I guess you are going to
have to slap my hand! If any of you have an suggestions, please let me
know! I'm not sure if any of you have a weird schedule like me, where
you are working partly during the day and the evening. The only person I
know who is busier than me is Rachel...and she keeps up a daily Blog!! I
still don't know how she does it. You know now that I have said it , I
fear the commitment. It is so hard to quit Cold Turkey, even for a week!
Puhleese give me some advice! I feel like running over to your Blog
right now...........stop, stop, stop.....s--t! I havent been over to
Troy or Joanie or Ele. Rants, or Moxie or ...........The problem is the
list is getting too long....... Your Faithful Friend, Peach

I just finished watching that DVD I bought at Costco a couple of months
ago. (See Archive August 18--Week-end Strategies) It is a documentary
about Surfing Champion Sunny Garcia. I really love watching Surf movies.
It holds some kind of nostalgic,vicarious, and athletic adventure for
me. I was surrounded by surfers in High School. I lived near the Beach.
I went to the Beach on Fall and Spring look alike summer afternoons and
most of my summer vacation. I dated Surfers. I had Surfer friends. Much
of California's sandy shores is a Surf kingdom......uniquely its own
culture not shared with any other State except for Hawaii. Sunny Garcia
is 30 years old now. He started surfing in his native Hawaii when he was
about 12. After a while school became an obstacle to his daily ride on
the waves. So sometimes he just didn't show up. Today he says he does
not regret his lack of interest in school. He has won 5 Triple Crowns
and may not retire as he alluded to in the documentary.I don't see it.
The Rap and rock music background, played second fiddle to the
acrobatics on the water. I just watched stunned and awed(haven't seen a
Surf movie in a long time) by the reality defying stunts that Sunny and
the other surfers pulled off. You could have told me he walked on water
and I would have believed it. The swift movement of his surf board ,
maneuvered by Sunny in the water, whipped in and out, and up and over and
back again in one unbroken, awesome action. His arms, out to the
sides,or stretched out in front, his knees 1/2 bent and his weight
leaning forward, guided his board up a 30 foot wave and with one swift
easy turn whipped that sucker back down again in a blink of an eye with
the foam wake spitting out in the air from the back of his board. I
watched, I watched, I sat, I ate my Hit Cookie, motionless, my eyes not
daring to move from the screen lest I miss something. No one was around
to talk to me or make comments. (the T.V. Remote King is out of town). I
just sort of marinated on the couch and wondered why I had never tried
to surf myself. A year after I had started flying I was sitting in First
Class after a Breakfast Service to Honolulu. The other two Fight
Attendants were talking . One Redhead named Catherine, told me she had
gone to Pali High. I wanted to know if she knew an old boyfriend from my
second year in college. His name was Pete and he graduated from Pali.
/Really sad about him, isn't it?/ /What's sad?/ I wanted to know. She
asked me if I hadn't heard about the accident in Hawaii. I told her I
did not. Apparently he had drowned in a surfing accident . I was stunned
and a little shaken. I thought that I might see him again some day. It
is a long story, but I was not that nice to him the last time we spoke.
After I started flying and had left home, he had called my Dad and got
my new phone number. He came out to see me. I can still remember the way
he looked. He was tall and looked like Liam Neeson. (Maybe that's why I
like Neeson). We walked along the beach and discussed old
times.........the'dimple' story that made me laugh; the day his car
rolled back down a hill ,driverless, and him running after it until it
crashed into another car at the bottom of the hill, with such impact
that the windshield got destroyed. We laughed remembering driving home
that night with no windshield and the cold air blowing in our faces . I
see him standing there with his jacket and hair whipping around in the
late afternoon wind and the spray from the darkened waves behind him. He
was so nice. That was the last time I saw him. I sometimes think that
the story was not true, or because they did not find his body that he
really was still alive. Many times I think that I will run into him and
we'll sit and chat and talk about what it would be like to be 19 again.
I really do believe that I will. After that I never thought about trying
to surf again. I'm a bit old now to try, even if I wanted too. Most of
those guys start at 12 and are ready to retire at 30. I'm glad I grew up
out here. Only California natives really know what the culture is .
That's true of wherever you are from. We become 'enculturated' by the
traditions and the geography and the people we grow up with that is
indigenous to that region. It's as though we all live in a different
country even thought we are only separated by State Lines. I grew up
with no snow for Christmas and no seasons. But I had the Beach and the
Mountains.....and thank God I learned to Ski. I sat there watching that
surf movie, with a little regret and a little sadness. But I do know
there were other athletic adventures that I pursued. And even though I
haven't been skiing in a coon's age, I can still feel that cold wind in
my face, racing down a mountain with my speed loving soul taking in all
that white snow beauty and the California Sierra Nevadas . That is one
sport I think everyone should try . When you are 'whooshing' down the
mountain at that pace in the clear ,frosty, air with only two skinny
'boards' under your feet, its' an exhilaration that is hard to describe.
As far as my 'culture' on this end of the country is concerned, I know
the Surf Culture has affected the rest of the country as well. That's
where the word 'dude' got so popularized as well as (something or
someone) Rules! And also some phrases like"hang ten" and "Shoot the
curl". Some commercial surfing gear has spread out into our everyday
wear gear as well. Companies like "No Fear", "Billlabong", and "G-Shock"
who make clothes and paraphernalia for surfers and who also sponsor the
Surf Championships are well known all over the world now for their brand
names. I could have kept watching that film, and I might have, given the
fact that all DVD's now come with extra options to watch that could keep
you up all night. But I wanted to get something off on my Blog and go to
sleep at a decent hour. Surfers Rule! Peach