Early Morning Musings

These sub-zero temperatures just don't want to go away! Yesterday it was -16 when I got up at 6AM, today its -1 an improvement yes, but not much. But good news is on the way, by the early part of next week we should be in more seasonable temperatures, the 20's and 30's.

Checked on the parents house yesterday and started their car. Had to trudge through snowbanks (about 3-4 feet high) where the plow had gone by then walk up the driveway through about two feet of snow to the back door. At least there the wind was such that most of the snow had drifted awy from the house. Then it was in the house, get the keys and then through the snow again to the back driveway where the car sat - a red cadillac - which they bought just before they left for Texas. Earlier I was going to remove the battery and bring it down to my house where it'd stayed warm and charged only in a cadillac the nbattery is located under the back seat and there did not appear to be an easy way to remove it (once I found it). So it remains and I go up and let the car run awhile every other week or so. Maybe this year when they get back the car battery won't be dead, like it has been in years past.

Paper...paper...paper. Despite having computers (two), the paper just continues to build up. Whomever predicted that computers would create a paperless society was way off the mark. Not only my own, but Thelma's as well. Still trying to get her organized and sorted and systems set up for bills and pills. A long term process. And now I'm about to go through my neighbors Medicare and Supplemental Insurance papers to see what has, hasn't or doesn't need to be paid. She gets a letter stating they are reviewing her claims - AFTER - they have sent her a statement saying they paid the claim, which the previous letter states they are reviewing. I hope when I am 70, 80, 90 years old there is someone around who will be able to act as an advocate and figure out what these doctors, hospitals and insurance companies are doing and saying...LOL If I make it that long.

People are posting again in the Tomb. I need to write, get lost in my thoughts and worlds of my making. Had intended too yesterday, but things got involved and interferred and then there is the truck. I keep wondering if it will die the next time I drive it...sigh. It runs good and is in good shpae but I have a high pitched whine or hum coming from the engine. Seems to be more active during cold vs warm weather. And after yesterday I've decided that it probably has something to do with the accelerator and fuel injection system. Since it tends to happen once the engine has warmed up and when you gradually accelerate from a light or slow traffic. Then if you quickly rev the engine it stops or sometimes release the gas pedal it stops. So with this newly determine information maybe the garage can fix it. The last time they could not find anything. So I will write things out relaying my observations and see what happens besides it is time for an oil change, lube and filter and who knows what else...50,000 mile check up I suppose. It is a 1997 Ford Ranger, I don't drive it much...LOL.

NYS Dysfunctional continued....

More on my Dysfunctional NYS Government. I was so annoyed at their letter that I wrote an email to one of our local TV Stations. They have a piece called “Your Stories” which is essential tips received from their viewers concerning local issues or other matters to which the consumer or taxpayer can’t get a straight answer or resolution. So I emailed them asking them about this Dear Taxpayer letter I had received. They called me the very same day and to make a long story short...

No one knew anything about the letter, they interviewed me and it was broadcast on the evening news and they contacted the New York State Tax Department. Seems that in an effort to save about $1 Million in printing and mailing costs they decided to send these letters out instead of the forms, only most of the letters were mailed so late that they will arrive after the deadline for ordering...so Thanks to my inquiry and the TV Station's (WIXT TV9) follow-up, the New York State Tax Department has rescinded the deadline and you can order the forms to be mailed to you indefinitely.

I recorded my brief two minutes of fame and now have to figure out a way to copy just the portions I want and delete the rest. Plus they have been broadcasting the story (not my interview) almost non stop for the past few days to ensure that everyone knows you can still get the tax forms.

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Tis cold...brrrrrrr, as I type this it is minus 8 and we are expecting 8 – 10 inches of snow later this afternoon...sighhh. I have so many things I need to do – outside – too! I need to go up to my father’s and start their car and check on the house as it has been awhile, but it’s cold and my truck doesn’t like the cold. I have a high pitched whining noise (and no it isn’t from the driver’s seat *smile*), coming from the engine...sporadic and usually when it is cold out, yet the engine is warm. Doesn’t seem to happen when you first start the truck or first drive it only after it has warmed up a bit. During the warmer weather it doesn’t happen. I think it has something to do with the emissions system as if you step on the gas it goes away, sometimes. It is driving me crazy as you never know when or if it will occur and just as you think it isn’t...it does. It’s annoying. I had the Dealer (where I have most of the maintenance done etc) check it out once but they did not find anything.

Now if I could win the Lottery I could buy a new car/truck. After all it is a 1997 Ford Ranger with about 51,000 miles on it and still in very good condition. Should be able to get a fairly decent trade in on it...or I should just keep it and get it refurbished and drive it into the ground...sighhh.

NYS Dysfunctional Govt

Idiots! Yesterday (13th) I receive a "Dear Taxpayer" notice from NYS Department of Taxation, seems they have decided to save on printing and mailing costs by - NOT - mailing tax forms to NYS Taxpayers this year. If you want them, you have to order them. Who in their right mind "wants" Tax Forms, maybe someone who is getting a refund which might be an underlying reason why they are not mailing them...the longer it goes the less likely NYS Taxpayers will claim their funds quickly thus allowing our dysfunctional and financially strapped state to hold on to the money. Not only that but the notice gave you an option to order the forms by calling a toll free number - but you had to do it by the 14th - I just got the notice for Gods sake!

So I called late last night - my forms will be prepared for mailing on January 27th...if I'm lucky I'll get them by mid-February. Yeah Right! Just another example of how our Government here in NY strives to make things easy for it's residents...NOT!

Opinions

I have all these opinions in my head and a need to write a few (?) letters to the Editor. At times it can be a drag being so opinionated and yet not expressing it, keeping it in, buried beneath my thoughts. Perhaps a Journal would help...where I would write these thoughts down for clarification and expansion later? Or I could put them here, but who would be interested in my opinions about the political infighting between the City and County, the School District which thinks the solution to all its problems and the lack of education of it's students is to spend more and more money, then there is the Federal Government and the myriad issues there. Though I did write an email recently - when the Democrats in the House and (1) Senator object to Ohio's Electoral votes...I sent a blsitering email to Senator Boxer, Clinton and Schumer complaining that there were more important things to be debated, things that they could make a difference on...for cripes sake people are dying...I just can't fathom their priorities sometimes. One thing though it did not endear me to the Democratic Party...not that I am enamoured with the Republicans either...they have just as crazy ideas as everyone else.

Oh well maybe the journals I ordered yesterday (Lord of the Rings) will be put to some use. Most likely they will gather dust like so many other notebooks etc.

As Gandalf says "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us", the trick is in the deciding.

To the New Year!

Let's see it is now January 5th, five days into the New year and I still haven't made any New years resolutions. Not that it matters much as I wouldn't keep them. But I sometimes try...I really do. So maybe we'll try again...

Resolutions (a draft list to begin with - to be editted - in no particular order):

1 - Get Finances in order, verify Budget, verify Incomes.
2 - As a result of #1 Look for a Job(???)
3 - Find God (I know he's there but we're not really communicating), or find a meaning to Life.
4 - Exercise and lose Weight (this will make my Doctor happy, not sure about me sounds like work).
5 - Get back to writing, have neglected the Tomb for too long.
6 - Find emotional satisfaction, build network of friends.
7 - Who am I? What am I? Where am I going? and Do I want to go there?
8 - Keep New Years Resolutions this year.

We've lucked out so far and are in the midst of a mild winter BIG *SMILE*, very little in the way of snow, about half if that what we should have gotten by this time this year. Plus the temps have been above normal. I'm not a fan of snow and ice and tend to want to stay indoors when it comes, I suppose that is an aspect of life that happens as we age.

I am spending time working on finances, tweaking figures, calculating budgets and so forth. It looks like (and somehow I don't believe it) I've spent more in 2004 than in 2003 and that is after excluding the unusual expenses. I have to investigate further, plus work on taxes which will be a BIG PROBLEM, since I did not pay much in advance and nobody took anything out...I figure (preliminary) I'm looking at a $5,000 bill come April - Federal and State combined. Maybe I'll luck out but I doubt it.