For my family, normally early March after all the paperwork has been received and I find time to sit and look at boring shit.

This year, I started around then and saw that we owed federal a bunch and I stopped as that fragile motivation was now gone and I wasn’t in a hurry to send trumpy money for ballrooms, legal defense, bombs, ice, etc.

Finally went back to it last night and finished up tonight. I’m getting roughly the same amount back from my state.

Now your body is primed for shingles, which was one of the most miserable experiences of my life. Painful blisters leading to permanent nerve damage.

Used to think that if you put in the work at your job, showing loyalty and dedication, that the company would take care of you. That’s how it worked for my parents…working for the same place starting as a college intern through retirement, or changing jobs when they felt like it when they wanted to move elsewhere.

It sounds naive now after years in the real world being taken advantage of, getting passed by, and getting laid off because of a company’s whims…but when I showed up in the job market with a degree and good grades from college it was quite a shock.

A coffee and a crossword puzzle is really all it takes to make a great morning these days.

My punk show / skater buddy went hard into religion, which led to apparent right-wing politics.