The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 14, 2015 10:29:40 GMT -5
The return has been e-filed and accepted!!! Now to get all the paper state returns out on Monday. I will be able to sleep this weekend. Nah, you have a kitchen to remodel, right? Gahhh! Seriously woman, can't you even allow me a minute! The last (and hopefully final) designer called on Friday. We have an appointment on 9/22 to go over the quote in detail. So, yea...if you hear a loud gasp followed by a thud that would be me on that day. Remember, peeps - we started this nonsense (I think) last January...it's all a blur now.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 14, 2015 10:12:50 GMT -5
Taken some form of self defense like Kendo. I've watched some masters practice and it's almost as beautiful as a dance.
Exercise, forms, stretching, and getting to legally beat the shit out of someone (who's wearing padding of course). What more can you ask for?
I'm probably too old and not limber enough to start now, right?
Is there something unusual you did as a kid/teen that you're glad you did now?
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 14, 2015 8:42:07 GMT -5
Work - business professional - Dress Barn, Jones New York outlet, and Macy's.
Casual - Lee outlet, Kohls, Dress Barn, and Torrid.
Shoes - DSW and Kohls.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 16:32:57 GMT -5
The return has been e-filed and accepted!!!
Now to get all the paper state returns out on Monday. I will be able to sleep this weekend.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 16:32:06 GMT -5
*Sigh*
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 16:08:49 GMT -5
I have very vivid, painfully detailed dreams which freak out DH when I share them with him (he seldom remembers his dreams). My last dream involves living in an industrial/loft type set up. I could spend hours detailing the pattern on the oriental rugs that were rolled up gathering dust on some industrial racks. I could also describe the rickety wood stairs that go from the loading dock to the back entrance and how they sag and creak as you walk up them. But I won't. Freud would have some thoughts as to what those dusty, rolled up carpets represent, and I'd tell him he's full of it. Also, if anyone here goes on about things sagging and creaking, I will hurt you.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 15:10:52 GMT -5
My laptop is not charging and found out it is the charging port that is bad. So that means it needs to be taken apart and have it replaced which my husband is not comfortable doing. We looked into it and it would be about $125 labor and $15 for the part. I bought it about 5 years ago for either $500 or $700 I don't remember. SO my question is has anyone had this sort of things fixed before? Is it worth it? I am worried if we have it repaired it would probably not last long after that or something else will break. I am using the kids computer for work right now so no big rush. Your situation is exactly like mine a few months ago. Labor $100, part $15 to repair a laptop I paid $550 for about 4 years ago. The computer works fine now. I figure I can get at least two more years out of it. It's an iffy decision because laptops are even cheaper now then they were 4 years ago. Obviously faster also. To be honest, I probably should have just gotten a new one.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 14:36:05 GMT -5
I've had them freak out about minor things. I had an old half filled bottle of Gatorade in a duffle bag. I honestly didn't know it was there. The TSA guy found it and flipped out. Started yelling at me about luwuids weren't allowed etc. I told him I knew that and said he could throw it out it was a mistake. He kept telling me it wasn't allowed. I kept telling him to throw it out. It was one of the most bizarre conversations of my life. Another time a travel package of baby wipes in my backpack scanned as explosives. That was interesting. OMG - that just reminded me of the time two summers ago when I flew to KY to visit my sissy. My BIL loves a locally produced dry cured Italian sausage. So I packed a few in my carryon bag as a treat for him. They ran my bag through the scanner twice before asking me to open it for inspection. I don't know what they thought those sausages were, but I guarantee you it's not what they were expecting.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 13:30:07 GMT -5
Apple thanks for letting us know the outcome. I can't even imagine the pressure you were under. Kudos to you for being able to handle, and even beat it. Hopefully you new job will be everything the old one wasn't.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 13:07:33 GMT -5
Virgil,
Go get some sleep. Seems like you need it.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 12:37:48 GMT -5
I hate it! I hate the smell of it! I just finished making 10 bars of pumpkin spice soap, 6 jars each of pumpkin spice bath salts, sugar scrubs & foot soaks. (big festival on Saturday) I hate it! and now I can't escape the smell of it! I'm sooooo sorry! Even more than apple pie, pumpkin spice is everything warm, and cuddly sitting in front of a fire with DH and a hot toddy, with a cat curled up in my lap. Just thinking about it has made a shitty (so far) day a little brighter. (Reminds herself to get some rum on the way home)
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 12:31:28 GMT -5
OneSource RS. The Rep called back and is escalating our case. We have 1120-L's and 1120-PC's in our group. Those are what limits us with respect to vendors. That and the size of our consolidations. I know at least one of the big 4 use the same vendor. We had the same support issues when I worked in public. Ah. I had to look up what those forms were as I've never prepared those returns. Consider yourself lucky. In all seriousness, it sucks because our options are so limited. Oh, and the reason we have to have outside control schedules - yea... the software doesn't really handle the subconsolidations well. So we're forced to work in an environment where everyone (the vendor, the customer, and yes - even the IRS) knows the software doesn't work flawlessly.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 12:18:54 GMT -5
The Captain - What tax software do you use? My firm uses ProSystem. OneSource RS. The Rep called back and is escalating our case. We have 1120-L's and 1120-PC's in our group. Those are what limits us with respect to vendors. That and the size of our consolidations. I know at least one of the big 4 use the same vendor. We had the same support issues when I worked in public.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 11:23:38 GMT -5
Up your call to the help desk. That's one of the things I picked up at the Kronos conference last fall. Call every damn number you've got for this vendor and explain that this is happening in live time and is an epic type failure. You cannot continue to wait 2 hours for assistance to you onto someone else. You need to be escalated up the help desk chain NOW. Do your contracts have any penalties for epic failures? If so, start invoking them. Problem is there is no way to escalate it. I've left a message with our rep but she hasn't called back yet. I'm going to guess I'm not the only one calling. Service levels have been worse than normal this year. There are really only two companies out there that have software capable of handling returns like ours. They both have similar clauses with regards to service levels (I've used both of them). It's not quite a monopoly, but you're basically stuck as far as service goes. Unfortunately everyone knows that and expects it especially around the filing deadlines. They can only expand and contract bandwidth so much. And, to make things even better, some of the subsidiaries are calling my team for support because they can't get through on the help desk. That is not our function and we don't have the bandwith to do that and get our own work done. Even so, we're helping with the easier questions. In a week all of this will be just a memory.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 10:53:00 GMT -5
I think I've mentioned this before.
I was preggers with DD not too long after 911. DH and I flew when I was about 5 months but I was popping like a balloon already.
TSA wanted to take me to a separate room so I could prove to them the baby bump wasn't a bomb or something (without DH).
DH, wonderful protective Neanderthal that he is, started going ballistic. We were running late for our plane so I just rolled my eyes, lifted my shirt and rolled down my pants so they could see me in all my round tummy glory right there on the spot.
I figured I would never see any of the people around us again.
We made our flight, DH didn't get arrested and I got the satisfaction of not giving a shit.
TSA is worthless.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 10:38:04 GMT -5
Thanks guys! Seriously can't make this stuff up. My lead has been on the phone waiting in help queue for the past 90 minutes. Wait times are over two hours at this point. So they got their speaker phone on, volume on high, so they can get other work done but still listen for a pickup. Of course the help desk music is elevator slow classic (psych thing there I guess, to help calm down pissed off customers ). So a co-worker pops into my office asking if I'm playing classical music as Valium to calm me down. Yea, no. I've got "Captain's Happy Place" rocking out (on low) because I'm about to go apeshit crazy. THIS is why I don't wait until the last minute and push everyone to get their stuff in. I can't imagine trying to consolidate or get through to the help desk on Monday or Tuesday. Weather forecast for this weekend calls for a lot of whinnnne!
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 9:37:51 GMT -5
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 9:09:06 GMT -5
Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!
Ok (tries to stop hyperventilating). Yea, the Federal return isn't due until Tuesday BUT we have over 60 state returns (already complete) to get signed, processed (copy, scan, return receipts, put in files) and mailed.
The Federal forms are complete, everything reviewed, consolidations done and return diagnostics all cleared and tie outs to control schedules are done.
So why am I spazzing? We have freaking e-filing diagnostics that we have to clear before we can transmit the return and my team has never seen these types of diagnostics before. Apparently neither did the tax software help desk, with whom my lead spent two hours on the phone last night before escalating our ticket to an programmer.
I REALLY want to transmit today. If you wait until the last minute to transmit you run the risk of a time-out and/or not getting an e-file validation.
The alternative is coming in this weekend. Which would suck. GAAAHHH! I hate it when stuff is out of my control.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 8:29:16 GMT -5
Most of us get the doctor to do it captain... That wasn't always so common, particularly for the poor. Got it. Thanks!
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 8:14:13 GMT -5
Ok - serious question here - Yea I do the breast self exams but never heard of the, ummm, one under discussion. Is that a new(er) thing?
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 8:13:09 GMT -5
I have never read the book, but it is now added to my reading list! Oh thank goodness! I thought I was the only one who automatically added "banned" books to their reading list...
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 11, 2015 8:04:30 GMT -5
For most people yes, unless you have a fantastic ass, then it's your duty to society to wear yoga pants in public. Speaking of tushies... What is your best ass...et?
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 10, 2015 16:34:43 GMT -5
Not the first time. Remember when Ross Perot used Seal's "Crazy" as his theme song? IIRC Seal wasn't too pleased, but he was a bit more classy about it.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 10, 2015 13:15:55 GMT -5
Sling tv has a sports package. For 25 you'd get several espn channels and some other sports ones. still missing the "Crucial" channels including big ten network and whatever that station is that broadcasts all the cubs games. I feel your pain. Seriously - we could probably ditch TV but then I'd have to get a lock on my bedroom door cause DH or DD would strangle me in my sleep.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 10, 2015 11:52:08 GMT -5
I started out using Microsoft money and transitioned to quicken when that software was abandoned.
Quicken allows me to track all spending and investments in one easy place. Haven't tried mint or YNAB, so I'll only say quicken does what I want it to.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 10, 2015 11:10:02 GMT -5
Benedryl spray as soon as you notice the bites. It really does work.
DH brought in some groceries for me Saturday morning and got so many bites on one ankle (and one only) that it looked like some kind of rash.
I HATE mosquito bites!
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 10, 2015 9:04:34 GMT -5
Sat in front of a primitive offset smoker the whole day and turned out some awesome bbq. 1 brisket flat, 1 whole pork shoulder, and 2 racks of baby backs. Nailed.them.all!!! Believe it or not, it's harder work that you think. It was hot, no breeze, and keeping the temperature regulated on a cranky small smoker it a treat, let me tell you. But, ohhhhh so worth it! Cap, that's why some of us use the electric version with thermostatic controls. We're lazy. And, if we're really lazy, we use the brands that have automatic feeders for the chips. The super lazy add a remote wireless thermometers, so they can monitor the progress of their smoke from the air conditioned comfort of the recliner. (Insert tskeeter's smiling face here.) The only thing that could possibly be better would be ambling over to the neighbor's to eat his barbeque. That way you get to enjoy the flavor and the aroma of the smoking meat without any of the effort and clean up. Having friends with cool toys is way better than having your own toys. DH is slowly coming around. To be honest, we both tend to be oldskool and set in our ways because if it works, why change? If we get to retire early we both want to go on the competition bbq circuit. I don't know if the electric rigs are allowed, but you simply don't see them much in the festivals we've been to. However, we watch a lot of Steve Raichlen (BBQ-U guy) and even he is using the electronic smokers more than the old fashioned ones. Our smoker is on it's last legs (literally, two wheels have broken off and it's kept level by bricks ) so a new smoker is in the plan for next year. Mind me asking what you use?
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 9, 2015 16:54:53 GMT -5
If your family is happy and well-fed and getting all the nutrition they need (not eating a bunch of packaged junk and empty calories) - who cares if it seems low?
If you are preparing fresh foods on this amount, I think you should share your wisdom with us - seriously! It's just me and DH, and I rarely can get under $140 a weeks for just the two of us. AND I'm a serious urban gardener who grows most of my own veggies . . . Yea that! Before Meat and eggs skyrocketed I was feeding a family of three comfortably on $100-130 a week and I'm not a serious urban gardener! Now I'm averaging $150 a week, but I have gone to only wild caught fish which is expensive (once a week). We've cut back more on red meat also. Note - that doesn't include personal care or household items or alcohol.
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 9, 2015 15:19:51 GMT -5
Yep! I didn't start it, but you're damn right I finished it.
What is the last thing you did, that you later regretted?
|
|
The Captain
Junior Associate
Hugs are good...
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 16:21:23 GMT -5
Posts: 8,717
Location: State of confusion
Favorite Drink: Whinnnne
|
Post by The Captain on Sept 9, 2015 14:47:32 GMT -5
Depends, if it's the battle or the war.
Battle - when it makes sense to retreat to fight another day.
War - Never.
Hmmm, getting a little heavy here...
Name something that you've drawn a line in the sand, and have dared someone to cross it.
|
|