This and That

Good morning. The sun is finally shining; it's still kind of cool, but this is the kind of weather I could go for year round...not too hot...not to cold.  So what if I can't wear tank tops and shorty shorts.  Don't wear them anyway, so it doesn't bother me...and believe me, if you could see the way some of these women dress here in the summertime, you'd shake your head in amazement.

"Difficulties are opportunities to better things.  They are stepping stones to greater experience.  Perhaps some day you will be thankful for some temporary failure in a particular direction.  When one door closes, another always opens, as a natural law it has to be, to balance."--Brian Adams from "How to Succeed" 

I had a some bad news when I went home last night...and I not a little angry, I am VERY angry.  I had my taxes done down the street from where I work.  The place is legit, but it is weird the way they work.  There is a small office where the lady who did my taxes has her business, and next to it was a Jackson Hewitt.  Would you believe the day after the 15th, they had all cleared out?  My ladies' little office was now a hairdressers little studio and Jackson Hewitt is now the home of a psychic.  Seems these businesses all share the office spaces at different times of the year, something I've not seen before. 

So, my little lady is gone, but I am so glad I have her card and have put a call into her.  She had me so happy the day she did my taxes.  According to her, I was getting $321 from the federal and $911 from the state.  Now, I have never gotten back from the state...always paid, so this was such a surprise.  She even had me blaming my old tax preparer for having to pay each year.  You can imagine how I must have been feeling yesterday when I opened a letter from the state informing me that I OWED the state $99. This so-called profession tax preparer had not included my city tax with the state.  I don't know how it is elsewhere, but here in New York City we pay federal, state...AND city taxes. The city and state taxes are added together and sent to the state.  Aside from Yonkers, other towns in New York State don't have this...It's almost as if you are penalized for living in the city.  

I don't like to talk politics on my blog, but hey, what's up?  What's going on?  I heard on the news this morning that Homeland Security is cutting funding to the city by 27 percent?  Two weeks after the Times Square bomb scare?  They were saying we only get 11 percent of the funding, yet you might as well say we are the 100 percent target.  Go figure!!!!

And then, we have the New York State government which has now become such a big joke...only a joke that hurts the little guys. How can the governor ask state workers, who, by the way, make little more than me, how can he ask them to take one day a week unpaid furlough and then give HIS people a raise?  Well, the latest is that the court stepped in and the furlough is halted for the time being, and the governor has decided that now is not the time to give his people a raise...but why even think of it at this time?

On another note, the new Moon tonight will be in Taurus.  Taurus energy is stable, practical, patient, and nurturing.  It is a 'fixed' Earth energy;  hence, this new moon can be a stark reminder of the realities that we are living in a material world.  Taurus embodies a great appreciation for love and beauty, so take some time to relish some of the simple pleasures of life...especially those that help you attune to Mother Earth. Also, make sure to acknowledge your blessings.