1st tax return

Been doing practice tax returns out of a book for a couple weeks now. Today they let me do my 1st return, supervised of course. Lady had an unmarried couple so she took the girlfriend and I took the boyfriend. Boyfriend worked in several states so typed in his stuff to a point and then other Expert person would finish it. I was so excited to do my 1st return, until I shook his hand and then I was a deer in headlights. What do I say, What do I do? Got through it and turns out Expert needed more time to do all these states (my state does tax deductions if you pay income taxes in other states) so he would come back later to collect the paperwork and sign to file the return. Need to work on conversation. Very hard to practice conversation when reading problems in a book. Working up the ladder. In other news: Heard people working on the roof this month when it was warmer. The ceiling has not leaked yet so hopefully that has finally been fixed. Noise scared the cats so much they hid under the bed instead of eating their breakfast. Poor kitties. Cleaned 5 fish tanks in one day. I have remember not to get so fish next time. That is what I get for having a indecisive brain. Worked on my Valentine cards and ready to send out. Got to write a letter to 2 aunts, they don't have email. Well nothing else to talk about. Later.

1st official day

Had my 1st official day at work in the tax office. Got the grand tour of where things are. Got to work on practice returns. Took a lunch break to visit the gas station next door. I wonder if they let you refill your cup or make you buy a new one. The tax person I was practice my customer skills with was a talker so a 20 minute return took almost an hour. And then there was the skip this, skip that. How am I to learn what to say if we are skipping things. Then the receptionist announced she went to lunch. 2 hours later, tax person checks the schedule to find her shift was over. Why did she say lunch if she was going home and staying there? So didn't get much practice in since we were answering the phone every 2 minutes. Most callers wanted the secretary. Sorry, have to take a message. Another newbie came so we sat and did our practice returns. She said her 1st day, they left her completely alone. She struggled answering the phone and making appointments (unsure if she did them right). She didn't get any practice returns done. Even better, when time came for tax person to leave, relief didn't come. She calls the manager. Person not coming so this person had to work another 2 and half hours so we newbies were not alone. Her relief comes and I finish up to go home. I was ready to go home.

Les Miserables

Went to the theater to see The Hobbit cause a friend saw it the other day so knew it was still in the theaters (couldn't go during the Christmas season). I was an hour late for the last matinee so looked for something else to inspire me. It is my resolution to finish my damn novel (few chapters more and I'm done) and badly need a movie to turn the gears of my imagination. It always works. I saw Les Miserables opening Christmas day was still playing so check the times. Movie was starting in a minute. I saw the play in Chicago during a high school chorus trip and how could any teen forget the night in the balcony looking for Oprah, who friends saw by the stage. I can't recall if I saw here, but I look at 200 faraway faces trying to find her. Bought my ticket, hot dog, popcorn, and pop. I should not have bought food. Hour in and had to pee, but I didn't want to miss anything. This was good. I was surprised at the lack of opening credits, or maybe my brain just missed them. I recognized Russell Crowe off the bat though Hugh Jackson I had to stare at to recognize. Another bad guy role for Mr. Crowe. He harmonized his songs well though more spoken than sung without any passion. I didn't really believe him evil at first. At the end where he sings to himself about to commit suicide over doing a good thing, I finally saw the passion I was looking for and believed his character was so evil he couldn't handle giving compassion to a law breaker. Hugh Jackman was good as the hero of the tale and sang well. Like an opera this movie is all singing. Some people hate that, but I rather like it. Very passionate and sympathetic character. He is just a man trying to live a good life, but his criminal past won't allow that to happen. I cried when his character died. Anne Hathaway was amazing and sang like an opera diva (maybe dubbed, who knows). I loved her solo on dreams (how it suits my life) with so much passion I felt for her character. Her character was the victim of others and was only trying to survive to take care of her daughter. Though the story had a male as the one who fires her, it was a female in the book. She is the reason I made a note in my head when this movie came out. I'm only sorry I missed her in Batman as Catwoman. I cried when she died too. This is a very sad story and need a tissue to watch. Though I was rather confused at the prostitutes, they sang about pretty ladies when they looked like clowns with bad make- up and messy hair. Helen Bonham Carter was hilarious. Even as a villain I can't help but laugh (even as evil Bellatrix Lestrange). Her singing was more speaking than melody, but I was too busy enjoying her stealing from her customers (and her customers never figure this out?) to pay that close attention. I did notice sunglasses in 3 scenes and thought it out of place, but what movie is historical accurate. The infamous barricade scene was covered with handsome guys I look forward to seeing again in other movies. I'm a sucker for cute blonds even though they are too young for me. Very exciting to watch. I forget the king they were fighting against (history major who took a college course on history of France). Restoration put Louis XVI's brothers back on the throne, then Duke of Orleans as Louis-Phillipe, and then Napoleon III overthrew whoever to be Emperor, and was overthroned by the French and escaped to England under sanctuary of Queen Victoria. Then French Republic after that. Anyway, awesome to watch a biography of people in French history. I give it 5 stars. I like this better than the play in Chicago. In fact, I loved the name Cosette so much I wrote in my list of names I keep for story characters after viewing the play.

37 things about me

A friend wrote 38 facts about herself in honor of her birthday. My birthday was last September turning 37, so I give 37 things about me. 1 Angelina Jolie and Drew Barrymore were born the same year I was. 2 My favorite flavor is butterscotch. 3 My celebrity crush is Brad Pitt. 4 I was almost kidnapped twice, age 5 at a mall and age 11 in my backyard. 5 I like to sing to myself whether people or cats want to listen to it. 6 I have 2 cats and 11 fish. 7 I wanted a dog since I was a kid and held my aunts' dogs close to my heart. 8 I have had asthma since junior high. 9 I love ballet and skateboarding more than anything, and gave both up when I went to college. 10 I have a Bachelors of Science degree in Liberal Studies with a History Major. 11 My childhood hero is Madonna because she never apologized for being herself. 12 I met Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue when I hit him with a door when leaving a gift shop (my friend Ryan nearly fainted when I presented his autograph on a postcard for him). 13 I almost married a man trying to prove he wasn't gay and my sister talked me out of it (she said I didn't love him). 14 I never worked a job I truly loved and just did it for money (and nobody else would hire me). 15 My wildest dreams as a kid was to be an actress or astronaut. 16 My wildest dreams as an adult is to come home to a family living in a house. 17 I could not whistle until I wore a retainer at age 12-13. Now I can whistle 2 notes. 18 I could never be a vegan, I hate vegetables. 19 I have angels around my apartment to remind me that lost loved ones are not so far away. 20 I painted my own Christmas village. 21 I love the sound of a guitar because a grandma used to play one. 22 I once ate lunch by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France and saved the Coke can printed in French. And if return, I want to see Versailles. 23 I save ticket stubs to movies, plays, concerts, etc. 24 I hum music from Georges Bizet's "Carmen" when I cook, put up decorations, etc. 25 I collect coins and oldest one is from 1908. 26 My favorite cartoon is Calvin and Hobbes cause I was a kid with a wild imagination. 27 I may claim to be an atheist, but refuse to give up candy canes and chocolate eggs. 28 I put vanilla, cinnamon, & powdered sugar in my French toast milk and eggs mixture. 29 I like wearing high heels to feel taller. 30 My favorite song of all time is Pour Sugar on Me by Def Leppard. 31 I talk to my cats and fish. They stare back at me. 32 I like to paint landscapes, but terrible at portraits. 33 I never learned to ride a bicycle. 34 I enjoy dressing up in costumes for Halloween. 35 If my jobs (or family) didn't forbid it: I would have pink hair. Or dark purple. 36 I let my cats eat people food off my plate. 37 I am the master of weird dreams.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everybody. My resolution this year is try to make more money. Wait, I've been doing that for 2 years since I lost my good job. Ok, new resolution will be to blog more often so I don't forget things when working on my end of the year Christmas letter. This blog comes in handy. Friends and family are amazed how detailed my letter is and how I remember ALL this stuff. I don't remember it all, I write it down as I go along. Start tax preparation this month for a good company. My work friends went here so I never knew there were other companies that did taxes for people. My training ends this week and then wait for the offices to open. They can't open until IRS says they can. Got business cards ordered and tax preparer number. I'm ready. Return week at my retail store has killed my back from bending over for sacks so much. A week after Christmas and crowds never waned. Lots of clearance shoppers. And yes, I love clearance shoppers cause we got to make room for incoming stuff. Spring is here with sherbet colors and Valentine candy too. So I will be spending my days off relaxing my poor back and attempt to finish trilogy for my nieces. A couple more chapters and I'm done. Couldn't work on it during the Christmas season. That is a good resolution, finish my damn novel. Well out of things to talk about. Have a great new year. Mine is good so far.