My treadmill friend and I walked 0.44 miles in 12 minutes on a flat surface on Day 9. Series 2 total is 3.56 miles in 1 hour 40 minutes. Meanwhile in Oregon, my cousin Chris went for a 33.2 mile road ride. http://bit.ly/eiUY5Z It's cold out there! I'm in awe...
What a lady! Look at that picture, no way she looks 90. Then you see her great grandchildren in action bringing you birthday cake with ice cream and cleaning it up, you see the pictures of her and dear Walter serving in the temple 20 years, her missionary pictures, her family pictures, ... and you concede she has the full life to match her years. We should all live life this well!
Muriel had a wonderful turnout for her birthday party this afternoon. I felt blessed to have been invited!
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My friend and I walked 0.44 miles in 12 minutes on a flat surface on Day 8. Series 2 total is 3.12 miles in 1 hour 28 minutes.
A little more on Miss Potter from last night. The movie has been out 4 years, so it's not news, but it was new to me. Thank goodness for movies on DVD -- and for Willyne being part of Marsha Nielson's movie club ...
I think what made Beatrix Potter's books, "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" and the rest, endearing were the illustrations. Full of color and life. The story seemed to follow the pictures rather than the other way around. So now 50 years later I hear the story of Miss Potter and the books come alive for me all over again. Her life is a wonderful story, and the English countryside is a big plus too. If you haven't seen it, get the DVD!
Faith in God & in the goodness of life is a true blessing! "If ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." Alma 32:21. I would add that this is not limited to purely spiritual things, there are many intangible things that truly exist that we cannot see, making faith important to all areas of our lives.
The tortoise walked 0.42 miles in 12 minutes with his treadmill friend on a flat surface on Day 7. Series 2 total is 2.68 miles in 1 hour 16 minutes.
It is 7:45 pm, I'm headed home from work to watch Miss Potter with Willyne and Becca. It has gotten rave reviews in my home, so I'm excited about it ...
The IRS has announced some people will have to wait until mid to late February to file their taxes this year while they reprogram their computers to include the changes in the tax law passed December 17. It affects people who itemize deductions, claim the K-12 educator expense deduction, or want to use the higher education tuition/fees deduction rather than one of the credits. If you'd like to know more, click here to visit my tax and money blog.
A cheerful thought ... "Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever." -- Alma 26:37
And I love that the English have a name for the day after Christmas.
Went to church. Eldon Pierce gave a great lesson in High Priests. Lynn Gubler made a touching comment, asked us all to be really good to our wives. It is treat just to be in High Priests with him--he's usually serving his mission in the Hurricane Spanish Branch.
We thought it would be a quiet day. Riley seems to be coming down with something, and everyone is ready to rest after all the excitement of Christmas. Benjamin headed back north before I even got home from church (I stayed after to help today) because it looked like bad weather for him. Doug Jr also went home mid-afternoon.
But... we were surprised twice. Josh and Megan brought Ethan, Kate, and Riley. Always a great surprise! They weren't gone 5 minutes when Jacob and Hilary stopped by on their way home from her family up north. Another great surprise!
Like I said, I love Christmas and I love Boxing Day!
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Series 2 walking doesn't happen on Sunday. I was able to start at day 1 of another goal I have :)
Some sights and sounds of the most wonderful day of the year ...
A blessed family Christmas breakfast ... eggs, grits, sausage, hashbrowns, creamy hot chocolate, orange juice, and Doug, Benjamin, and Becca to provide wonderful company!
I loved Becca's smile when she opened the box with her magical lightning bolt Harry Potter wand!
Day 4 with my friend terr-eee-blay was 0.37 miles in 10 minutes on a flat surface. Series 2 total is 1.40 miles in 40 minutes. Doug Jr., no way is boredom an option!
Today I'd like to share Isaiah 9:6,
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
It was so good to see blue sky and white peaks after a week of rain. I felt a new energy just feeling the sun!
Enjoying LaVerkin Community Christmas Eve Program
Part of the joy of living in this community is the traditional Christmas Eve program. A well-read story, a few musical numbers, then we all sang "Santa Claus is coming to town" ... and he did! I'm not sure anyone knows how long we have been doing it, and I'm glad the tradition is still going strong ...
They also gave out awards for Christmas lighting tonight. Our family got one for best nativity. I accepted for us, feeling like it should have been Willyne -- she and Andrew Dockstader did all the work. But it is true the nativity is my favorite part of our decorations.
After the program we had a nice dinner and conversation. Mostly it was on how is everyone doing and then it gravitated towards education, what it is, what it isn't, and what we wish it would be. A great evening. It is good to have Uncle Bill here with us for the first time in several years.
And let us not forget day3 - I walked 0.35 miles with my friend in 10 minutes on a flat surface. Series 2 total is 1.03 miles in 30 minutes. I recommend the Santa hat 4smiles & bonus burn -- sorry I couldn't figure out how to take a picture of myself it would have been a classic ...
Doug Jr and Josh headed down to pick up Uncle Bill at McCarran Airport this morning. We had fun jammin' on the textwaves while they were en route. It all started with a simple question: "Do you know if there are any Chic filas in Vegas?"
I hope they will enjoy my sharing our banter ...
ElPad: Sorry there are 75 chick-fil-a's "near me" (nearest is flagstaff) but none anywhere in Nevada
Jairzinho (JZ): Thanks for checking awes. Doug says we're taking a detour on the way home. :)
ElPad: To where, the little a'le'inn just down the "strip" from the dreamland resort?
Narrator: ElPad was thinking this was a good place for them to enjoy Uncle Bill's classic root beer float delights on their "detour" home ...
Little A'Le'Inn, HC 61 Box 45, State Highway 375, Rachel, NV 89001
Phone: 775-729-2515, Fax: 775-729-2551, http://www.littlealeinn.com/
And also http://www.rachel-nevada.com/ where you can find gems like how the town was founded and the story of the town name being changed from Tempiute Village to honor the first person born there -- Rachel Jones, who sadly died at age 3 in Moses Lake, Washington where she and her parents moved some time after her birth.
JZ: Haha, no Flagstaff. :) check out the new dam bridge, and bring it around full circle (of course joke though.)
ElPad: Actually I was thinking of the alamo-rachel-tonopah circle. U want chicken they have that 65000 tile KFC logo visible from space on 1.5 acres of 'prime' real estate
JZ: Are you kidding me?! Visible from space?! What in the world?!!!!
ElPad: No joke friend...although it should be
JZ: In Rachel or Tonopah? Why didn't I swing by on my Tahoe trek years ago, that would have been a worthy detour. :) Guess the crazies really do live out there!!
El Pad: Get your GPS and head out to 37.6460 N 115.7507 W in the "northern section" of Rachel
JZ: Dad even whips out the coordinates!! That is total awes! :) That's why you'll love the iPod 'cause it can do all that stuff without having to buy another machin. Then take the picture and tag it to the gps coordinates for your total awes magical mystery tour record book. :)
ElPad: Muy awes! Hope you and Doug are getting a good laugh out of this morning banter. Guess I'll have to follow up my ucla-uconn blog post with rachel trivia he he
JZ: Definitely! And I'm excited to read your post on ucla!! Hope your take is that Wooden's accomplishments were far superior?
El Pad: No one can top Wooden's accomplishments even with bill walton and wooden's grandson giving uconn's women props :) FYI I'm looking at a top 10 list of all-time great roundball players 10 magic johnson 9 elvin hayes 8 christian laettner 7 larry bird 6 david thompson
JZ: What list is this?!
El Pad: 5 pistol pete 4 the big O 3 bill russell 2 bill walton (so he's not the greatest ever at ucla according to these guys) wilt the stilt 12 the logo 16 mj 19
JZ: Doug's trying to remember what college Elvin Hayes played for?
El Pad: University of Houston. He broke Kareem's 47 game win streak with 39 points in a 71-69 win ... at the Astrodome!
JZ: Roma was telling me that story, just couldn't remember the school.
JZ: Is this a list of greatest NCAA players then?
El Pad: Si. Includes Teresa Edwards of Georgia at 64 and Cheryl Miller at 68
El Pad: The power of the keyboard anyone can declare themselves an expert
JZ: The powers of the keyboard!!!!!!!!!!! Love it friend!!!!!!!! And how is Lou Al not the greatest NCAA player in history?!?!
El Pad: He is
JZ: Sorry, must have missed that one. Do have to argue that Mr. Laetner is better than Magic on any level!
El Pad: This list clearly gives the edge 2 what they consider clutch performances they rate entire careers on things like the opinion that laettner's '92 buzzer beater over kentucky in the title game is somehow superior to magic besting bird in similar fashion. I'm with you!
El Pad: One other comment they make is magic "would be higher on the list except he left college early to play for the lakers"
JZ: Haha, that's exactly what Doug and I said!! Laetner is one shot, that's it!!!
JZ: When did Vegas airport get rid of the quarter machines?!
El Pad: Didn't know they did
JZ: Yep. 2 buck min now for the first hour. McCarren express exit is what they call it. Total ogg!!!!
Narrator: El Pad is relieved Jairzinho is talking about parking meters and not any other style of quarter machines you might find in Nevada, not that he was worried.
El Pad: Uggi
JZ: Total!
Roma: Olaf! Where is the awes popeyes on our way home?
Narrator: So we've gone full circle here. At heart, we Beechers are just a bunch of foodies.
Celebrate Christmas! Through Christ "men are punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression". Ezekiel said it thus,
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
"But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
"All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live." - Ezekiel 18:20-22
I'm home from the party. Wonderful hugs, conversation, and food! Glad Uncle Bill could join us and BIG thanks to Grandmother for all the preparation and yummy food. These pictures say it all ...
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Celebrate Christmas! "As to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things ... For which we will praise his name forever." -- Alma 26:12
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Got reacquainted with my friend the treadmill. I've missed it, but went slow to avoid dizzyness. Walked 0.33 mile-flat surface-10 minutes.
Doug Jr sent me a text this morning, "Did you watch that game in 74 when nd ended uclas streak? Must of been pretty amazing that ucla never lost a game your whole mission, maybe worthy of a blog post."
That 88 game win streak that stretched over a full 3 years from January 1971 to January 1974 was indeed amazing. Most of the games weren't even close, regardless of the competition -- of which there was plenty.
No, I didn't get to see the game as I was still serving my mission in January 1974. I came home in August that year, just a few days after Nixon resigned. But the winning streak was already 1 1/2 years in progress when I started my mission and already amazing at that point. And it kept going another 1 1/2 years after that!
Now to be fair here, I'm sure it's not a total coincidence you bring up the UCLA streak this particular week, the one where the UConn women broke the streak. So here's a link on that streak too -- even Mr. Walton gives his props, along with Coach Wooden's grandson ...
Celebrate Christmas! Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise, yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work righteousness forever. (Alma 26:8). Christmas is a great time to sing praises to the Lord!
It is also a great time to go to Josh & Megan's house, eat yummy Mexican food, play with Ethan, Kate, and Riley, and enjoy Christmas. Here are some pictures ...
Celebrate Christmas! I was touched by "Wise Men And Women Still Adore Him" a 12 page booklet by Elder Russell M Nelson this morning. Jesus descended below all things to rise above all things. Yoked with Him, we can rise above all our challenges. (Matt 11:29-30, referred to on page 11 by Elder Nelson)
Here are a few pictures from tonight's party hosted by Willyne, Becca (thanks to both of you for all your good work!) and me for my parents, siblings, their families, and our family. It went as good as it could go!
I also wrote in my tax and money blog tonight if you are interested check it out here.
so we did the choir program in Sacrament Meeting today. It was good and it was fun singing!
lunch was fun today too, Willyne shared a meal that Marsha Nielson made for their movie group recently -- wheat tortillas with melted cheese. Then you put on your choice of toppings, including a white rice and black bean mix, sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce, and avocado. Very nice!
Suze is here today visiting Becca -- always enjoy having her here.
We are doing webcam with Chloe and Abigail in Boston for family home evening tomorrow, so we did a trial run with Sarah and Darin tonight to work out the kinks. It is amazing what you can do now. We watched a 20 minute movie together! It played on Darin's computer screen, and I watched it with them on my screen and we were able to talk with each other about what we were seeing. Very nice!
If we can't live close together, it sure is nice we can do things like this!
In addition to reading the Book of Mormon, I am also reading the Old Testament for Sunday School class. As I have mentioned before, I find the Institute manual a very useful resource to help me understand better what I am reading. Today was Ezekiel 1-8. I continue to be amazed with how much the Israelites rebelled against God after so many blessings, and also amazed at how many pages are devoted to the same time period -- for example, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Ezekiel also pretty much discover the conquering and captivity of the Jews by Babylon and Nebechadnezzer in about 600 B.C.
This must be very important to the Lord to discuss and for us to learn from ... (something about if we don't learn from history we are doomed to repeat it ...)
This was the view out our front door about 9 am today. Even the horses across the street have colorful blankets to keep them warm -- it just looks like Christmas season weather doesn't it! Third straight day of rain and fog, probably will stick around about three more. Makes you want to sit by a fireside, eat, and have a good conversation -- which we did today, more on that later!
My CelebrateChristmas! thought for today ...
Christ prepared the plan of redemption from foundation of the world for all who would believe on his name. If thou desirest, bow down before God, repent of all, call on him in faith, believing you shall receive, you shall receive the hope and great joy you seek. See Alma 22:13-16.
Becca arrived about 2 pm today from Idaho to spend Christmas with us. Yea! She was just in time to go with Willyne and I to see Jacob and Hilary, talk, and see their beautiful Christmas tree and decorations.
Here are the highlights of their decorations, very nice!
Then the five of us had holiday dinner at Cracker Barrel. We got a table by the fire and had a great time together! Celebrate Christmas -- two nights in a row, love it!
An initial thought ... it is my parent's 59th anniversary of their wedding in a Manti blizzard (except inside the temple, of course) ... hope you had a nice day today ...
One more thing before I start on my main topic -- Congress passed the long awaited tax law early this morning and the President signed it today as well. If you're interested in what I have to say about it, head over to my tax and money blog.
Celebrate Christmas! "... the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness--yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul!" (Alma 19:6 -- it is rewarding to get Christmas thoughts from Alma and his friend Ammon!)
I love everything about Christmas ... the sounds, smells, lights, magic, and most of all Mrs. Santa!
She and I went to see Doug Jr after I got done at work this afternoon. He had a nice Christmas tree up, we listened to Christmas music, talked and enjoyed Christmas lights in his living room. Thanks!
Then we went to Josh and Megan's, where I learned that Ethan likes "the math game" which involves him asking you an addition question like "what is 1 plus 1?" You answer then ask him a similar question, and it goes back and forth for several minutes of laughing and fun. It is especially good when it involves adding frosted animal crackers. Then I got on the floor and let Ethan, Kate, and Riley play with me while watching a series of Pixar short films that Willyne had recorded.
While I was writing this, a unique song I enjoy started playing. I have posted the YouTube version here for you. Rachel, there is a surprise waiting for you at about 3:18 into it ... :)
Merry Christmas to all!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
I worked from the house this morning and then went to the office for the afternoon, so, yes, I am climbing my way out of this. Yea!
A little thought for the day, it is worth noting to me that when we make bad choices we do affect others besides ourselves. Consider Zeezrom in Alma 14. When he watched the people he had influenced killing believers, he realized his role in their actions. Every one of us influence people every day, sometimes knowingly, sometimes not. Like I said, just a little thought for the day. :)
I have been laying low today. I am most of the way back from sinusitis now, and want to make it the rest of the way. Also I have a huge project I am working on, and the best way to do that is to find a quiet spot and type away on those keys. I need to continue on that, so have a good night and we'll visit again tomorrow!
This is a great video that Hilary sent to Willyne and she sent to family and friends today. In case any of you haven't seen it, please do. The Nativity. The Birth of Jesus Christ. The Reason for the Season!
After a couple years of detailed effort by Willyne and her friend Jill Olsen, here is one of eight nativities they hand crafted and painted in detail. The detail is worth the effort, it really makes the scene come to life. Thank you!
Josh wrote today's post in my tax and money blog ... an observation of what the current tax law debate tells us about what has happened to the political process. Click here to read it.
5:20 Take nose drops, lay still for 10 minutes to let them do their job
5:30 Get up
6:45 Drive to church for bishopric meeting
7:00 Bishopric meeting
7:30 PEC meeting
8:30 Go back home, see if I can help carry items to car for Willyne (I did)
8:50 Pick up mother, head back to church
9:00 Sacrament meeting
10:15 Help set up yearly combined Relief Society meeting along with a dozen other people
11:00 Attend the Relief Society meeting. I'm one of two photographers. Kyle Gubler took the official picture of everyone, I got 23 shots around the room. I'm certainly not Ellen Patton, but hopefully some of them will be useful to the Relief Society for their history and enjoyment.
12:00 Help clean up from the meeting.
12:15 Find out the finance clerk needs to be excused, go help with counting donations and tithing settlement
1:45 Go home, eat a quick lunch.
2:15 Go with Willyne to Diamond Ranch Academy, a youth boarding school near Apple Valley, where she has been asked to do Christmas music with the youth for their Sacrament Meeting.
3:00 Their Sacrament Meeting begins. It comes out that as a graduate of Sister Jessica Udall Smith's school of conducting music I am the most qualified person to lead the music, since Willyne is playing the keyboard. Sister Smith was my mission president's wife, one day while we were waiting for our President to arrive to speak to us, she decided to have all of us lead music at our seats. The class lasted 30 minutes, the sum total of my lifetime training in the subject. You never know when you will need it. I wound up leading 7 songs, I felt OK about 6 of them. One was in 6/4 time, I struggled with that one.
4:00 Go directly to choir practice.
5:15 Go home. Relax, watch 2 movies with Willyne, work on ward statistical report while I'm doing it.
10:15 Start writing this. See a really nice picture at the top of my list of blogs I follow. LOVE IT! (OK, I'm biased, but it's still makes me smile to see Chloe and Abigail in Santa's lap)
Day's done. Still smiling. As President Hinckley liked to say, the secret is thanking God for letting you have the ride.
Quote for the day ... "True success in this life comes in consecrating our lives—that is, our time and choices—to God’s purposes (see John 17:1, 4; D&C 19:19). In so doing, we permit Him to raise us to our highest destiny." -- Elder D. Todd Christofferson
That thought was featured in the "Prophets and Apostles Speak Today" column of lds.org today. I liked the talk when I heard it in October, it touched me again when I read it recently, and it was good to ponder again today. I think it is a really succinct definition of consecration ... and remember, we are always in Heavenly Father's debt. If we do something good, He immediately blesses us and we are back in His debt. So just imagine how much he will bless us if we consecrate our time and our choices to Him! That's just a glimpse of what I believe Elder Christofferson is talking about when he concludes "... we permit Him to raise us to our highest destiny". We have our free agency. He cannot take us to our highest destiny unless we show our willingness to go there by consecrating our time and our choices to His purposes.
That is a very humbling thought, and also a marvelous one!
Willyne and I attended a convert baptism in our ward this afternoon for Brother Dayle Corso. It was well attended, it was wonderful to feel the support and especially the Spirit there. There is nothing quite like the sweet Spirit at a convert baptism. I'm glad I could share in it!
I improved a little more today, enough that about 4 pm I asked Willyne if she was game for a spontaneous evening with me. Being the wonderful wife she is, she said yes!
We had dinner at Chuck-a-Rama. May not sound like a romantic Christmas restaurant, but you would be surprised. We were. They had coconut shrimp with orange marmalade dip, as good as you've had anywhere, seafood Newburg we both enjoyed, and even clam chowder that surprised us. No, it's not Legal's. But it was very good! It was also quiet and a nice atmosphere.
On our way to the show, we stopped and picked up a few items at Wal Mart.
So what was the show, you ask? Our favorite music synchronized Christmas light display, at 1192 South 840 West in Hurricane. Here's a sample for those of you that are out of town and want a taste of home this Christmas ...
Very slowly I am improving. But the pain surges still come regularly. ow. Thanks for your support.
We had the Accutek Christmas lunch today. Yes, I went ahead with it anyway. Didn't want my loyal employees to wait for their bonus checks when everything was arranged. It was at Main Street Cafe, you should try it sometime, nice lunches and breakfasts (no dinner) and quiet atmosphere. Plus it's nice to support your clients.
I also thought you might like the tie I wore today ...
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Day 23 did not happen. I did go see the doctor today, it's gone on long enough that it's more than an ordinary virus that antibiotics wouldn't do anything for. So ... I have sinusitis, which is what I had when I first learned I had allergies at age 16. And I must admit, these headaches do feel like those. They are intense in a way you don't forget.
At least I know what to do to get better now ... Off so sleep I go!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
More eloquent people than me have written about events on this day, whether as a day that will live in infamy or the day yet another brave, classy person passed from this life after a fight with cancer. Today it was a public figure, Elizabeth Edwards, tomorrow it will be some one equally brave that few know but who will also make a difference.
Yes, there was a day 22, but shorter than ever, and unless this strange head cold passes this night, I need to take a break to try to heal.
Me & My Friend on Day 21 - walked 0.35 miles in 10 minutes on a flat surface treadmill, burned 30.5 calories. I'm still fighting lingering effects of a head cold, mostly a really wierd headache that has moved from the back to the front to the back again and now on both sides simultaneously. An earache joins in from time to time. I've been sleeping more and that has helped ... some.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
We had a nice family Christmas dinner today, also played with the chimes and "guess the christmas song". Willyne played the first five notes of 25 songs, then we guessed. Danielle won, she got 24 of them right. It was fun!
Everyone has gone home now and we are getting ready to finish our day with the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. The colors and the music are amazing!
La Verkin has a winter festival on the first Saturday of December each year, one of its highlights is the light parade. I'll let the pictures do most of the work ...
The float for the Mayor and City Council included a generator to provide power for the Christmas lights. Luckily, it was still going when I took the picture. Overall, it was off more than it was on ... :-(
Pictured here is Mayor Wilson with one of his grandsons, just before the parade began. Ray Justice and I joined them a moment later.
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We were near the front of the parade, with Frosty leading the way!
I have always liked colored lights in motion
You might remember me writing about recycling in La Verkin last August. This well-lit float features one of the recycling binnies. Councilman Phil Jensen, who represents our city on the county solid waste disposal board, rode on this float.
It was overcast, which kept it relatively warm -- yea! There were also exciting fireworks tonight! These little hometown celebrations and a fun part of the character of living here.
One other note of the day, I'm a lifelong Dodgers fan, but that didn't stop me from being sad to hear of Ron Santo's death. The picture on the right is how I remember him, back in the day ...
He was one of those rare people who hustled every day and really cared about his team and his community. I will miss him.
And last, but certainly not least, today is number 20 for walking. I haven't felt well in a few days now, mostly a head cold, but I have cut back to 10 minute walks because of it -- but I really want to keep going no matter what. Today wasn't the treadmill, I walked 0.5 miles after the parade to meet up with Willyne. No grade, but it felt good! Thanks for your support, it is really helping me!
Random observations from the second and final day of the 23rd annual USU Income Tax School ...
Steve Radmall likes 529 plans better than Coverdell plans for saving for education.
Coverdell plans do have one advantage in their ability to use them to pay for private elementary and secondary school tuition. But like a lot of things, they expire after 2010.
You can avoid paying income tax on US Savings Bond interest if you use it to pay for qualified tuition
But you really ought to roll the savings bond proceeds into a 529 plan first because then you can use them for a wider range of education expenses
I started asking everybody if they had gambling winnings 3 years ago because I tired of the IRS letters asking for more money because of gambling winnings they didn't tell me about (but I have offsetting losses so it shouldn't matter -- but it does). Now the tax authorities are telling me I should be asking if people have felony drug convictions because they won't qualify for some of the education credits if they do. I really don't want to know some of these things ...
There are now 10 different programs for giving tax benefits on education expense and endless permutations of the interactions between these 10. You can't totally rely on the computer. Some extra effort on "what if" goes a long way ...
There is a Form W-9S that can be used to qualify credit card debt for the student loan interest deduction -- if you jump through the right hoops
Schedule L is back this year with more choices than ever. You can file Schedule A or L or neither. Sometimes skipping Schedule A and paying more federal tax is good because you save more on state tax than you pay on federal tax. Especially if AMT is looming. Good luck getting the computer to give you a straight answer on any of that, another place you have to eyeball multiple options.
If you hire one of those "one call, that's all" personal injury attorneys, and they get you a big settlement, it might be tax-free. Or taxable. Or a combination. The part that is taxable, you have to report the gross settlement, before attorneys fees are paid, as income. Then you can possibly claim the attorney fees as a deduction on Schedule A. After deducting 2% of income. And good luck dodging AMT on that one. Really, how unfair is that?
A presenter made a case today for filing a tax return for your child's babysitting or lawn mowing business income so that they can make a contribution to a Roth IRA. Wow.
We got a good laugh out of this 3 minute video ...
Wish it weren't real
We got 45 minutes on conversions of traditional IRAs into Roths.
We got 75 minutes on new tax legislation. 72 of that was on the new health care legislation. It is actually a huge new tax law...
Lots of info on tax court cases that settled this year
When you have to pay a lot of tax because you didn't have enough money to pay your debts. (So how are people going to do that?)
How to figure basis on assets that are inherited from someone who dies in 2010. It's different from 2009 and 2011, because of the repeal of the estate tax for this single year.
The final speaker was the head of USU's Department of Economics and Finance. He is a CPA who went on to get a Ph.D. in Economics. He gives an economic outlook talk each year, but wasn't too excited to do that this year -- admitting that economists haven't been doing well at predicting where the economy is going next. So .... we got a short explanation of Say's Law, with the admonition that we are talking about the wrong things. His view is we won't get a long term benefit by stimulating demand, instead we should be stimulating supply, and demand will take care of itself. Bravo!
Day 19 of the tortoise on the friendly treadmill...0.38 miles in 10 minutes @3% grade, burned 45 calories. Legs a little stiff, heart pumping, how does this happen in only 10 minutes?!? Benjamin, you don't have to answer that, I can hear what you are saying from here ... :)
We just finished dinner at the La Verkin city staff Christmas party. Now we're all gathering in a circle to begin playing our yearly pick a present game. It is definitely good for some laughs, which these good hard-working folks deserve!
I made it to day 18 with my treadmill friend this morning, walking 0.39 miles in 10 minutes, gradually increasing grades 4-12%. I burned 58 calories. Heart going fast, but less than last night. It is a good way to kick start my day!
Most of my day was devoted to the yearly Utah State University tax update school in St. George. It goes for two days, we covered such exciting topics as how tax law changes have affected how to calculate basis of assets, and thus how much tax is due when they are sold, and recapture (of a lot of things besides just depreciation, we even covered recapture of alimony deductions under certain situations -- meaning in some cases, people who deduct alimony payments from their income have to add it back in a few years later and pay tax on it). The IRS is going to require more to be done electronically, for example, there is going to be a new form this year that clients will have to sign if they insist on not filing electronically. The state of Utah spent most of their hour on rules on when partnerships and other pass-through entities have to withhold tax from the income paid to its partners. I thought it was an "interesting" choice of topics from among everything they could have chosen to discuss.
The longest session, held in late afternoon was 1 1/2 hours on ethics, split about equally between theory from sources such as the Josephson Institute and practical application in tax situations. For example, a low-income woman comes in who has been abandoned by her husband, barely surviving financially and clearly needing a large refund. Her youngest child, and the only one living at home, is 19 years old, which means there are income limits for her to be claimed as a dependent, and also so the woman can qualify for head of household status. The child has one W-2 showing wages of $3,100 for the year, low enough for the mother to qualify for deductions that would give her a large refund. In the course of the conversation, you learn that the child also received a few hundred dollars for selling plasma, for which there are no records and no one will ever know that this money was received. With that money included, the child would not be able to be claimed as a deduction and the mother would actually owe tax. The scenario ended with the rhetorical question: "What would you do?" after which several other rhetorical question scenarios were presented.
I go back for a second day of this school tomorrow. It is great that it is in St. George, most continuing education requires travel to Salt Lake or Las Vegas.
I don't know my heart rate but it is high...0.40 mile in 10 min with my ter-ree-blay friend on Day 17, 6 flat, 4 at 15% grade. That will get you going! Burned 57 calories. Definitely wasn't bored, Doug Jr.
Thanks to Benjamin we now have a theme picture! Thanks to Josh for inspiring me to move up to being a passionately smiling tortoise with his inspirational essays in his blog http://lionforaday.blogspot.com.
Sunrise Valley At Sunset
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[image:
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1h_EgVOFSxxG8z0Pp0Z3rv_iA2fUyYtH_][image:
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=18EpgKKRB5zz7qO7-7b...
"On your left"
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“On your left” is meant to be a notification, a warning, to those on the
trail that someone is passing on the left. The passer could be running,
walking, c...
Holiday Wrap-up
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Aren't these cards cute?! Yes, there are two of them, pictured
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LDS Gems to Be Discontunued
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Dear subscriber,
In an effort to consolidate our distribution lists and eliminate duplicate
messages, we are discontinuing all Gems subscriptions. If you h...
LDS Gems to Be Discontunued
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Dear subscriber,
In an effort to consolidate our distribution lists and eliminate duplicate
messages, we are discontinuing all Gems subscriptions. If you h...
The Dash
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When you die, there's going to be a tombstone. It's going to have your
name, the year you were born and it's going to have the day you died. In
between t...
I am 1
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I am 1. I love watching Mickey Mouse clubhouse & singing the Hot dog song.
I have 8 teeth and love to put fingers in my mouth & show people how
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Linzi turns 10!
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We're still 7 days away from Christmas Eve, but the excitement of the
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First up, Ethan got some much ne...
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Last fall sometime I wrote a small note in our journal about watching the
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My Testimony
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Today is a pretty big anniversary. It was twenty-four months ago that I
bid my family farewell and walked into the Missionary Training Center. It
does no...
Don’t Just Follow the Needle; Use Your Brain
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Saturday, Wendy and I drove along the mountain ridge that separates the
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The teeth look good but they must be uncomfortable. She wore them to the
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Secretariat
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Mom got me hyped about my favorite horse once again. In 2000, when Josh and
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top ...
A new beginning!
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So it's been a few months since my last post & many things have changed
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我们现在在国防语言学院
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We are now at DLI. I haven't written for such a long time. Things are going
good. Monterey is pretty nice. It is starting to grow on me. But the best
par...
We're home...
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We made it home with no issues, plane rides suck, and I had a good
time...we will tell you all about it when we see you this coming week. I
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