Sleepless Because of Seattle

More walking today in the ongoing Keep Dad Alive effort, you can read about it at http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/03/49.html.

Here are some thoughts I enjoyed today,

My thoughts while reading 2 Corinthians 4:3-4: The good word of Christ is there for all to see, if we don't blind ourselves to it by our own actions.


"A goal is a dream with a deadline". - Napoleon Hill
 
I had a 9 pm appointment with a couple in Seattle using Skype.  Skype kept breaking up, we wound up going back to a regular phone.  The husband didn't have enough tax withheld from his paycheck, and the wife got a 1099 from her employment and paid low estimated tax.  They need a refund.  Getting very little benefit from high child care payments.  I could go on and on, it is going to take a lot of work documenting business expenses offsetting some of the 1099 income to keep them from owing several thousand dollars.  I have another follow-up with them after city council tomorrow night. 
 
This is not a complaint, just thought you would be interested in a glimpse of what keeps me up late some nights.  I actually enjoy the challenge.
 
I am the passionately smiling tortoise, and thank you for reading this and supporting me.  I appreciate it.

Who's The Greatest Oscar Party Host?

We'll let the pictures do the talking tonight ...

Good company and yummy food!

Oh, yes, your friendly tortoise was the guest of honor tonight!  Can you believe it?  I'm blown away!  Thanks again, Jacob, Hilary, and Maude for being such great hosts!  There are 70+ more pictures, check out Beecher Bunch for the goodness as soon as we can get them posted :)

26 Feb 2011

I was sweating pretty good when I finished today's walk, check it out at http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/48.html

We had a yummy early birthday dinner and family gathering for Josh today ...

Check out Beecher Bunch for more soon!

Charity Is The Greatest Of Them All

I started the day by finishing the previous day at work.  That means what you think it does, one day blended in to the next, connected with a nap. :)  I did continue walking, with a modification today, read about it at http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/47.html

I so loved 1 Corinthians 13 today. Poetry meets the scriptures. Do you like that chapter too? What there touches your soul the most?

My contribution to tax and money observations today:  "Collecting Social Security While Continuing To Work - What Are The Rules?" you can read it at:  http://nblo.gs/eLuyJ

20 Hours One Step At A Time

And I'm smiling that I made it to 50 miles the day before I made it to 20 hours ... http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/46.html  The even better part is I can tell it has given me the improved stamina and feeling of wellbeing I hoped it would.  That's saying something deep in the heart of what seems like work around the clock season ... (I'm averaging about 7 hours of sleep a night, so no it's not literally work around the clock season.

A thought for today ... 1 Corinthians 12:12,25-27 Being one ... composed of many http://tinyurl.com/4usfbok Teamwork and charity are so important!

Today I Complete A 50 Miler And Recommend You Ask For A Pay Cut

Completed my first 50 miles in Series 2 walking this morning ... http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/45.html

Among other interesting things, the scriptures today also pointed out the need to take good care of our bodies ... 1 Cor 3:16-17: We Are Truly What We Eat ... And Also What We Breathe, Drink, Think About, And More http://tinyurl.com/6byapxf

Please don't think I'm trying to be tricky with my tax and money thoughts today with ... How To Increase Your Take-Home Pay By Asking Your Boss For A Pay Cut http://nblo.gs/eFO0F

It's been a 20+ hour, fast paced "petal to the metal" day.  I'm calling it!  Thanks for checking in with me!

Thank You, President Washington

Thank you, President Washington.  It's your 279th birthday today.  We appreciate your sacrifice for us -- I'm sure Valley Forge was very cold, especially compared with Mt. Vernon.  We appreciate your repeated good examples.  You refused to be king.  You served for a time, then went home and found other ways to continue serving.  Thank you.

I took some steps around the next corner today ... http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/44.html

Romans 13:11-14: Does this sound like Paul talking about his own day in the 1st century A.D ... or ours in the 21st? http://tinyurl.com/4fqcz8h

Scales, Romans, Beauty in Ugly and LDS Bingo

A fast paced day ... time with Terreeeblay and the weekly visit to the scales (http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/43.html) ... a few words from Paul that I enjoyed, in Romans 10:15: "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace & bring glad tidings of good things!" ... several client appointments, in person, and by phone ... some thoughts about what can be learned about business and life from the beautiful Ugly Trailor http://nblo.gs/eA2xN ... dinner and LDS Bingo with the Stevens' family who have been painting their house ... and now I am going to enjoy some time with Willyne.  I am the tortoise and I am smiling!

Learning About Zambia

A pretty normal Sunday.  Lots of meetings, from 8:30 to 2.   Sacrament meeting was Brother and Sister Esplin reporting on their mission to Zambia.  That one pulled at the heart strings -- that was a tough, physical mission, but you could tell they really made a difference.  Willyne and I sang in the choir too.  Had a nice visit with my mother after church.  Enjoyed a tasty dinner, salmon, seasoned quinoa with peppers and carrots, and green beans.  Conversation with Willyne was nice too!

19 Feb 2011

Thoughts for today ...

Acts 20:35-36 "... ye ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all."   Somehow the familiar message that it is better to give than to receive becomes even more meaningful when we realized that Paul concluded that teaching moment by kneeling and praying with the congregation.

I read the Church News and Mormon Times a few weeks after they arrive in our mailbox.  This morning while eating breakfast I found this article by Jerry Earl Johnston in the 1/1/11 issue that I enjoyed:  "Finding an LDS connection with Kipling's 'Jungle Books'".  You can read it by clicking here:  http://tinyurl.com/46a7hwc

My friend Gary Lynn is celebrating his 58th birthday somewhere in the world today (as a Boeing 777 pilot for Continental Airlines he could literally be anywhere, and back home in Alpine, Utah tomorrow).  Happy Birthday, Gary!

I did my second "Series 3" walk today, you can read about it here: 
http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/42.html

18 Feb 2011

Thoughts for today ...

1.  Acts 9:10-18 I admire Ananias' faith and courage to do as the Lord asked, and seek out Saul (who he thought to be dangerous for good reason)


2.  The $11,892 Item In Your Budget ...You Think You Can't Control It ... Are You Ready For Change?
 

You've heard that our President has submitted his budget proposal for the coming year.  $3,728,686,000,000.  That number is so big, who could comprehend it? 

Try this: Your share is $11,892. Pile enough play money to represent your gross income on a table and divide into two stacks:  (1) Your share (or your family's -- multiply $11,892 by your family size) of federal government spending and (2) what's left.  Your job with each stack: 

 
(to continue reading, click here: http://nblo.gs/etxEb)
 

3.  Happy birthday, Grandmother Forsyth!

4.  More walking news and some yummy vegetable soup (thanks, Willyne!) ... http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/41.html

Thankful For The Opportunity To Work

One foot in front of the other for 50 days ... and salad dinner at the office with Willyne!http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/40.html

I'm reading in Acts and among other things am admiring the changes Peter was willing to make in his life and the great leader he became.

And I worked 14 hours today, and was thankful for the opportunity to do that!

16 Feb 2011

Happy birthday, Doug Jr!  Enjoyed lunch with him, Willyne, Josh, and Grandmother Forsyth at his home.  A little more information plus walking details at  http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/39.html

Today's tax and money thought is a suggestion on how to easily track miscellaneous charitable contributions so you will remember them when you file your return, details at http://nblo.gs/enrt2

15 Feb 2011

I've pushed really hard this trip.  It has been good and I am tired.  :)

I did have a nice walk today, outdoors, not with Terreeeblay.  http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/38.html

Happy Valentine's Day

Mixed results today.  The walk happened, along with two salads, but there were some tough snacks along the way.  The tortoise will continue trying ... http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/37.html

Today's tax and money thought ... Early Withdrawals From Your IRA/401k - Might As Well Gift Wrap It And Give it to IRS http://nblo.gs/ehNuy

Happy Valentine's Day thought ... I miss Willyne ... I'll be excited to see her Wednesday!

It Really Is A Small World After All ... And Not Just At Disneyland

It really is a small world.  I'm in southern California, where I will meet with people in five counties in as many days about their tax returns, while Willyne is in Tampa helping with two of our granddaughters.  Today ... no taxes.  I found a ward on Mariposa Street in El Segundo and attended the meeting block there.  No one seemed to know where La Verkin is, a few even confused it with Levan.  But several knew people in Hurricane and got excited when I explained that Hurricane and La Verkin are almost the same town, simply separated by a river and a bridge.

We had an interesting discussion in Priesthood Meeting about lesson 27 about various aspects of the value of work.  A retired engineer who used to be the bishop and is now the senior statesman of the ward from his wheelchair, and a retired dentist who is quick to help him both had enlightening comments about what they did to help their children learn the blessings of work when they were growing up ... a common concern of most of the brothers in the room.

On the way to Sunday School after Priesthood (this ward has the Sacrament Meeting last schedule), I got talking to the dentist, or more accurately, the dentist started talking to me.  When they asked me to stand, I introduced myself by saying I was there on business for a few days from Utah, but if anyone there had been there long enough to remember Brentwood Ward (now 32 years dissolved) that I had grown up there.  The dentist mentioned his name was Bentz (I think that is how you spell it) and that he had lived in Mar Vista and remembered Brentwood Ward.  I asked him if his name was Phillip.  It was.  I didn't know him well, but he was in the same stake and I remembered him.  I told him he probably knew my parents better than me, and when I said their names he did remember them.

My point here is to say again it is a small world.  Yes, this was only 12 miles and one stake away (in what has become a far more congested city than the one I remember - I could give several specific examples but that's a subject for another day) from a place I lived until I left on my mission.  But I have found I can go almost anywhere in this wonderful church of ours and at least meet someone who knows someone that I know.  There is a tremendous fellowship and it is a blessing.

A picture of the Christus taken
 from outside the window.

I had lunch at Souplantation and then went to see the newly reopened Visitors Center at the temple.  It had been closed for so many years that I was beginning to wonder if there were permanent problems in reopening it.  My how it has changed.  The only thing that is the same is that the Christus is still there, and even that has a different backdrop now.  Where they would have shown "Man's Search for Happiness", now we have an intimate living room setting complete with a fireplace and three video picture frames that become DVD screens for a new presentation that still shows three generations of a family, the value of family and the things that are really important in life, and that we can be together as a family after this life.  Very touching, and interesting that the underlying message is still the same.

Three different missionaries wanted me to meet Sister Stout from Hurricane who works at the visitors center.  She was with investigators the whole hour I was there, so it didn't work out, but again it struck me what a small world this is, especially in our church.  I told them that she probably was related to Jed somehow, that he and Nicole are my neighbors, and that I am sure they would want to wish her hello.  I left smiling.

Lincoln's Birthday

1809 Abraham Lincoln is born in Kentucky on February 12.

I'm not sure who failed more times before he succeeded, Mr. Lincoln or Mr. Edison, but both are great examples of persistence!

I love to go to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.  There is a reverence there that is wonderful and palpable. 

I love that he recognized the hand of God and the power of prayer in his life and our lives.

I appreciate the personal sacrifice he made for the country I am blessed to live in today.

And as a side note, in 1965, the centennial year of his ultimate sacrifice, my dad took my brothers and I to Death Valley to camp on Lincoln's Birthday, still a very happy memory of mine.  It's still the only time I've been to Death Valley.  A very colorful place, from the rocks to Scotty's Castle, where camp was surprisingly cold.  The theme song was the theme from James Bond's Goldfinger, fairly newly released at the time.

In 2011, I commemorated the day by thinking about Lincoln from time to time, while meeting with 4 clients and doing 7 tax returns.  It was a long, busy, quality day.

Series 3 began today.  For more on that, please click on:  http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/36.html.  I did the walk in two 39 minutes pieces because of the schedule for the day and computer issues I had downloading files I needed early this morning.  When I came back for the second half, I bumped up the grade to 3% from the planned 2%.  Pulse was quick, steady, and reasonable even with the grade.  It is a noticable difference from a month ago, and I am thankful.

11 Feb 11

Tax and money blog post today:  No Child Tax Credit For 17 Year Olds? What's The Deal? http://nblo.gs/eb7F6

I kept walking, limiting portion size, and increasing fresh vegetables eaten.  Details at http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/35.html

It's been a long day, got in from last client appointment at 11, it's now 11:35, alarm is set for 6, so I'll catch you sometime tomorrow.  :)

The Tortoise and The Everready Bunny ... There Are Some Similarities

I have truly enjoyed this particular reading of the Gospel of John, for instance, John 20:29 "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed" http://tinyurl.com/4u2x6dy

My walking and eating journal continues at http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/34.html

I got a couple breaks from work today ... a haircut at 11 and a half hour delivering messages to sisters with Willyne.  The highlights of my day!

Another Look At "Not Even Once"

Some thoughts to ponder for today ... Christ speaking in John 13:15-17 "I have given you an example, ye should do as I have done unto you. ... If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."  John 14 has some heartwarming thoughts as well, I comment on them here:  http://tinyurl.com/6468skw

--------------------------------------------------------------------

For all of you who are working on Willyne's mantra "Not Even Once!", maybe this message from my tax and money blog today will interest you ...

I believe the fastest way to get a "love letter" from the IRS is to ignore your gambling "winnings" when you file your tax return. I know what you're thinking. It's either "they already withheld taxes at the casino, so that took care of it" or "I lost more than I won, so that means I don't have to report it". Wrong and wrong.

The saddest example of this that I've seen was a fellow who came in my office one day to see if he needed to file a tax return. He was single, 72 years old, and living on a $800 monthly pension and his social security. I asked him all the usual questions, and all I could get out of him was a statement from his bank showing he had earned $0.37 in interest on his savings account for the year. He specifically said he had no gambling winnings. So I told him his pension was below the limit for needing to file a tax return, and at his income level his social security wasn't taxable.

Several months passed before I saw him again, this time red faced, beyond angry, and clutching an IRS letter saying he owed them over $3,100 because he didn't file his tax return. Of course, I was guilty until proven innocent.

 

If you'd like to read "the rest of the story" click here:  http://nblo.gs/e5DwH

-----------------------------------------------------

In my world of trying to improve my energy and health, I visited with Dr. Richards today, and my PSA is holding at 0.03 (nearly imperceptible).  I am very thankful.  I came home and celebrated by passing the 30 mile mark with terreeeblay, you can read more at:  http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/33.html

------------------------------------------------------

My mother called this evening with interesting news from her visit to the family history center ... she met a new third cousin, which means of course I do too, one time removed.  Her great grandmother, Phoebe Jane Cudney is brothers to the workers' great grandfather.  She has the family group sheet information written down, which I am excited to see!

Ten Flights of Stairs, Taken Slowly

This morning I visited the treadmill again ... http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/32.html

Mid-morning I visited Jacob.  Good to see him!

At lunch I went to the quarterly lunch meeting of the local hospital charitable foundation.  We heard a presentation on what they are doing to help people return to normal living after having knee surgery.  Then we went up to take a tour of the actual facility.  Very nice, as were the people.

I got a new look at what terreeeblay is doing for me though.  I thought I was doing well, and still think I am, but realize I have a long, long ways to go.  The lunch is held in the basement.  The elevator to the 4th floor was a long time coming, so most of us headed to the stairs.  It was five long flights of stairs up, the kind where you go halfway one direction then halfway the other, so it felt like ten flights of stairs.

By the time we got to the top, everyone else was a whole floor ahead of me.  But I made it.  Go Mr. Tortoise!

Then it was on to Staples to buy four boxes of paper (we really do use a lot of it) and back to the office for more appointments and work on the computer.  A brilliant day!

7 Feb 2011

Thought for today ... John7:17 "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."

Question for today ...

Am I Better Off With A Big Tax Refund ... Or More Money In Each Paycheck?

No question about it - take the money in each paycheck! I can't tell you how many people have told me they purposely have too much tax withheld from each paycheck, because it's the only way they can save. So they pay banks $200-$400, or more, each year so they can save with Uncle Sam at zero interest. These same people then either tell me they can't afford to pay down their credit card balances, or can't afford to save up for an emergency fund so they wouldn't need to use their credit cards so often.

This blog post continues to tell you how easy it is to put this extra $200-$400 (plus your tax refund itself) back in your pocket throughout the year!  http://dougbeecherstaxandmoneyblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/am-i-better-off-with-big-tax-refund-or.html

And we have Day 41 in the life of Terreeeblay http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/31.html

Tributes to President Reagan and Craig Oakford

It's President Reagan's 100th birthday today, so I'd like to share a tribute to him written by Craig Oakford.

http://oakford.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/happy-birthday-president-reagan-2/

Craig was my first roommate in BYU's Deseret Towers after we both came home from our missions.  Today he lives in Simi Valley, California, home to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.  I've been once in my life, and if you ever get out that way, you should stop in for a few hours to visit.  President Reagan was a great man and a great president.  As time passes, I appreciate him more.

The picture is of Craig and his wife Wendy at the wedding of their daughter Stacy.  Some of you have heard a few of my stories from our year as roommates.  His persistence in courting Wendy was one of them.  Another was the "how many baptisms did you have on your mission story -- do you really want to know -- minus one."  He went to the French mission that also included Belgium.  Funny we never met before we did, since our missions were twenty miles and an international body of water apart, and he graduated from "Rydell High" the year after I did ... but I never knew him there, and I thought I knew everyone who was Mormon, after all when there are only 30 of you and 3,200 of everyone else, you stick together!

Announcing Series 3 and 4!

Here's a thought for today from John 1:11-12 Christ "came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God".  Right there in the New Testament, Christ gave his believers "the power to become the sons of God".  Makes me smile just thinking about it!

Speaking of smiling, I have all kinds of interesting information in my walking and eating blog today.  Even if you don't normally find it interesting (OK, it is usually pretty routine!) it is worth looking at today.  I passed a walking milestone today and used it as an opportunity to take a step to the next level ... well, actually the next two levels!  All very gradual, continuing in the smiling tortoise tradition!  Please click here and read more about it!  http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/30.html

Other than that, it was another day at the office.  Quiet.  Got a lot done, yea!!!

Open When You're Closed

Had a busy day at the office, I'm glad I decided to turn on the phone and put out the "open" sign, even though this was going to be the last Friday we are closed before tax season kicks off for real next week.
I decided since I was here anyway, I might as well make sure I didn't miss anyone.  I had several walk-ins, lots of phone calls, and made half a dozen appointments.

I also managed to finish, finally, the ward historical report for 2010.  I got updates from most of the ward quorums and auxiliaries quarterly throughout the year which was supposed to make this process easier, but then having three computer hard drives fail in four months meant even my backups failed.  Anyway, it's done now, and probably 90% of what I would have liked it to be ... given the circumstances, that's great!

After that I went home to have dinner with Willyne, Josh, Megan, Ethan, Kate, Riley, and Danielle.  It was a great fun, I got lots of hugs and loved it!

After the Beechers went home, I visited my trusted treadmill friend, you can read about that and Willyne's delicious dinner here:
http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/29.html

My tax and money notes for today:  Vehicle Expense - Should I Take Depreciation and Actual Costs ... or Mileage?     Answer ... it depends! What are you using the vehicle for? How many miles are you driving for a tax deductible purpose each year? How much will your miles driven vary from one year to the next? How many years do you plan to keep the vehicle? What is the time value of money to you ... specifically how much more valuable is a tax deduction today than a tax deduction 1, 2, or maybe more years in the future?

Your tax software will give you an answer for this year. If that answer will also work best for you for the remaining years you use the car, you're in good shape. Otherwise, you will want to visit with your tax pro... one that you have picked that will take the time to explore each of these options with you. Be sure to remember that whether you choose to take claim depreciation and actual operating costs, or you choose to use the IRS mileage rate, you are required to continue using that choice for as long as you own and operate that vehicle.
 
To read more, click here:  http://tinyurl.com/4uvwbaz

A highlight from last night's City Council meeting:  We had a ceremony honoring our Service Members.  The LaVerkin Elementary School Cub Choir sang, as did Miss LaVerkin and her two attendants.  The Mormon Battalion did a moving flag ceremony.  The Mayor and Council (including me) each signed the Community Covenant, a great commitment that we will continue to support these brave soldiers who sacrifice so much for us and our freedom.  You can read more about it at the city website:  http://tinyurl.com/5stuqlt

A thought for today:  Luke 21:36 "Watch..And pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all..that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son .."

My tax and money writing for today:  Higher Education Expenses and Your Taxes - Which Choice is Best for Me? If you, your spouse, or your qualifying child attend an eligible post-secondary school, you could be eligible for up to $2,500 per student in tax savings this year. There are three main options, with complex questionnaires to determine what you qualify for. Your tax software will guide you through these questions and generally will pick the best option -- but you need a human to see if state tax makes a difference.  (If you'd like to read the rest, click here:  http://nblo.gs/dQV9K)

Day 38 on the treadmill ...

 http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/28.html

Happy Groundhog Day!

I walked and also ate well:  http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/27.html

I was at city council 4 1/2 hours.  Very productive meeting, but it's late so I'll write more tomorrow.

1 Feb 2011

Here's today's walking and eating update ... http://terreeeblay.blogspot.com/2011/02/26.html

I have my laptop computer back from the shop after two weeks of hard drive repairs.  It works, but it's empty.  I had to reload Word, Excel, and Outlook, and the wireless internet still isn't working.  I am not a happy camper, sorry to say.

It is cold and windy here.  The air is crisp and clean.  But it is cold.  It will get down to 13 tonight.  And I should be thankful it's that warm.  Boston has had 5 1/2 feet of snow this winter, and Rexburg is 20 below.  So I am thankful.  But I'm still cold.  :)