Taxes are taxing

Tomorrow: Tax Day.
Yesterday: Prepared my taxes, unhappy with results.
Today: Redid my taxes. Twice.
I have now used TaxAct, TurboTax and TaxCut.
They all had the same end result: unhappiness.


Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. (Albert Einstein)

Bad food

Last night I ate one of these.

Today I feel sad.

Can I blame McDonald's?

Big Mac meal has 31 grams of protein & 9 grams of fiber...

I look on the positive side.

Today I did my taxes.

I still feel sad.

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My grandma loved Big Macs. Not sure about taxes.

Just a thought.

Easter. Happy Easter.

Today is the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or after the day of the vernal equinox (see March 21st) where this particular ecclesiastical full moon is the 14th day of a tabular lunation.

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A.K.A. chocolate bunny and Peep day.

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(Tomorrow is 50% off chocolate bunny and Peep Day!)

Pre Easter Doves

The Easter Chickens arrived in my yard a day early.

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Okay, I know they're actually Mourning Doves but they are also the most widespread and abundant game bird in North America. Dove D'elegence calls for 12. Or you could try Spicy Grilled Dove Breast, Wild Doves in Wine, Dove Delicioso, Dove Enchilades, Dove Breast Appetizer, and the ever so popular Dove Shish-K-Bob. It's up to you to Google these recipes on your own.

(At no time in creating today's blog entry here at 'This is Eric's blog' did any Chickens, Mourning Doves or Easter Eggs get harmed. A few doves were merely inconvenienced with me chasing them around with a camera.)

Darn it's a good Friday

Not sure what to say about such a good day.


<----------------- I discovered that Hot Cross buns have long been a symbol of Good Friday. All this time I thought it was fish. Fish fry anyone?




Arthur Treacher's Triangle Fish & Chips & Hushpuppies, mmm
-------------------------------->

Garage sale in 9 steps

Spring can mean one of the worst things EVER... the garage sale.

.1. clean your house and go thru all your stuff
2. gather all the stuff you don't use and you think you can part with
3. drag all this stuff outside
4. put little stickers on all this stuff with prices written on them
5. wonder if that's a good price for your precious stuff
6. change the price on a bunch of stuff
7. sit and watch as people rummage thru your stuff and mumble things like "what the h&ll is this" and then ask "will you take 25 cents for this?"
8. cart all your stuff back inside.
9. count all your new monies and go spend it all at Taco Bell

(Note: this is not titled "Successful garage sale")

Earl of my sandwich

Yesterday's avocado, can of tuna, red onion, green chilies, mayo on whole wheat bread? Bad idea.
Johnsonville smoked turkey and cheddar cheese sausage with mustard, ketchup, relish, red onion, black olives on whole wheat bread? Bon appetite!

Why am I still hungry?

Today in fire history

Today in 1827 English chemist and druggist John Walker invented the wooden match.

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Obviously leading to the roof being on fire in 1984.

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Combine this with my proposed home business that is failing and this is what you get. Not sure where the espresso cup fits in. I'm sure it will all make sense some day.

Rose Colored Glasses

First of all: You would think I should post something about the NCAA Final Four at Ford Field in downtown Detroit tonight with Michigan State. But I'm not going to. Sorry to anyone who cares.
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Also: I've been rambling about spring a lot (since I really hate winter and wonder why I live in Michigan) and I woke up today to about six inches of snow. I checked the calendar and yes it IS really April and the thoughts of spring weren't just a dream.
The real point of today is to consider what kind of glasses we look through. The lenses in our glasses are specific to our own life experiences. We all are effected differently by identical situations due to the lenses our lives have created for each of us. Should we try to better understand what we see through our own lenses or try to relate what we are experiencing to how others would perceive the same situation?

Happy Thoughts

Yesterday's spider post is still giving me the willies... and the sadness that someone commented on the fact that I may have killed her. Sad really. All good spiders go to heaven. The cold winter would have killed her anyway. There was the first little house spider of spring in my home office last night. Way up in the corner above my desk. I feared I would either break the desk or fall to the floor while standing on it to reach the crawly invader and squishing it with a couple of kleenex. Eww. Funny that only spiders are put to death. All the other bugs I find in the house are escorted out the door and into the yard. Even if it's 10 below. So I suppose that's death too. Sad. It's tough to be a bug.

Random spiders

"Random Things"
#2 - I hate spiders
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes... arachnophobia. This HUGE Black and Yellow Argiope lived in my backyard all last summer. She kept a web in the Dwarf Korean Lilacs alongside my garage. In the fall she moved to the Red Barberry outside my bedroom window where she decided to leave her egg sac full of a billion babies. I don't think SO!

Farmer part 2

The seeds are still in the pouches

and LOOK what was in the garden all ready!

Nom nom nom....

Farmer

Since the home business of avocado growing still hasn't sprouted (see March 8, 2009)
I think I'll be a veggie farmer. Seeds were 30% off so I'm already ahead! Or am I less behind?

Oberon day

Today is a good good day. One of my favorite days of spring.

The Oberon showed up in the local stores.

Now spring is truly in the air.
...and this is no April Fool.

My band

CD due out soon. Sign up for the CD release party!
To be honest... it's only the latest time waster I stumbled across know as Wikipedia Names Your Band. Have fun.

Random Pants

This new series is inspired by the

"25 Random Things About Me"

craze sweeping the social networks.

But here at This is Eric's Blog you may also get pics!

Enjoy.
(Besides, I'm tired of blogging wine. It's been giving me heart burn.)

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

#1 - I tend to wear the same pair of jeans every single day.

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I can find a total of 6 pair in my dresser at the moment (top down: Tony Hawk, 2 Levi, Lucky Brand, & Calvin Klein). That's probably all I own but seems like 5 pair too many due to the above statement. Maybe you'll see them on eBay soon. Any bidders?

I have only worn this one pair (Urban Pipeline) since probably around the holidays. And YES they get washed... every so often.
Baggy is beautiful... or is it comfortable??

My horoscope for today

It varies so which one should I pick?
.
-I possess exceptional organisational abilities, which come to the fore at this time. I am full of positive, creative energy right now and can easily find solutions to problems in ways other people never thought were possible.
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-Material and money matters are likely to dominate my day today, which is a pity, because the day, or the evening, holds so much potential on a social level. Listening to the advice of a trusted older relative, might enable me to concentrate a little more on my friends!
.
-I've got quite a lot on my mind right now, so it may be a good time for me to sit down somewhere quiet and really pore over my inner life. It's one of those days when big things can change.
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-Today the pen is truly mightier than the sword. I'll find the words that will help me get my way with ease. I can talk My way through any situation. Friends may add fuel to my fire this week.
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The day holds so many possibilities that I'm too exhausted thinking about them all to turn off the tele and get off the couch. *Sigh*

Springish

Preparing the garden in this almost spring like weather we are having made me remember last year's unfruitful gardening experience.

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(unvegetable wouldn't pass spell check)

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This year I'll use motivational posters.

(for the plants... not for me)

When I grow up

Had a visit with the state employment office yesterday. They gave me a list of what they say I can be when I grow up as long as I can prove that I can find employment in what I choose from the list. They made the list. Why do I have to show them that their list works? Government is so funny!

Pig Day?

While reading the Detroit Zoo web press releases yesterday I came across a celebration that I was unaware of and I have the need to spread the word. March 1st was (and is every year) National Pig Day. A day to "get piggy with it."

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I guess I should be more aware of the holidays and celebrations since I have plenty of time on my hands. But then my house wouldn't be so dusty either, now would it? (See Tuesday's post.)

Google really needs to add this to their calendar.

Hump Day

This Detroit Zoo camel has two humps. It's a Bactrian camel.

Hump day is singular. It has only one hump so it's dromedary.

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.

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We've had an addition to the camel population since my visit.
I just don't know if this one here is Princess or Boris.
I will I will suggest they wear "Hello My Name Is ____" tags.

Dust

Speaking of allergic on Monday... this dusty house is killing me. Aaaaaaa-cho. Or might it be the mites? Where's the maid when you need her? But I see that a dust allergy is NOT a sign of a dirty house (just a sign of a dusty house I would assume.... har-har-har).

Energy

How much potential energy do I have? When will it be converted into some useful energy? Am I really the pinball waiting for the spring loaded plunger to be released? At least the plunger is now pulled back. That gives me some hope. And I'm told that I'm not crazy!

I'm not crazy.
You're the one who's crazy.
(Muir/Mayorga - Suicidal Tendencies)

Spring = Pollen

I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. I'm not allergic. Actually I'm not allergic to these. Only to trees.

Damn them trees and their spring pollinating ritual!

BTW these are my neighbor's flowers. Don't tell her I was in her yard.

Contents May Be Hot

I took this pic back in February at the zoo.

It was quite warm that day for February in Michigan.You can never be too careful when handling frogs on a warm day!

Vernal Equinox

Finally spring is here (officially). Now all we need is some consistent warm weather. What wine goes well with the first day of spring? Well when it's still friggin' freezing out a South American Malbec is just zesty enough.

Use your head

According to a report brain injury is the #1 killer and disabler of people under 45.

SO for the next 24 weeks I'll be wearing a helmet... 24/7.

Spring's in the air

and there's moss

growing in my

$5k paver patio!!!

.

Where's the

Roundup®?

Erin Go Bragh Day

May your leprechaun be not overly mischievous today.

and then the coffee

A comment to last night's beer blog asked where said coffee song was. I guess I could sing "Black Coffee In Bed" (but I drink it with soy creamer and sugar these days... unless it's the afternoon espresso and then just a touch of sugar please). How about the classic "Black Coffee" (again... I don't drink it black anymore). There's also one called "Coffee and Conversation" but I'm alone (all alone). I could go on and on but the coffee songs are all here with the MP3s. Oh the internet... I do love it so.


http://coffeeworks.blogs.com/coffee_and_tea/2006/01/i_had_this_blog.html
(WARNING-the above web blog link also includes Tea and Chocolate)

Beer

Beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer........ burp

Seems like I'm drinking beer and singing the beer song... yum. In the morning I'll be singing the coffee song.

To quote work

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. (Thomas Edison)

damn them and their tomfoolery!!!

Paraskavedekatriaphobia

It's Friday the 13th... don't be afraid!
According to the geniuses of Wikipedia it is when the thirteenth day of a month falls on Friday. So now that is all cleared up I will go and have a productive day.

Recovered

4 weeks today since surgery.
Now I can pick up stuff more than the 10-15 pound restriction.
But do I really want to? Maybe tomorrow. We'll see.

I think that's a case of Oberon Ale he's picking up in that thar pic for it's March 30th delivery.

Proverb day

Spring is sooner recognized by plants than by men. (Chinese Proverb)

My irises recognize it.

It must be a sign.

I wonder if they also recognize that it's below freezing.

Where's the tea?

It was a Chinese tea day but Lapsang Souchong (see Jan 7th) was missing from the menu of expensive cups of tea at the downtown tea house. Not a total loss since I really don't care for its smokey flavor as much as I like saying Lapsang Souchong. Keemun Black A just doesn't have the same ring... does it?

What time is it?

Day after daylight savings time... that's what time it is.
Blog blog blog - check back later.... gotta run...
...
ok... it's later. Found some ducks today in the Clinton River. You know, the ones that like the rainy weather. They seemed to be enjoying the sunny (but cold) day by eating crud off the bottom of the river bed.

Home business part 2

Back on Jan 22nd I introduced my home business of avocado growing. Well the darn thing still didn't sprout (right side of photo). I will try again (left side of photo). Stay tuned.

Maybe it's on break???

March showers

It's been pouring rain all day long. You suppose it's because I watched 'Evan Almighty' last night? Probably not.

So much for my white sunshine of yesterday but I've heard that ducks love this weather.

Warmth

The best thing in Michigan in March is a heat wave and 67 degrees will do just fine. At this temp there is no need to find the sunscreen.

I read the other day on Discovermagazine.com that the sun is actually white. Here's my white sun. I guess this is what it would look like if we had no atmosphere... well except for the blue sky. Without that atmosphere you would need that sunscreen in Michigan in March. Maybe I should just stick with the ol' yellow sun?

Free rubber

Found in downtown Royal Oak.

There was no line. Not a big demand for free latex today.

Some latex containing products: band-Aids, rubber bands, erasers, some shoes and articles of clothing, balloons, surgical gloves, catheters, condoms, some sporting equipment , blood pressure cuffs, some watch bands, helmets, eye dropper bulbs, hot-water bottles, backing on rugs, bowling balls and ventilator tubing.

Vino

What to blog... what to post... what to say... I guess more wine. How about Cabernet Sauvignon. It is said to be one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. Goes well with a cold Michigan March evening.

Dreams

The dreams have been more vivid then usual lately. A lot of them about the last job. I wonder what that means. A few mornings ago while I was thinking of my dreams I received an email from "A So-Called Wife" explaining a dream she had about babysitting my 5 year old son (with blonde wavy hair parted on the side). HA! Me and kids??? I don't think so. I fear kids. I fear them more than I fear spiders. I wonder what that means too? I have a lot of wonder this morning. But really now, if a kid would help pay the bills I'll take two (if they're small). Back to dreams. Since I was thinking of dreams and then received an email about a dream I guess it's time to blog dreams. This one I had the other night: I woke up and noticed a crack in the bedroom wall from the ceiling to the floor. A very wide crack of about 3-4 inches. As I get out of bed I realize I'm in my childhood home and in my parent's bedroom. (Kind of a relief it's not MY house falling apart.) I look into the crack and can see there is water pouring in from a hole in the roof, causing the wall to crack. I run into the kitchen and see a toaster. A four slice toaster that we never owned. Someone is making toast and I figure it's my father. Four pieces of toasted italian bread pop up from the toaster and I butter them and start eating, completely forgetting about the crack and water...

Doctor visit

'Doc, I can't stop singing The Green, Green Grass of Home.'
'That sounds like the Tom Jones syndrome.'
'Is it common?'
'It's not unusual.'

Lazy? Not me!

complements to ICANHASCHEEZBURGER