I'm back!

So after last week of wanting to throw myself in "puppy lake" & just end it ALL, thanks to the massive head cold & bronchitis I got, I am now back on the road with my dad! Here we go-

10:27- Arrive at our first appt. in Chino (approx. 35 mins from where we live) & they are actually new clients that were referred to us by a VERY good & close family friend of ours. It's a couple with a 8 month old baby girl. The woman is my age. Well, actually, I'm older than her, which I find weird cuz I sometimes can't wrap my mind that I should really call & consider myself a woman but I still think I'm about 10-15 years younger than my actual age! I know, I'm odd. Ya don't need to remind me of that! :)~

Anyways, the chick (there we go, I'll use the word chick!) is Hawaiian & is a Hawaiian dancer. She does competitions all around! Her & her lil family seem really sweet & she has a head on her shoulders. She, as we speak, is working at a law firm AND is also going to school to become a lawyer! Woot for her! I could NEVER go to law school... Too much for me!

Also, everything turned out really well doing their return & my dad told her & her husband how to properly claim on their W-4s! All & all, good experience! Glad they were referred to us...

OH!!! I almost forgot! Talk about small world shit! So as much as LBS thinks I am an asshole & thinks that I talk shit about her & call her a bitch, I talk about how much of an AMAZING manager she is @ her salon. See, whenever I mention my sister is a manager of a tanning salon, I usually get the "Oh. That's nice.", assuming that she's an airhead & doesn't know her ass from a hole in the ground... Well, let me tell you, that is SO far from the truth! My sister is truly brilliant & knows her shit when it comes to the tanning industry! She goes to conventions, has taken classes on the side to learn about different products & beds and teaching her employees how to become better at their jobs! My sister has such a repartee with most of her clients that a lot of them always stay around & talk to her! LBS has done mind blowing things to that salon and the owner should be on his hands & knees EVERY night thanking the heavens she came into his life. If it wasn't for her, he would so be up shits creek without a damn paddle! She runs everything for him while he can go & either work somewhere else or take care of other things in his life... So small world shit- the chick we just went to see has gone a few times to my sister's salon to tan and was never informed of the salon before by our family friend! Small world...

On to the next house...

11:36- At our next house. My father & I for the life of us could not figure out where we were going! Turns out they're clients who used to live in Anaheim (which is approx. 25-30 from Corona) near where my grandparents. My dad actually tried to talk them into buying my grandparents place when it was on the market again but they decided to move here. At least its an older house. The reason for being appreciative of that- when you buy a home out in Riverside & San Bernadino counties that was built in about the mid 90's to about now, you're paying an extra tax called Mella-Roos.

Looks like this was a quickie so we're on our way!

12:27- At a house in corona valley, aka- a "city" that was created about 7 years ago due to ALL the new houses that were being built in corona (riverside county). We have quite a few clients out here. At least you can say that these houses are beautiful...

So this house we're at right now has a semi-funny yet irritating for them story. See, for some reason, whenever we're schedule to come to their house, we're either unbelievably late (like 2-3 hours) or we have to reschedule them! Today, we were about 30 mins early & they were in shock! Hell, the wife went shopping cuz she knows we're always late! My dad finished their return within 20 mins & the wife came home right when he was done! She was in shocked!

Alright, on to the next house!

2:12- So we're now at a client's house that my dad has known for about 30 years. I will flat out say that they are one of my favorites! I met them about 5 years ago. When I met the wife, she told me this incredible story about my uncle Jorge- about 30 years when she was applying for a job, she couldn't read or write in English. Well, it turned out she was applying to work where my uncle did & he saw that she was struggling so he helped her fill out her job application & because of him, she got the job & got to retire there after, whew, like 35 years! That was the type of man my uncle Jorge was but I'll tell the story about him later....

Well, let's actually go back to this morning before we even left the house- I was in the kitchen, getting ready for the day when the phone ran. It was the wife of this great couple. She called cuz she wanted to make us a nice meal for when we went over to see them this afternoon. I was so touched to have someone think & care for us like that! So she started naming off things she could make us & she then mentioned some carnitas that she had for us a few years ago & I yelled, "YES!". I've been waiting ALL day for this meal....

There was a reason why she also wanted to make us this meal- See, last year when we went to their house, my dad (I think) was going into some kind of diabetic shock. About 2 houses before them, my dad has these clients who have oranges in their backyard that you would maybe only find @ a farmer's market! They're huge, sweet & the juice is out of this world! My dad praises the juice yet he doesn't realize that being a diabetic, ON INSULIN, he can NOT drink that stuff or maybe he can have a small cup to taste it. Well, despite all my warnings & trying to care for him, he had about 3-5 FULL glasses of orange juice. I was pretty pissed. Not as pissed as I was when we were at this couple's house & he starts saying, "um, my vision is blurry". Then informs me, "Oh, I don't feel well". I look @ him and he's all clammy, pale and just looks ill! He eventually goes to lay down & I just start to tear up. The fantastic couple tried to help out by giving him water & the wife made him a salad with olive oil dressing. They helped me take care of him & I was truly grateful for their generosity...

And that's the reason for the meal she made us! She also made my dad this really colorful salad that he had 2 big servings of! The meal was absolutely everything I imagined it would be, maybe even better! Even though I ate like a damn pig, still thinking of the food makes my mouth water!

Since we were so early, we end up staying for about 2 hours just visiting & talking with the couple! It was a perfect treat to a pretty good day so far. I will DEFINITELY be sending a Thank You card to her for everything her & her husband did for us! Oh & she even gave us the rest of the carnitas & beans! I left as a very happy lil manatee!

On to the next house.....

4:30-ish - We get to the house in Colton & the people thought it was for next weekend. It worked out cuz we'll be about 2 miles away from them next week.

I inform my father that I'm going to go find a AT&T store b/c my phone is on the verge of death & my car charger is dead! So while he went to see the new client, who we find out that the last guy who did his past tax returns claimed he has about $26,000 of job "expenses" when he gets a W-2, I was going to try & find an AT&T store... Well, it was a lil adventure. See, for most of you who may read this, you have NO idea where or what the city of Colton looks like. It's truly one of the MAJOR armpits of Southern California! Yet according to the navigation system, it said I was about a mile & a half away from one. So I punch it in & let it take me there. When I arrive to the address, it was a residential area. I could have gone up to the door & asked if they sold a car charger for a blackberry but I was pretty sure my response would have been, "QUE?!" So no luck on the car charger& my phone will most likely die in a matter of an hour but at least it was a lil adventure around the even MORE ghetto side of COLTON!

Go pick up dad & end up going back to Corona Valley for the last 3 appts. of the night...

6:17- Ok, I am in shock! What I am witnessing here I NEVER thought I would hear or see! Brace yourselves, this is a heartbreaking story!

Alright, I have also known these people for about 4-5 years now. When I met them, they were trying their hardest to have a baby, even going to MEXICO to do IVF treatments!!! (BTW- side note, we had come by this house earlier yet the husband had to go run an errand about 30 mins away. We didn't think much of it since EVERYONE knows my dad runs late & they probably thought, "oh my appt. is at 2, I'll be home by 3:30!" We took alot of people by surprise today! But for some reason, I asked my dad, "Why did they go to Mexico to do IVF? Did they not have insurance?" Well, the answer was no. I then understood why they went down there, since it was cheaper, yet I mentioned to my dad, "I wonder if there would any side affects for going down there...." OK, back to the story!)

So we walk inside and I had noticed that the wife was missing. I found it out since she always greeted us & she was the one that had everything ready & prepared for us. I must have taken my time walking in cuz all I heard was, "She's living at her mom's" & "I think it's over". The guy went to go get some more stuff & I looked @ my dad & he gave me a look like, "Yup, you heard right." I was just like, "NOO!!!!" but in a whisper.

My dad does his best to do the tax return to the best of his abilities since the wife took like ALL the paperwork! He only had a few things but I guess he's going to try & get the rest of it.

Ok, fair warning- this is a truly sad story. Just thinking of it, it gives me the "sads" all over again...

**Editor's note- After writing the whole incident, I informed my folks & PH that I mentioned it in my blog. Well, they think that due to the nature of the story & how devastatingly sad it is that I should take that part out. To sum up what basically happened to the couple- the wife pulled a "Chris Brown" b/c she has turned into "Britney being locked up in her bathroom, before they wheeled her off to the psych ward"! Yeah. =(

7:49- Now that I am this distraught mess, we end up at this really cool & really funny couple's house. It worked out perfectly that they were after our last appt b/c they were not only able to make my dad & I laugh but they were also a half a mile away! Both the husband & wife work for the county as engineers & make a pretty decent living at it! Right when we're about to leave, the husband gives me this HUGE 42 oz. bag of M&Ms & says, "Here. These are for your mom. She'll know why she's getting them." I'm all confused so I go outside to call her & she remembered that b/c she squeezed him in for today, she told him the payment for doing that would be a bag of M&Ms. When I told her it was a 42 oz. bag, she was all, "DAMN! I just wanted a small bag but hell, it'll last!"

Done here. Off to the last house of the night!

8:57- Man, I thought this would be kind of a quickie but it's FAR from that! The worst part? They don't even have everything they need! It's not their fault though. It's amazing how much of assholes companies are these days. These people were still waiting for some 1099s yet about 4-6 companies hadn't sent them out yet! 1099s & W-2s are due to the Feds by the 28th of this month, let alone to everyone else!

So the background story about these people- The husband was making great money at a company doing pavement work & whatnot. Well, he decided that he should just go out on his own. Can I just say that in the time that I have been going out with my dad, people who try to go into business for themselves usually don't succeed. I would say 1 out of, oh, I don't know, 25 make it. It's probably even higher! It's really sad b/c you wish these people the best yet you also have to fair warn them that it's a HUGE risk. Honestly, I don't know that many people who have been successful in running their own business & it really just all ends in heartbreak.

The wife is the epitome of organized. She has everything in order & can really inform & show my dad everything that has happened. Well, in the 2 years that her husband has been doing this, they have been scrapping by. She even had to take money out of her 401k to be able to live. Now the guy realizes his mistake. He tried to go back to his old job but they had their own lay offs so he either needs to go forward with his business or find somewhere else.

We spend about an hour & a half there. The tax return is no where near done. Well, I'm done & I want to go home! We leave @ around 10:30-ish....

11:15- FINALLY home!!!! OH! I forgot to mention this- when I was in Colton, trying to find the damn AT&T store, HO called me. He informed me on his lottery ticket luck. He bought a ticket & won another ticket. So when he went to get another, he won $2! So he went to get another & won $10!! He took it as a sign that he was having a streak of good luck so he wanted to see if I wanted to go to the casinos with him. I told him that we should be home around 9:30-ish & he said, "Alright, call me when you get home". Yeah.... I called & he was asleep & I was super tired but we're still determined to go! I know THAT will be a story on it's own so when it happened, I'll definitely share!

Alright, I'm going to bed! I'm exhausted....

ttyl,

me =)

Unfortunately...

No blogging on the road for me today... I am sicker than a damn animal & all I want to do is sleep & take drugs! I feel really bad though b/c this is my first time in about 4-5 years that I have missed a Saturday going with my dad. I really feel that I should go but I know if I do, I'll just make everything worse for me, my dad & even for the guys at work! I just need to nip this shit in the butt & get on with life! 

Here's hoping for sleep, soup & cough medicine with codeine! 

Til next time,

me =(

I'm just wondering...

... Am I bitch for thinking that if you are a professional/self-employed person, that goes to different businesses for your job, that its cool to drag your kid with you!? When I say kid, I mean a child under the age of, oh, let's say 7. I understand there are circumstances that come up & you may need to drag the kid with you yet what if you worked in an office building or a factory? You couldn't take your kid to work with you. I also find it VERY unprofessional when you are trying to make an impression with someone that you can't find a baby sitter or day care to watch your kid for those few hours you're away???

Like I said, I understand shit comes! For instance, when LBS & I were younger, we would sometimes have to go to school with my mom. At first, it was boring as HELL yet I just finally sucked it up & started to help out around the classroom or see if any other teachers needed help yet I was old enough to help out! What input is a 4-5 year old going to make to his interior designer mom?!?!

So seriously, am I a bitch for thinking/feeling this way???

Me.

It's that time of the year again!

During tax season, I go with my dad to do taxes out of our house. We travel all around! This is me telling of our adventures/experience through out the day:

9:48- We're leaving! On our way to my favorite day of the season- Hemet/UPS day! :)

10:57- So we're at the first house in actually San Jacinto (next to Hemet)... These people are very nice & welcoming yet you can see/tell there's tension between the husband & wife... Between the issue w/ their house (being worth less than half of what they paid for it)!, the "rental" that they helped a family member (who's illegal!) & having a 19 year old who's now a dad yet finds getting a "cool car w/ no license" more important than the baby, man, it would have taken the jaws of life to cut tension! Side eyes all around! Nice people though... I hope everything does work out for them... On to the next house...

12:23- So now we're at the 2nd house... This guy is always the first person to call EVERY year! Once again, super nice people yet the wife got laid off & the husband had his hours cut at work...

See this is what I'm fearing- this year is going to be one LONG depressing season... I hope I'm wrong yet so far w/ just these 2 houses, let alone the other houses my dad has gone to this year, its going to be bad... Still a nice visit with them... Cute lil girl & expecting another one in May... Leaving in a few...

7:01- Ok, I had to stop for awhile cuz every house we were going to, it was the same story- refinancing/getting a house (a mortgage) within the last few years & now not being able to afford to payments OR are pissed that the value of their house has been cut in HALF!!! It was getting really depressing, especially hearing these stories or even worse- god forbid this OFFICIALLY becomes a Depression, the thought of desperation that will become rampant & the violence that would most likely occur... It would be, of course, to help others eat & stay alive yet people would go to dire situations to do so...

So I have decided that I need to look into the nice/good things that have happened at each house we've gone to b/c if I continue to share what's going on with each house, it'll become repetitive & we'll all want to off ourselves, some how, some way!!!

Here are some highlights of the day:

-Starting in San Jacinto, I got to play & hold a 7 week old pit bull named Tyson & got to talk to talk to & see one of my favorite clients! They're the ones that have spread the word around this area & thanks to them, that's how this day has also became "UPS day" as well!

-In Hemet, went to see another guy who has also spread the word around about my dad for YEARS & told us the story of how he became a "feeder" for awhile for UPS... A feeder is someone who drives kind of cross country & back within 24-36 hours... He would drive from here to Des Moines, IA! Crazy stuff but it was pretty interesting. He's also always very organized & we're usually done in about 20-30 mins but we also stay for a few mins to talk...

-In Sun City, I had the best.coffee.EVER!!! Oh my god, it was fantastic! Between it being french vanilla & then having the Delight creamer, which is the BEST brand creamer, that the flavor was chocolate caramel, I had 4 cups!!! No joke! It also curbed my appetite & sweet tooth for about an hour longer...

-Going to Nuevo, I got to play with a Boston terrier named "Zapito", which means "bull frog" in Spanish... He was an absolute sweetheart & was very well behaved! :)

-When we ended up in Perris, I went to get a bite to eat for my dad & I... Took longer to get food than it did for my dad to finish the tax return & I was barely gone!

We're now in Moreno Valley & it seems like these people have their heads on straight! Asking the right questions & doing shit right... Its nice. :)

Alright, on our way to the last 2 houses...

9:05- At the last house! :) Before this house, we were at this house that literally took 22:04 minutes! Why do I know the exactly time? I was in the car & on the phone returning my mom's call! My dad did say that this guy wouldn't take too long & he was right! He also mentioned that the guy is doing alright & was even able to contribute a few grand into his IRA!!! That's pretty woot!

So here we are at the end of the night & I'm actually meeting this man for the first time ever yet this is like at least my 2nd or 3rd time here! The reason being that this man is a VERY hard working man! He works at an IV making plant and then goes to work at the Disneyland Hotel in the room service dept.! I just asked my dad why he was home this time & he said that the guy mentioned in passing that he gave some of his hours to some people who wanted to make a lil extra cuz they need it more than him... Now that's nice...

My dad also mentioned that he may want to go to another house after this but I think its too late! We'll see though...

9:24- BTW- the guy just informed me of this site called "watch-movies.net"... According to him, you can see any movie you want on there, even movies that are about to be released into the theaters! I'm going to have to check it out when I get home!

11:06- After a 13 hour day, I am now laying in bed! Granted the situations in most of the people we went to see weren't the best yet we all tried to make the best of it! 

Until next weekend...

Me =)