tax tip
this may be more news to me than anyone else, but you can claim money paid to the sec. of state for license plates, registration, etc. as deductions.
music is such a huge force in my life. it brings comfort. i feel like my favorite artists and musicians are my friends, in a way. they open themselves up to such an intense degree, it certainly does provide the kind of intimacy that deep friendships attain through reciprocal disclosure. they know nothing of me, but i definitely feel close to these people. i dream about billy corgan, tori amos, and kurt cobain a lot. these are people i relate to and respect, and feel an ethereal connection to that is unexplainable in terms of time and space.
songs maintain familiarity, like the smell of a family cottage or the no-longer annoying creak of an old door hinge. a recording of a song is always going to sound the same (in the most general sense) and the lyrics will always be the same. the vocals will sound the same, too -- even the little mistakes or off-key parts or whispers. it's so nice to listen to something that brought pleasure or kept you sane years earlier and realize that it is still effective today.
i am very sensitive to my surroundings, particularly anything musical. it's like i become part of songs when i listen to them, and i feel everything the singer and instruments are expressing, even if i have never actually experienced those things myself. it's slightly dangerous because i absorb others' emotions quite readily. it's also very beautiful. i'm glad i have this kind of sensory/perceptual experience with music.
tax tip for the day
you can e-file your taxes AND have your money wired direct deposit to a variety of accounts (checking, savings, other financial institutions) instead of waiting for a check to come in the mail.
king leer
your boyfriend, he
went down one knee
well, could it be
he's only got one knee?
i tried to surprise you
with vodka
or, tizer
i can't quite remember
but you didn't thank me
you didn't even thank me
because you never do
your boyfriend, he
has the gift of the gab
or, could it be
the gift of the grab?
i tried to surprise you
i lay down beside you
and... nothing much happened
and you didn't phone me
you didn't even phone me
because it's not your style to dial
your boyfriend, he
has displayed to me
more than just a real hint of cruelty
i tried to surprise you
i crept up behind you
with a homeless chihuahua
you cooed for an hour
you handed him back and you said,
"you'll never guess! i'm bored now."
i watched a presidential debate on PBS last week, and of course clinton, edwards, and obama all had pretty good things to say. but, honestly, you know they are all doing the usual politician glitz and glamour thing, kissing babies and asses. mike gravel, the senator from alaska, however, impressed me because his answers were short, concise, and no-nonsense! this doesn't mean he's less plastic than the others, but i think his composure and reactions to questions reflect that at least he isn't afraid to say what every other candidate IS afraid to say or admit. my intuition (oooohhh ahhhh) is that he is genuine and less of a bullshitter than the rest.
plus, his stance on the issues (and the fact that they are on his front page, out in the open for you to read -- as opposed to some other candidates' websites, where you have to search around to find out their positions) is great (at least if you're a "leftist" like me).