This week and last have been difficult weeks, starting with the storms and then the situation with the IRS.
Thanks to the Taxpayer Advocate’s office, we have established that a) I have done nothing wrong, and b) the revenue officer has gone way beyond standard operating procedure in her behavior. All forms that need filed, have been filed. As for the taxes I’m making payments on, I have fulfilled all my obligations to the IRS on this, as was confirmed by both the Advocate’s office and another member of the IRS yesterday. Both of whom, I want to add, were reassuring and helpful, as well as friendly.
Yet today I received a nasty letter that left me shaking by the time I was finished with it, especially after making sure everything was resolved yesterday. The Advocate says that I need to now file a complaint with the area supervisor, as these actions are inappropriate to take considering that the only problem was that they couldn’t find a copy of one of my forms.
When I talked with the Advocate, I told her that the letters and conversations have been both confusing and very intimidating. I liked what she had to say: The IRS is a servant of the people; I have done nothing wrong; I have a right to be free from intimidation; the IRS officer forgot this right.
But this has exhausted me, in addition to cutting into my work time, which is putting me badly behind schedule. What I need, desperately need, is a couple of quiet days in a cabin somewhere–to catch my breath as well as get caught up in my work. Unfortunately, I don’t know of anyone with a nice waterside place nearby; even if I did, it would probably be under water with the current flooding.
But once I recover from today’s IRS incident–a walk, and Ted Drewes frozen custard comes to mind–I have to focus completely on work. If I have energy, I’ll post another LAMP essay later— just for you folks who say you don’t “do” code. Once it’s online, it will be the last post for me for a time.
Not me
I thought about following Feministe’s approach of having ‘guest bloggers’ while I’m earning money to give to the IRS. After all, I liked what she had to say about the latest “where are the good women bloggers” fooflah:
Whether or not certain female bloggers are good is up to the reader and the reader’s worldview. You certainly don’t have to think that I’m good, but I’m here, I’m writing, and I will continue to do so whether you think I suck or not.
If you want to know where the women who blog about politics are, well, here we are. You don’t have to like us, read us, or respect us, but don’t deny our existence altogether.
I am writing, and will continue to do so whether you think I suck or not. We should all tattoo this on our fingers.
Anyway, I thought that I could invite Jeneane to pretend to be me, and have a lot of fun twisting your minds; but you might like her too much, and not want me back. My ego can’t deal with the risk.
Instead what I’m going to do is pull up some old, favorite posts from past glory days. I thought that it’s almost like having a guest blogger, because my writing has changed between then and now.
But then, so have all of you.
TTFN
Busted!