Author: Shelley Powers

Categories
Writing

Tax Filings

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

I finally found the kernel of the writer’s block I’ve had, as well as much of my restlessness in the last month — it was the end of year tax filings.

Really, you would have laughed if you had seen me. I literally couldn’t approach the table with all my records and paperwork and forms. Once I finally forced myself into the chair, the slightest thing would distract me.

I must finish this form — oh, look there’s the guardsman. Wave at the nice man with the big gun.

Stop it! I must finish this fo — oh, look at the pretty ship. I wonder where it’s from?

I MUST FINISH THI – Is that a ripple in the bay there? I bet it is.

I even grabbed the camera and started taking pictures of the paperwork at one point. Please agree with me that this is not normal behavior.


In previous years my ex-husband did all the filings and paperwork. In the last year I’ve ignored the fact that I had a company to run, and this neglect hit me square in the face yesterday and today. I knew my paperwork was a mess. I knew I had missed critical filings. Yup and yup.

But I’m done. Facing some fines, but I’m done. And in the process, I found that I’ve been ignoring other aspects of my life in addition to the necessary work to keep my company going. Who would have thought that tax work would force a person to look at how they’re living their life — in effect, kicking one in the butt when one needs it.

I consider myself kicked.

 

Categories
Places

Oregon Weather

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Jonathon likes the weather he experienced in Portland Oregon. I lived in Portland for four years, and in Seattle for nine years — after a time the drizzle and overcast can get a bit wearying, especially if you live in the city.

Out of the city, though. That’s where the mist comes into its own.

Cannon Beach, Oregon — one of my favorite places. Grab a slicker and walk the beach during a rain. You’ll have the waterfront to yourself, and the mist combined with the surf is oddly peaceful, tranquil.

Or the San Juan Islands — the mists there are almost a veil, tossed carelessly across the waters and islands. In the winter you can find stretches of area where you’re alone on the water, you, your boat, and maybe, if you’re lucky, a Killer Whale or two.

We don’t have that much drizzle in the San Francisco area, but overcast and rain is pretty common in the Winter. The best, though, is the Summer fogs. Driving along the peninsula you can see the fogs roll in from the ocean, soft, thick, beautiful. I would deliberately wait for days when fog is in to walk along the beach by the Golden Gate Bridge.

The fog cuts off the city and obscures the bridge, and its you, the beach, and pelicans and sea lions hunting fish close to the shore. Out of the mists you can hear the Bridge fog horms, and you can almost feel the large container ships passing along the waterfront beside you.

Nice memories. Thanks for triggering them.

Categories
Weblogging

ISSN Number

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

For those of you who take your weblogging seriously, you might want to take a closer look at Allan Moult’s weblog. Underneath the name of the weblog is an actual genuine ISSN number — the same type of number used for all other periodicals including magazines such as the New Yorker, Wired, and Time.

Allan found the how-tos on getting an ISSN for your weblog from Fawny.org.

An ISSN lists your weblog within an international database of publications, accessible by request from your local librarian. It also puts your weblog right smack into the middle with all the big boys. Just think: The National Geographic. Time. New Yorker. Burningbird.

In most cases, filing is free.

Categories
Weblogging

Googlewhacker Book

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

From my Google search referrals, I’m getting people looking for a “googlewhacker book”.

Well, okay, here you go:

Steps:

1. First, buy a computer

2. Setup the computer

3. Turn on the computer

4. If computer doesn’t come on, call someone. Do not call me.

5. Connect to the Internet. If you need help with this, check with AOL. If you don’t know what the Internet is, check with your local hospital. You’re ill.

6. Once connected, open up a browser. It will be a small ‘e’ on your desktop. If you don’t see it, you’re using Linux or the Mac. If you’re using the Mac, contact Mac help. If you’re using Linux — stop now. You’ll hurt yourself.

7. Type http://www.google.com into the browser Address window. It’s the white space. No, not that white space, the smaller one.

8. You’ll get a simple page back with Google on it. Now you have the playing board

9. Type two words into the search edit box on the form. That’s two. T-W-O. Yes, 2. No, don’t type them into the Address box again — into the form on the page itself. Very good.

10. Click the button. The button that says “Google Search”.

11. You’ll get a page back with results. If you get a result set of only one link, in that big white space below, you found a googlewhack!

12. No, a result like this “Your search – fdsfd jmkljkl – did not match any documents.” doesn’t count. You have to get a result with a link.

13. Are you sure there’s only one link. Count it out for me – 1. Very good. You just found a Googlewhack!

14. No, you don’t get a prize for this.

15. No, I didn’t make up the rules. I don’t have any prizes to give you.

16. No, you can’t sue me. Sue Microsoft instead. They have lots of money, and they created the browser you’re using — it’s their fault.

There you have it — your Googlewhacker Book!

Categories
Weblogging

January 30, 2002

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

I am so glad I took one more wander around cyberspace before going to bed.

Here’s an Australian IT ezine article featuring googlewhacking and our own celebrated Jonathon Delacour.

Congrats, Mr. Delacour. We’ll try to remember to treat you with more respect hence forth. No more messages from Pudding, that sort of thing.

11:18pm

Over 12 hours later, and I finally filled in the last form, signed the last W2, toted the last barge, lifted the last bale. I’m one tired puppy. The 940 was almost the breaking point, but I held it together. Rah.

The good news is I only made one small mistake in withholding last year, and it was in December, so no fines. The bad news is that I missed one quarter filing. In fact there’s a whole story on this I could bore you with, but not tonight — too tired (you’re saved).

Next up: 1120 income tax in March. Ugh. However, I’m done with this monumental balance and check, and in time to get it into mail tomorrow and save myself some nasty fines. Dancing in the moonlight.

Quick note — I plan on updating the Blogicon this weekend including new entries, of which one is named after a certain someone you all hold dear. Don’t you? Thanks for being patient if your item hasn’t shown yet.

Googlewhacking is sure going insane isn’t it. We’re all such crazy people.

Green eyes signing off for the night.

10:34pm

One more tax form — took a break to get the mail and guess what came today: the fruitcake that my mother sent me at the beginning of December.

This deserves a 2001 sound byte!

9:07pm

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel with my tax and year end filings. I’m also finding some amazing revelations….

to be continued…

For now, I’m taking a quick break for a sup and a quick blogpeek (blogging when you shouldn’t be). I found two more Google Instant Messages:

 

burningbird Stav says hi

 

 

shelley powers finish the rdf book

 

Well, we know who the first one is — guesses as to the second?

I think I have a few minutes….WTF!?! What’s this Do a Shelley I’m seeing!.

‘EXCUSE ME! I have to go back to work now. I can’t play anymore. I have to be good.

7:02pm

I find that Rogi is a level headed, very cool person. He made an excellent point in a comment attached to my last posting. As a result, after thinking about it, I decided not to waste my blogspace on the content. And pulled it. Yes, I did a Dave. Flushed it down the blogging toilet.

Thanks Rogi — must be that Azores air that makes you smart!

(P.S. I still want to see some of your photos!)

10:17am

One more quick note before crawling off to bed. I just saw evidence of Google Instant Messages within the Referrer Thingy at three places, and I’ve seen links elsewhere.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re in on the birth of a new meme. May I introduce to you to Googlewhacking’s baby brother:

The

Google Instant Message.

Take a bow Stav and Amphiskios — you’re meme parents! <edit />

2:01am