Weasel Of Doom

I have tried filing our 2010 tax return w/out logging in. It told me to create an account, and then wigged out. I have tried filing with logging in. It keeps wanting to charge me $10. GRRRR! What happened to “free e-file for everyone”?) Sent a message to support, asking how do I switch my account from Deluxe to Free. This is now 4 hours of my life that I am not getting back… *sigh* (Good thing I have an alternative – HR Block software from Shannon. Thank you, Shannon! Tomorrow shall be Attempt To File Taxes, Take 3.)

But on the plus side, I did manage to go through all the mail. Found a bill for OldestOne’s 5K registration fee. Which was supposed to have been paid a year ago. Oops.

Other things that got done:

• Filed Dependent Care and Health Care reimbursement forms.
• Paid OldestOne’s 5K registration fee (just in time for 1st grade).
• Registered MiddleOne for 5K.
• Finalized YoungestOne’s registration for daycare.
• We went to IKEA, got a bunk bed and mattresses, and Bill put the bed together already.
• Bought school supplies.
• Transferred my 403b contributions to a different plan.
• Paid the bills.
• Mowed the lawn.
• Did laundry.
• Went to State Fair with Karen. Thanks to me, she is no longer a cream puff virgin.

Short-term goals for this week:

• File the stupid taxes.
• Buy small gifts for Russian relatives.
• Not forget to pack anything for my flight to Russia on Friday.

And now that I have bored everybody senseless, time to catch on my Go Fug Yourself reading :)

Apparently, it was Rita Mae Brown who said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.” She also said, “Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.” Rita Mae Brown is wise. I, on the other hand, am a poster child for her definition of insanity, with a bonus helping of adult onset of Attention Deficit Disorder thrown in.

Back when I was a teenager, once every few months I would try to “Start A New Life.” That consisted of writing out a set of goals (be polite to parents, develop strong willpower, do homework early, clean house, get up early and exercise – you get the idea), sticking with them for a few weeks, then derailing, waving hands in despair, and returning to my Old Life ways. Since I am also a poster child for failing to learn from experience, a few months later I would give New Life another try. Rinse, repeat.

The reason for my continuing attempts at New Life is that writing out “to do” lists IS the best way for me to get things done. I am REALLY GOOD at writing “to do” lists and sticking with them for a week or two. Unfortunately, I am REALLY BAD at going the distance. I get distracted. I get discouraged. I look for excuses. I fail, and I quit.

The point of this rambling post is that August is a new month, and I am going to make another attempt at Starting A New Life. This time, the theme is “Baby Steps.” Here’s my list; some items are pretty specific, some very generic:

• Try to get to work between 8 am and 8:30 am
• Write down everything I do at work
• Only check Google Reader and Facebook before 8:30 am, during lunch, and after 5 pm
• Keep tracking food and exercise on LoseIt
• Write down short-term goals for things to do at home that week, and do them
• Try to waste less time online
• Be a better parent to my kids and a better wife to my husband
• Try to keep up with my blog, book blog, and photo gallery
• Try to go to bed before midnight
• If everything is going well at work, not buy cigarettes

Short-term goals for week of August 1-7:

• Go through mail
• File taxes

Wish me luck!