i'm too tired to think of a fun, quirky title, so i'll just jump right in. i still have quite a mess going in my studio, but the end is in sight. i plan to NOT go in on wednesday and just organize myself into a tizzy. today we got our taxes done...how is it possible that we owe the govt MORE money?? how? i must move to texas where there's no personal income tax. so i grudgingly made out the check for $2000.00, spit on the envelope and mailed it before i changed my mind and decided to go live "under the radar" in some rickety shed in some forsaken outpost of the world. crimey. today it seemed like every caller was in a contest to be named Cranky Pants of 2008. by 5pm i'd had enough and was ready to just hang up on ANYONE who started whining and moaning. i do swear it's like working in a freaking kindergarten some days. but these are adults. i mean, you wipe off a $200 debt someone Really Owes You, and they still want to try to emotionally dismember you. i did crack at one point and told this one really really Really bad man that i was adding back the money i just forgave since he seemed intent on wanting me to give him a cavity by cavity explanation of how he owed the money in the first place, even though i'd just said i'd give him a courtesy discount of $200 dollars, making his debt to us now $7.50. now if it were me, i say Thank You Plenty, hang up the phone and say a prayer for extraneous blessing upon the person who just did me this kindness. but noooo. i don't talk to people like that on a day-to-day basis. there is the odd one here and there that call demanding my superviser which i am all too happy to connect them with, as it means one less bell for me to answer. then they spend a few moments singing my praises to my boss. that's what makes my job worth while. so the next time you get good customer service, TELL SOMEONE. tell a boss, write a letter, call the corporate office. do something to improve the poor schlep's day. nowadays, "good customer service" is defined as someone who actually does their job...remembers to give you napkins with your Big Mac, silverware, or actually helps you find the toilet plungers down aisle 11 because they see the look in your eye and realize this is not a casual shopping item - you are on a mission. you didn't sit at home all warm and cozy and say, "hunh. i think i'll run down to Home Despot and look at some toilet plungers. cause you never know." nope. this is an item that is often overlooked until the VERY moment you NEED it. usually after a stepson returns home for a brief yet chaotic weekend. so if the guy went the extra aisle to grab one for you...TELL HIS BOSS. after the situation at home is straightened out. that's my day. except for the part where my cub-mate came back from lunch and told me my tire was flat and the guy from the auto place came and filled it to 48 lbs pressure because he was all interested in his Blackberry and maybe wasn't real sure on the pressure thing anyway and i drove home all lopsided with one Monster truck tire and 3 non-Monster truck tires and the guy at valvoline said "hunh...the other 3 are at 28 lbs. lucky it didn't just blow up." indeed. and then found out about the tax return except i have to rteurn EVEN more to my Uncle Sam. oh and yes, there's still a gi-normous pile of trash to go out tuesday night except Bill is leaving for Dallas tuesday morning at 4am so i'll have to heave it myself. again. now i'm seriously falling out of Glitter Princess mind mode so i'm going to shut up before the reality of my day sinks in so far i'll need a crochet hook, bottle of wine and a therapist to recover. guess what! Guess! i get to do it again tomorrow!! lucky girl! lucky girl! i know you hate me with envy. L.