This week I'm focusing on all the good that comes from the bad.
Sort of like a silver lining theme...
I've been told a time or two that I have rotten luck. I guess I don't really think of it that
way- it's just life. The water heater bursting in the middle of the night flooding my
apartment, the old couple that runs a stop sign and rips apart the front of my car, the
time a bird pooped on my shoulder while I was inside a house , the dozens of random
flat tires and dead batteries, the canceled flights, vending machines are always
taking my money, the multiple vet ER trips, the time I managed to get a concussion
& a black eye from a dog head butting me, my leaking kitchen ceiling, the ATM
that refused to return my card (twice in a month.. different ATMs),
the time I got pulled over with guns drawn because my car matched
the description of someone wanted for assault with a deadly weapon...
the time I got pulled over with guns drawn because my car matched
the description of someone wanted for assault with a deadly weapon...
these things just happen.
I'm not the kind of person to mope around inviting the world to join my pity party.
Crappy things happen, but you just have to suck it up and move forward. I have no
control over this "bad luck" and moaning and groaning about it won't do anything but
annoy people. Most of the time, there is plenty of good that comes from these
mishaps. At the very least, it makes a great story, right?
This week I'm loving the fact that my Richmond City Property Tax finally arrived in
the mail. Strange thing to be happy about, right? It's a pesky tax I have to pay the city
of Richmond because I own a car. Problem was, my tags expired April 1st.
You can't renew tags if you owe the city a couple hundred dollars in taxes,
but I can't pay because I don't know how much I owe. So I call
but I can't pay because I don't know how much I owe. So I call
and leave messages and call and leave more messages and email and call the city's
finance department starting back on March 1st. They finally called me back after
about 2 weeks to let me know that the company they hired to do the billing has
not yet sent out the bills. No, really? I'm not going to gripe about paying taxes.
They are a necessary evil and I have no problem paying any and all city,
state, or federal tax.I just sort of need to know HOW MUCH money
I'm supposed to throw at them...
not yet sent out the bills. No, really? I'm not going to gripe about paying taxes.
They are a necessary evil and I have no problem paying any and all city,
state, or federal tax.I just sort of need to know HOW MUCH money
I'm supposed to throw at them...
So anyway April rolls around and I am driving on expired tags and unpaid taxes, all
because some unnamed outsourced company hasn't told me how much to pay the city.
Long story short, I actually paid the bill with the money Uncle Sam deposited
in my bank account... tax return, tax paid... whatever. Tomorrow I get to spend
in my bank account... tax return, tax paid... whatever. Tomorrow I get to spend
the morning at the DMV, but at least I'll be legal!
I'm loving the fact that at the last minute, my brothers decided it would be best
if we flew to Florida for our cruise. I was fine with driving, but they found some
affordable tickets and bought them. My brothers aren't what you'd call experienced
travel planners, and they sort of forgot to give me a heads up that they A) now plan to
fly and B) already bought their tickets. After several deep breaths, I got to work
finding a way to budget in a plane ticket. Thanks to the travel fairy (www.orbitz.com),
finding a way to budget in a plane ticket. Thanks to the travel fairy (www.orbitz.com),
I got one booked with minimal fuss and my rainy day fund took care of the price. It's
not the same flight my brothers are on... mine is at 5:30 am and they don't leave till
not the same flight my brothers are on... mine is at 5:30 am and they don't leave till
7:30 am. Their flight was already full. Go figure. I don't mind... I'll be on the ship sunbathing and sipping on a margarita by the time they are at baggage clam. Plus I
volunteered them to drop me off at the airport at a godforsaken hour as punishment.
I'm loving the fact that although I discovered a nail in my tire (boo), it won't cost
me a thing to have it patched (yay)! My tires are about 6 weeks old and free patch
ups were included from the shop where I bought them. Now I just have to
spend another morning in the waiting room of an auto shop, but at least it's
free! I don't know what it is with nails in my tires, but I was trying to count
up how many times it's happened to me... it's got to be at least a dozen.
No exaggeration. By the time I graduated high school
it happened 3 times. I only drove for about a year and a half in high school.
Eh, whatever. This kind of thing doesn't even bug me anymore.
Eh, whatever. This kind of thing doesn't even bug me anymore.
I'm loving the fact that it's never occurred to me to get nervous on Friday the 13th or
worry when I break a mirror. Bad luck schmad luck... I can handle it. When it rains, it
pours... but I always carry an umbrella... and sometimes, it's nice to dance in the rain.
Happy Wednesday, everyone!
