Poor Richard's inevitibles - death and taxes

I think I'm an optimist. But of the pessimistic variety.  Which means that I prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and worry a little bit to help oil the friction that might happen.

 Early this morning I went to the education room at the library and waited for volunteers (with training) from AARP to help prepared my taxes for the governments under which I live.

I had gone last week too late to get served, so this week I returned earlier and was the 3rd on the list...and before they started taking new folks, I would get to go to the three stations one by one.

 I only waited a half hour or so for the first "intake" interview, to make sure I'd answered all the questions on their forms.  Then I had an hour wait for the next interview, during which I noticed people going ahead of me, so I went to the clerical type person in charge of the list of names to say I was wondering how they got ahead of me.  She said the list was confusing and messed up, and that I'd be called soon.  Which in another 10 minutes I was.  So that was the interview with a computer to enter all my data.  Since I'd been there last year (and many years before) it was just a job of a few minutes to enter this year's information.  And then I thought I'd have another half hour wait, so I went to my car and got a sip of my coffee (no food or drinks allowed in the library).

I decided not to stay out there, and as I walked back inside, the gentleman was calling me already for my last interview. Another 10 minutes and I signed my IRS and State of NC forms, and was done, as they e-taxed them off to the respective governments.

I'm going to join AARP now.  They've served me so well with this service, all for free, though it does take a dedication of about a whole day to wait usually.  That's why I didn't stay last week, with the assurance that coming back this week I'd get through faster.

Many of the people who come to these Tax Clinics have more difficult taxes to be worked with, though I'd say most of them are retired like myself.  It is certainly a blessing to me. I prepared my own taxes for many of my working years...but I'd have to read about all the changes each year.  I'm glad that someone else is doing that now.

"I avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward." 

Charlotte Brontë