January 4, 2002

Death and Taxes
An On Display entry

prev home mail archive next Momentary Thought January's On Display topic is "What are you sure of?" High/Low High: I cut up all of my credit cards today. Low: After *that* high, how can there be a low? Current Obsession Getting high speed internet access on the kids' computer. Michael deleted all of Marie's 500+ downloaded songs, and she'll be in a swivet until she gets them all back again. Grin Source See aforementioned "high". Singing Yanni's "Enchantment" is running around in my head. A Year Ago More or less Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally. Storyteller Bio Dramatis Personnae Who I Read Recipes

Somebody said the only sure things in life are death and taxes. Perhaps they're the only sure things in some people's lives, and they are among the sure things in just about everybody's lives. But in my life I know there are a lot more things that I'm sure of: Yes, someday I will die. And so will everyone I know. Someday. But not today, and not for a long, long time. And saying that is not tempting fate. Yes, I will pay taxes until the day I do die. And resent it. But I'll continue to do it because a) I like living in this country; and 2) I dislike the prospect of jail. The Earth will continue to spin, and the sun and moon will continue to rise and set. I will alternately marvel at this fact, and take it completely for granted. I will always be in some form of debt. For the rest of my life, somehow, I will owe money to someone. My paycheck (or Social Security check, or retirement funds) will never be entirely my own to do with what I will. I will never be able to make everybody happy all of the time. But I will continue to try to do so, with varying degrees of success. And some days I will try harder than others. And some days I just won't give a damn. I will never, ever discover the Land of Missing Socks. I will always be afraid of the dentist, and will continue to put off getting my wisdom teeth pulled for as long as I can still chew. I will always distrust organized religion to a certain extent (depending on the religion), but I do now and always will firmly believe in God. My grandmother influenced my life in more ways that I'll ever realize, and I'll miss her every day of my life. But someday we'll see each other again, somehow. I'd better conduct my life according to the morals she instilled in me, or else I'll be in big trouble. Surely there are lectures in Heaven. No matter how much sleep I get, or how early I go to bed the evening prior, I'll *never* want to get out of bed for work. For as long as I live away from Maine, I'll be homesick. If I don't end up ever having kids with Calvin, I'll regret it. But I will always cherish the experiences I've been given, helping him to raise Michael and Marie. I'll never master the technique of making a good pie crust. I will own horses again. It may take me until I'm eighty, but someday I'll finish my damned degree. Kye will always, always be the stupidest dog ever to walk the earth. Calvin will always be my best friend. Good hair days only happen when there's nobody around to see it. In similar fashion, it only rains or is windy when a good hair day is occurring. No one on earth makes a better meatloaf than I. Heh. (Guess what we're having for dinner?) Some people will have more faith in me than I have in myself. Some people will have less faith in me than I have in myself. Everyone will be right half of the time. I will always marvel when the checkbook balances the first try. Even though it always has, always will, and always does. Cartman's version of Styx "Sailing Away" will always be cathartic. (Come sail away with me... you guys...) Also, "Kyle's Mom is a Bitch" will always get me through a stupid day at work. Like sands through the hourglass, these are the constants in my life. By no means is this list all inclusive. There are a lot of things I'm sure of in life, a lot of things I thought I was sure of that didn't stay that way, a lot of things I'll always regard as rock-solid, and a lot of things I'm unsure of right now that will solidify as time goes on. The list is mutable and ever changing. And that's what makes it fun, right? Sure.