Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Michigan ROAD TRIP!!

Woo hoo! So I am officially taking off in a few weeks for a Michigan road trip...

I fly into Detroit and kidnap my moms car, then head off. First to Saline for a night. Then to Grand Rapids for two nights. Then off to Marshall for a night. And then last but not least I head back to Farmington to spend the day with the fam before flying out the next day.

I am beyond excited to go home, I haven't been back since December. I also realized that I haven't seen many of my friends since moving out to Virginia, and I really miss them all a ton. It's crazy cause I leave next week Friday! NEXT WEEK... oh I hope this week goes by quick!

Jamie

Sunday, April 6, 2008

A small plant in the middle of the African Safari...

Have you ever felt like a small plant in the middle of an African Safari...?

Welp ya'll that's kind of what I feel like...

Why you ask...

Welp, I live in the DC area filled with fun inexpensive things to do, historical documents and landmarks, and around this time of year tourists... Don't get me wrong, I can't claim the whole region as my own and I don't dislike all tourists. Yet they kind of get me feeling like a small plant in the middle of an African Safari... Basically the tourists arrive in droves for the purpose of seeing and ooohhhhing and ahhhhhing said historical things and taking advantage of those inexpensive things to do. Just as someone on safari would want to go and ooohhhh and ahhhhh at animals along the way.

But those safarians don't so much care about the small plant, they don't plan on running it over unless it gets in the way, and they don't really understand the ecosystem in which me (the little plant) is trying to survive they seem more concerned about the next photo op of a lion... just as tourists don't really notice the people who live in the DC area who are trying to exist in an already crazy area...

OK yes I did pick a crazy area to live, which is kinda my own fault, yet there is no other patent office in the US... so kinda stuck in that regard... yet from now until late August is considered tourist season... a time of New York and Florida license plates... people who don't understand that garbage doesn't belong just dropped anywhere... crowded metros... crowded metros filled with strollers... not being able to take a walk without fear of ruining a photo that someone is trying to take... people cutting across 3 lanes of traffic because they are about to miss their exit (actually that is a year round occurrence.. :) )

It kinda stinks being the small plant... ;)

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

All that for $50?!?!?

Hey all! I just wanted you to know that I finally finished my taxes! WOO! I had been done with my state of Virginia and my federal taxes since mid-February BUT guess who made $50 in Michigan last year...

You guessed it me.... not sure how I did it when the last day I lived in Michigan was Sep. 13th 2006...

Which meant that I was required to fill out a MI-1040, a NonResident form, and a schedule 1...

Crazy huh!?

After not realizing I needed to fill out the schedule 1 for like 2 days, and having the form tell me that I owed over $2,000 to Michigan, I was a bit emotional... but I figured it all out, wrote a check for $7 and I'm officially finished! YAY!

If Michigan decides next year that I made money in it, I think that check will be sent back... :)