TCTJS1118

ViewPoint
By Megan Cullingford-Hicks
Tax Time is Here.
Are You Prepared?
The A American New Point of View Spirit
By Megan Hicks
We’re solidly into another
another time. Turns out, “another
I’m a beach girl. I love the beach, love the sun,
the warm year, weather, with palm trees, the a President homes, vast body
time” is, others uh, have this such month. significant damage to
Most would agree that they hate adore my animals, and the pain of losing one
their homes that they are uninhabitable. This was
change. officially Learning to sworn live with in a new
to
is acute…and But whether never you more are so more than when disci-
it’s
of water and gorgeous sunsets. I have never all new to us—never having had any property
another perspective four years can be of rocky…especially
trying to get
unexpected. plined than I’m I angry, with heartbroken, your taxes stunned,
and
lived at the beach, however, and maybe that helps in the path of a destructive Mother Nature. And
when
keep the you
the country really liked
lure alive. back your
(Although on old
I do track perspective.
know (hmmm, and
folks who while expenses somewhat
it’s been or gut-wrenching, you’re in as shock. big it also a Our paperwork kneejerk
allowed us to
Changing schools, changing jobs, moving to
reaction was to not get another dog. Why
live what the beach will that and swear debt it doesn’t total get look old.)
like see mess firsthand as me, how it’s good imperative people are. that The you number
as
a new city, getting divorced, losing a loved risk the heartbreak again? But the reality
My son and I used to play This or That all the of organizations and individual volunteers who
one, in losing 2017?), a pet, the your holidays child going behind away to
us
is, a trucker my personal keep life track is not of all complete your spend-
without
time just to pass the time on road trips: Dogs came to town with supplies or a willing set of
college, (hopefully even changing all your lanes lights for are truckers
down
pets. ing through There is the a reason year. You people can track who own
it
or Cats? Hang gliding or scuba diving? Steak hands has been staggering. The obvious were
who
or and have
Chicken? Santa long
Baseball has driven left the
or Football? the same building), route (and
It’s a “if and pets
you there weekly, live longer
(Red monthly and
Cross, Salvation (or happier biannually lives (according
Army) but works)
so many
liked doing so) is unsettling. It takes effort. It
to research). And we have another young
had to choose one, which would you” kind of
others I’d never heard of before were also there.
takes
tax
“some
season
getting
upon
used
us.
to.”
Try to contain
dog—a
but whatever
Sheltie--who
it
needed
takes,
and
track it. It
challenge. We’d try and stump one another by Local restaurants that couldn’t operate normally
Getting your excitement. into a habit of anything is nice
deserved can mean a companion.
a huge difference between
selecting things that we knew the other would
due to damage, lack or electricity or water pulled
because I can we procrastinate learn to do things like really a champ well,
what We’d you barely cough acknowledged up to Uncle that Sam we would
and
have a hard time deciding between.
grills into parking lots and cooked up all the food
with But so one it’s the with eye open, one question a heavy you that
heart might that say. I stare You indeed what goes own another into they your dog
had savings at some
on hand, account. point when
given
drive a route so often, you
I received an amazing call
would come up that was often
away free to locals and to
begin down to forget the mountain the drive itself, of expenses and Truckers are from allowed a friend to who write was off helping any
the one we had the hardest
those in town to help. Dozens
sometimes receipts wondering that still if need your
to be tallied
expense necessary a neighbor for find them a good to com-
home
time with was Go to the Beach
and dozens of restaurants
truck and didn’t totaled just know for before the way
I can pay a visit
plete their jobs—from for his one pens year to old industry
dog. The
or Go to the Snow?
did this. They each had their
without We to my
you love accountant.
having to steer.
to ski and we love
I have the best of
magazines to
breed? meals own (check
Beagle. repairs the
How to make, stipulations
on that) more) to weigh assurances station that costs getting
the
rather
could
But with this habit comes the
this not be Fate? After 25
their
(or
the beach, equal parts it
own concern with possibility intentions of falling throughout into a rut the year of managing
than
seems. I think this leaving
warm stuff, the
weather
of comfort
keying totals and
and anything owner else their truly not business wanted reimbursed back to
on rehome
track.
by
zone,
usually won out for me.
But each put that on hold
figures even into if you’re my spreadsheet unhappy.
as I go and
your company. the dog, we met Murphy, who
It’s
So after years of saving,
to carve out time to serve
researching,
easier to deal hand-wringing,
with the devil
got along folks wonderfully less fortunate with
filing them away a neat and
you know than the devil you
Murphy orderly If you lack the discipline to track
Guinness (sensing a theme?).
and
and consideration, my husband and I decided to those there to help. With cell service don’t, fashion. right? But somewhere between, oh, these totals He’s throughout beautiful the and year was (welcome
corporations in to need the of club!), a
out for
as
buy Sometimes February an investment of our one property choices year at are and the ours February beach. to make
It was
of
much
most, like companion
Verizon at least sent our toss in hot Sheltie.
the spot
and
stressful, scary, exciting, fun, and a ton of work
vehicles and temporary towers to enable service
the we next, can my stay neat in our and comfort orderly zone receipts as We receipts brought in folders him home or envelopes as the newest marked
Hicks
long
but it was rewarding. Rentals were good and
while permanent repairs are made.
things as we were want—rut rocking or no. along.
Or we can opt family Folks member. from And cities the hundreds adapting has of miles now
turns into a daunting stack of paper with each month and then spend a day
to venture to a new world. We live with the begun. Am I still angry that my family life
away
was
And then Hurricane Michael decided to visit.
collected donations from neighbors that were consequences slips in varying either sizes way large but at enough least the to altered each February in a way tallying I did not them want? up I am. for the
Do
so
I
choice
And swallow like is ours
that small relative to make.
children. that always And manages this year to
grieve
plentiful tax man. and
they hide
required With in the what large bathroom
trucks it saves and to
caravans cry? you I do.
in of
arrive But
at the worst time and place, Michael rushed
trucks to bring them to town. Utility workers left their
is no sometimes different. the I choices might have are made for
it
taxes, But sometimes I bet that unwanted day is the change biggest can oneday
payday you enjoy all year.
lead
us—out
in with just 3 days notice landed 10 miles
homes and families and came in waves work to
from our of our
doorstep.
control—and those can be to get amazing
the things cities functioning if you don’t again. spend I too much
to June or July before I began simply
the toughest to adapt to. Not only are you time digging in your heels trying
could to
go prevent
on and
learning
We stockpiling only a new
thought way invoices we of life
knew and after
what receipts a big
anxiety change,
with was.
something
on Email about who your that
did is
what view unpreventable.
for point the Panhandle to Megan@ area.
but This every it’s experience easy intention to be taught bitter us of because new getting heights the to to change which
them
TruckersConnection.com.
Whether My takeaway you’re is this: forced the to human make spirit a change is alive
was it could made reach.
and you had no voice in the
you and don’t well. want The areas to make, east or of you us have were a tragically
change
decision-making.
Alas, we were very fortunate in that the
to hit deal and with will take that was years to recover. We were
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11
hurricane Through hit an to our unexpected east, meaning and awful we were tragedy, on the
control, blessed keep and fortunate an open mind. not to It’s be ok among to be upset them
I west recently of it. And lost if a you beloved have to pet—a be in (or young, have property
female
and but also miss blessed your old to way have of witnessed life. But you firsthand
also
Beagle. in) a hurricane, Losing that’s a pet where ranks you want up there to be.
with
might what Americans be very surprised do for one at the another potential in times in the of
some Post of storm, the worst the wreckage experiences for of many my to life. our
I
greatest need.
new. All things happen for a reason.
east has been heartbreaking. People lost entire Send your viewpoint to Megan@truckersconnection.com
Send your viewpoint to Megan@truckersconnection.com
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