the pattyo

… just in case any readers out there receive this bit of junk:

After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $63.80. Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 6-9 days in order to process it.

A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons. For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline.

To access the form for your tax refund, please click here

Regards,
Internal Revenue Service

I highly recommend not responding! I love the measly amount being offered though. I wonder if the scammers think we won’t buy into a larger amount.

I’m so weary of scams and spam. Sigh.
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My stomach hurts. I suspect it’s because of my reeds. My reeds are rotten. I suspect it’s because I didn’t spend enough time on them. My head hurts. I suspect it’s because I know I have to spend time on reeds tomorrow … um … I mean today.

Sigh.

Some days are like that.

I hate reeds. I love oboe. I’m not sure that’s a good combo. Or, really, I KNOW that’s not a good combo!

I’m a professional musician. Sometimes I wonder about that.

But anyway, that’s life, eh? Things don’t always go well. Often they go poorly, in fact. Sometimes there’s “fault” (as in “You didn’t work on reeds, you idiot!”) and sometimes not.

Ah well.

I do wish, though, that I could get my head together. I can’t seem to focus on things and I have this disconnected feeling. I wonder if it’s some sort of hormonal thing, or just a pattything. Either way I need to get myself going and plug away at reeds tomorrow.

In Other News
Brandon and Kelsey will be here on the weekend of May 20! Is that cool or what? I’m so glad they both could make it, and they’ll also see Jameson in Cats. Excitement plus. Woo hoo!
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I was at Coffeetopia this morning, and my computer was plugged into the wall right next to some guy at a table. I didn’t want him to think I was reaching for him or scare him or anything, when I was only going to unplug the computer. So what did I say? “Excuse me. I’m reaching around here you.”

I do know how to talk. Really. I meant to say “Excuse me. I’m reaching around you.”

Sometimes the words work they do not and befuddled I sound.

Just call me Yoda.
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… and it sounds as if he had a really great time in Hawaii!
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Just happened upon that stupid show Cops, while there was a break in the Giants game and I happen upon a cop speaking to a little boy, saying:

“Do you read books? Have you ever had little kids’ books read to you? Do you remember the story about “Peter & the Wolf”? The guy cries wolf too many times and finally no one believes him?”

Sigh.

That poor cop needs to read some books himself, or at least have them read to him, don’t you think?
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I just got a phone call. You know the kind; you answer, “Hello?” and there’s a very telling pause. Another “Hello” and the person finally comes on.
So …

She said, “May I speak with Mrs. Mitchell?”

I answered, “No.”

She said, “Is she available?”

I said, “Yes.”

Slight pause and then, “May I speak with her?”

“No.”

Another pause. “I’ll call back later.”

“No. Remove me from your list please.”

It was just stupid silly little fun. What can I say? Dan’s response to these calls is to hang up. My usual response is, “Please remove me from you list,” but today I wanted to try something new. In the past, prior to the “do not call” law, I’d occasionally invite the caller to dinner since they have the knack for calling at dinner time. I’d set the phone on the dinner table and the kids really loved that … they’d make lost of eating noises and talk about how good the food was.

Recently the majority of phone solicitation we receive begins with, “I’m not selling you anything, this is a survey.” Sigh. So I guess THOSE are allowed. I also get calls from some police group and politicians. So I guess our protectors and our thieves & liars representatives can bother us too.

That’s life, eh?
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(Kelsey, I hope you know why this is so funny! I’m sure us old folks will catch it quickly. It’s NOT about the cow.)

I read this at the San Jose Unified School District site:

Lincoln High School
Lincoln Art Department News

Creative Cow

A group of Lincoln’s most talented A.P. Artists have been working on painting a life size replica of a cow for the Safeway/Lucerne national dairy competition. Over 8000 entries were made with only 30 designs selected, and Lucie Roberts’ design was one of the lucky winners. Working under the theme of “Cows and History,” the selected design depicted the Beatles debut on the Ed Saliva show. As we write this, the fully-painted cow is being judged and the winner will be announced this Friday. First place carries a cash prize of $20,000. Our cow is now on display at the Midtown Safeway on San Carlos and Meridian, so please make sure you visit the store to see our masterpiece. Lucy Roberts, Becky Roberts, Vi Vu, Katie Webb, Laina Reginelli, Aiwen Liu, Rachel Acosta, Courtney Gibbs, and Tarah Herning worked on the cow for three weeks to meet the deadline, and their efforts should be applauded by us all. Simply put, the finished cow is truly a work of art.

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Jameson is, I’m guessing close to boarding the plane for LA. From there he goes to Hawaii. Poor boy, eh? Boring, boring Hawaii. I stuck around for a while, and it was a good thing I did; one of the students was going to take his guitar, but it turned out that there wouldn’t be the extra seat they thought they had, so I took it home with me. I suppose I won’t be able to sell it … or will I? ;-)

I’m now in Santa Cruz and it’s quite beautiful out. Finally.

On my way over here there was a lot of news about the 1906 earthquake. On one segment I heard the mayor of San Francisco pluralize the word “breakfast” by saying “breakfastses”. Um Okay. Maybe that’s okay. Maybe not.

I woke up at 5:00 to get Jameson to the airport. After teaching at UCSC I teach two private students at home. I have opera tonight. Until 11:00.

Is that a day or what?!

But work is good. Income is necessary. And right now it’s mega-necessary. So I’m not complaining. I’m happy to be employed, doing jobs I love to do.
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by George Herbert

Lord, Who createdst man in wealth and store,

        Though foolishly he lost the same,

              Decaying more and more,

                      Till he became

                        Most poore:



                        With Thee

                      O let me rise,

              As larks, harmoniously,

        And sing this day Thy victories:

Then shall the fall further the flight in me.



My tender age in sorrow did beginne;

  And still with sicknesses and shame

        Thou didst so punish sinne,

                  That I became

                   Most thinne.



                    With Thee

                Let me combine,

      And feel this day Thy victorie;

    For, if I imp my wing on Thine,

Affliction shall advance the flight in me.

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I was reading an article about an orchestra. But that’s not the interesting part. What I liked was one player’s last name: Whynot.

Isn’t that a cool name? :-)

I was able to yak a bit with Brandon today, as we were figuring out his taxes. The guy is living at poverty level (well, BELOW poverty level, to be honest), and yet had to pay a whopping $315 to the Feds. This is absolutely appalling. I’m furious with our government. Furious with the employer that hired him as an “independent contractor” … they do this to avoid taking care of their employees, if you ask me. And just worried about our older son. Sigh. I hate worrying about things like this.

I’m having a difficult time getting in sync with the calendar. It doesn’t feel as if Easter is tomorrow. I don’t know where the time went. And I also wonder where the sun is hiding.
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