Day 1 - Mask mandate REINSTATED by the LA County Dept. of Health
I owe $5000 in taxes…
2/16/22. Wednesday
LA County Dept. of Health says we’re not ready to go maskless… I’m finally able to get an antibody test today…
7:00-7:15 – I’m still in bed.
7:15-7:30 – I go downstairs to greet the animal. She’s asleep on her little blanket on the couch so I tiptoe past her and make a cup of coffee in my Keurig. Too late – she jumps off the couch and wanders over to me for attention. We go outside and I see that she pooped on the patio (sigh). I wait for her to go potty and return inside: cheese for her, coffee for me. I go upstairs.
7:30-8:30 – Shower. I sit in the shower, lean my head back against the tile, ice my eyes, and drink my coffee. Lotion. Covid 19 uniform. Light make-up. I listen to The Daily.
8:30-9:00 – I drive to Dr. Jenkins’ office for y antibody test and listen to the Marketplace Morning Report.
9:00-9:30 – I check in, fill out paperwork, and get a blood draw. There are no other patients in the office (thank God) and staff and I are masked. Across the hall is another medical office, standing room only, and the patients have spilled outside to the hallway, leaning against walls and coughing. They’re all sick. I’m certain these are HMO patients, but this office isn’t affiliated with Dr. Jenkins’ office - his is a PPO. The blood draw is painless and only half a vial is needed. Dr. Jenkins says I will have the results of the antibody test tomorrow. I doubt it.
9:30-10:00 – Driving. Return home. I listen to Be Wealthy and Smart.
10:00-12:30 – I spend this time getting my taxes in order for my new tax preparer, in accordance with the instructions that they emailed me a few weeks ago. It takes two hours to get everything sorted and to locate the information that they’re requiring. My new binder project that I’ve been working on in accordance with The Paper Solution book was very helpful and I found most of my paperwork quickly. I eat a piece of spaghetti squash lasagna while I work.
12:30-1:00 – L. is up and we have a brief conversation before I leave for my appointment with my new tax preparer.
1:00-2:00 – Driving. I listen to True Crime Garage.
2:00-3:00 – My tax appointment takes one hour and I have all the requested documents. Everybody masks. When all is said and done, I owe $5000. This is after claiming “single 0” on all taxable revenue streams. I’m in a Catch-22 situation. Before I can retire from teaching, my pension will be based on my highest salary over a consecutive 36- month period, which happens to be occurring right now [Sept. 2019 – Sept. 2022]. This means it’s imperative that I pick up as many classes as possible as I try, desperately, to move the needle on that 36-month salary high.
Unfortunately, the increase in salary from the extra classes puts me in a higher tax bracket and edges me out of tax deductions I would normally be able to claim. For example, due to the increase in my annual income, I didn’t qualify for the last stimulus check; I don’t get a tax credit with regard to my dependent child’s college tuition [still confused about that one]; my head of household status is pitiful ($500); and not enough money is pulled out of my check to accommodate the higher tax bracket that I was forced into as I try to take on more classes in order to ultimately increase my pension award. The steps I’m taking now will definitely help my future self, but it’s hard to see the positive in this situation when I’m $5000 in the hole.
3:00-4:00 – Driving. I continue listening to True Crime Garage
4:00-5:30 – Arrive at B.’s house and we watch The Servant, which I’ve steadily grown to hate. The plot makes no sense and I’m over this series. B., a “completist” will see it through to the end. B. kindly gives me a $100 check for my doctor’s appointment and lab work. I leave.
5:30-6:00 – Driving and I listen to a new true crime podcast series called Convicted.
6:00-6:30 – I take the dog for a walk and listen to the Pop Culture Happy Hour.
6:30-8:40 – Gardening. I sweep and rake leaves, trim my plants, and clean out the pots. I listen to Fresh Air and return to Convicted.
8:40-9:30 – I drive to Whole Foods to pick up some vege sushi and champagne, then swing by the ATM and deposit B.s’ check. I listen to The Weeds.
9:30-10:30 – Home and I eat vege sushi and read Floating Feathers
10:30-11:30 – I accidentally fall asleep
11:30-1:00 – I go to work. I prepare lesson plans for my high school class for next Tuesday because I won’t be there. Next Tuesday is the last hike of the Winter Season with my hiking group so I’d rather spend that day on a hike. There’s a 3-week hiatus before we resume in the Spring. Using the list the students passed around with their email addresses, I load each email address individually into Outlook, then email the students the pre-recorded AUDIO Lecture and Google slides [they still don’t have access to Canvas] that they will listen to when I’m out. I also attach the Syllabus.
-I notify the Duel Enrollment Coord. That one of my students is not on College No. 2’s roster.
1:00-1:30 – Kitchen duty. I pack my lunch, ready my coffee, and I have sabotaged myself and my sleep, again.
1:30-2:00 – Nighttime routine. Bed. I set my alarm for 5:00