PS...

This was on my desk when I walked into work this morning (except it hadn't been partially eaten yet). Thanks Jess for making my day!!!

Something's wrong with this picture...

It's tax season... we all know this. If you didn't know this from all the commercials for Turbo Tax and H & R Block, then you know it from the growing panic inside you telling you that the time is getting nearer. Well for those of you who only get this feeling once a year and it goes away after you (a) fill out your 1040, or (b) give all your information to your tax accountant to fill out your 1040, then count your blessings. For me, the panicky feeling begins around January 1 and lasts until April 15. Then I get to go through all that again in August-September. But that's not really why I'm writing this post. It's to tell you about my day that I've had and how wrong it all seems...

What my day was like today:

Woke up around 8:00 (after hitting the snooze button a few times), got to work around 9:30, checked my emails. Nothing important - just a bunch of news updates, etc. The rest of the morning was taken up with me and a co-worker trying to get information about bonds, just to find out that we would have to wait until Monday. Then it was lunch. After lunch I did about 2.5 hours of real work, checked my personal e-mail, checked my bank statements, talked with my friend about how much she hates work, and now I'm here. It's 4:00 on a Thursday during the busiest time of year for tax accountants and I have no work to do. I've asked some of my superiors if there was any work for me, but I got the same answer: not right now - we're waiting. And the one client I know there is work for is all with the associate (he's doing the work and I'm reviewing it).

Here is what my day should be like:

It starts out about the same way (wake up, emails, etc.) but from then on it's work, work, work. Doing tax returns (or reviewing them), working on allocations, doing security analysis, etc. This will continue until lunch time when I take a quick lunch (sometimes eaten at my desk). After, the regime will continue until dinner. I'll order food and quickly eat it in the pantry with a few friends, then back to work. I work until eleven or twelve when I go home and pass out just to wake up and do it again.

This is how I usually feel at this time of the year:

But this is how I am today:


Does anything seem wrong with this picture??

What would you sing?

Yesterday on American Idol, as usual the judges were very critical of the contestants' song choices. So I'm just putting this out there for everyone. If you had a shot to sing one song on live television at your chance to winning a spot in the top 12 of American Idol, what would you sing?

**Fine print**
This is purely a hypothetical question and therefore you do not need to have any singing ability or any desire to be on American Idol to answer. You do not need to have to have seen this weeks show. You do not need to be over 18 to participate. You do not need your parents' consent. Your answer will in no-wise be legally binding or used against you in a court of law. However, do to human nature, if your answer is completely ridiculous, I will hold it over you for years to come - choose wisely.

**Even finer print**
This is being brought to you by the funding for Kristy Erickson: trying to make her life more interesting than doing taxes.

Kenneth Malcom Carlson

One week ago from today, I got a call from Mom letting me know that Grandpa Carlson had passed away. On Thursday February 5, Grandpa went to sleep and did not wake up. He had gotten ill the weekend before, but was doing much better and back to his old self. But apparently his body had been through enough and it was time for him to go home.

I am so glad that over Christmas I was able to go up to Idaho to visit Grandpa Carlson with my parents. I know that for some of my siblings it had been years since they last saw him, so I felt privileged that I had that time with him.

Mom, Grandpa and me on my last visit over Christmas.

I am also glad that I was able to fly home for his funeral. On Monday, Mom and I drove up to Idaho for the viewing and stayed that night in a hotel. It was good that I could go up with Mom to support her during this hard time as my Dad had to teach late Monday night and so he could not make it until the funeral on Tuesday. It was great to see most of my cousins and their families - most I hadn't seen in many years.

Me, Aunt Jennifer, Aunt Vicki, cousin Sherrie, sister Cori, and cousin Stacy.

Me and my cousin Justin - I hadn't seen him in over 8 years.

Mom and her brothers and sister and their spouses (all except Uncle Kent who was still making is way over)

The pallbearers bringing over Grandpa's casket.

But this post is about Grandpa Carlson and not about me (for once). So here are ten things that I remember about this wonderful man:
1 - Growing up, whenever we came over, he would pat us on the head. But it wasn't your normal pat...it was pretty hard. I swear I shrunk an inch or two each time I visited.
2 - He made some of the best hotcakes and bacon. I loved when we'd stay over at Grandpa and Grandma Carlson's home because I knew I'd be eating well. He used only the best ingredients: whole milk and real bacon grease to cook the hotcakes in...mmmmmm.
3 - Grandpa and Grandma lived in this great house in Idaho Falls that had a laundry shoot which we would use as a mail-delivery service. The things we used to drop down that thing...
4 - Grandpa and Grandma had a winter home in Arizona that we would visit each spring break. I loved driving his golf cart around the ponds and going out and picking grapefruit and oranges off the tree for breakfast.
5 - Fishing with Grandpa was always fun. He would take us out on Henry's Lake in Island Park in his old orange boat where we would catch an amazing fish dinner for that night. He knew all the tricks - right where to park and how to "chum" the fish.
6 - He loved The Music Box Dancer and bribed all us grandchildren with $1000 to learn it perfectly. It had to be memorized and we had to play it for him with no mistakes. I was very nervous the day that he came to listen to me. I'm just glad that I passed on the first try. Some of my cousins had to do it a few times.
7 - Grandpa loved The Price is Right. He would watch it every morning. As it has always been a dream of mine to be on The Price is Right, I loved that he liked this show.
8 - I have never watched more golf than when I was at Grandpa's. Either golf, tennis, or baseball was always on when I would go visit. And he wouldn't turn off the TV when we came - he would just mute it. So I've watched a lot of silent sporting events at his house.
9 - He always had peanut M&M's or some other treat out in a candy dish. After he moved into the assisted living center he said that he always needed a good supply of these treats to entice the women to come visit him.
10 - Grandpa always took us to eat at Smitty's in Idaho Falls. It's a pancake and steak house. He sure did love that place.

Grandpa Carlson, I love you and miss you lots! But I know that you are happy in Heaven as you are walking around with Grandma. You lived a great life and there are many many people who love you dearly.

Last Night

Last night I was given a Ziploc bag and told that I could only bring with me what I could fit in there. I only had an hour to pack before I left. Immediately I put what you normally put in a Ziploc bag when going on a trip - shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, deodorant, etc. (all under 3 oz of course) Once those were in, I still had lots of room (apparently I was given a Mary Poppins bag). So I started packing things that I would be needing if I happened to be gone more than a week or two.

It was amazing to me how I had never considered clothing up until this point. I didn't know how long I would be gone so I would definitely need more than the jeans and t-shirt I was wearing. I grabbed 3 pairs of underwear, assuring myself that I could easily do laundry. Then I grabbed the only article of clothing that I could possibly need while I was away - my sweats!

At this point, after I was satisfied that I had anything I could want/need while I was away, I realized who I would be with. I could not show my face in sweats in front of these people - who am I kidding (unless they were designer sweats...then maybe). So I began to panic. But then I thought about where we were headed and decided that it didn't matter what I looked like - I wanted to be comfortable.

So I kissed my family goodbye and boarded the bus with my packed Ziploc bag. I was very nervous, but I knew there was no way out of it. So I put on a brave face and left.

The first person I saw when I arrived at my destination was Blair. Of course she hadn't listened to the "one bag" rule. I knew I should have brought more. But I wasn't able to talk with her. I was immediately taken to my "room" and wouldn't see anyone else until our meeting later. I looked around my space and thought that maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as I thought.

At the meeting later that night, I met the rest of my comrades. We were sitting in a circle when Rufus walked in and welcomed us all to the Upper East Side Concentration Camp. This was the time of day when we would share how we were feeling so that we'd be able to help each other through the ordeal. Then Serena came through the door and collapsed on the couch crying. We all knew why - she had just learned that Dan had slept with Rachel. It was a little uncomfortable - seeing as Dan was right there. But Rufus turned it into a learning experience for us all.

Rufus took a blanket and began to wrap it around Serena. He said that we needed to comfort each other in their times of hardships. At this Serena freaked out, fell to the floor and began to sob and yell at Rufus. She told him that he was the last person she wanted comfort from since it was HIS son who was making her cry. She then turned on Dan, but was crying too hard to get anything out. I couldn't take it anymore. I fell on the floor next to Serena and held her in my arms while she cried and cried. No one knew what to do.

Then the bell rang. Our "session" was over and it was time for me to wake up. But for some reason I did not want to leave that concentration camp. I was there with all my best friends and couldn't think of anything I wanted more.