And together we learn

Big fat rant!!!

So today I got to experience first hand all that is wrong with our bureaucratic tax system. And I'm so frustrated by it!!!! Why is it that dealing with red tape and taxes is so @%$&^%$&* aggravating?

We own our own small business. That's why my husband is always traveling. So I had to renew some forms, and spent a bunch of time on the phone with the state tax commission trying to find out exactly what I needed to do. They told me I had to go down in person to find out some information, that would otherwise take three weeks to get. So I get a babysitter. A babysitter, folks!! In the middle of the day! This is huge stuff. I NEVER do this. Off I go, to wait in line. I get to the counter, the lady took *** 7 *** tries to type in my EIN number. 7 tries!! Seriously.

Then, after she finally got it in, she was able to tell me the piece of information I was missing. I got a babysitter, drove downtown, waited in line, so she could TELL me, "You're missing XYZ form." Are you kidding me???? This is what they couldn't tell me on the phone? Why on earth couldn't they have just told me that when I begged them to on the phone? So now I have to go down, again, once I have the missing form, so I can get my letter of good standing.

Sorry for all the venting. It was just so incredible to me that they make it so completely hard for us to get things done. But the lady didn't care. Why should it bother her? But doesn't it just typify the levels of bureaucracy that characterize the government?

The worst part about it is that I WASTED an afternoon of blissful beautiful alone babysitter time, on this. Oh, the bitterness!

Then just one more small wry commentary on society, and I'll go back to my normal mommy life blogging. I was listening to the radio, and they were talking about the wildfire in California where the firefighters died. So sad. So the newscaster lady announced that they had an update on what lead to the deaths of these men. And I quote: "while they were engaging in their firefighter duties, they were overcome by the fire."

Ummmmm, no crap. That's pretty much what you can surmise from the situation, but thank you for reporting it!!!

And please know that I'm in no way making light of the tragedy here, but of the really pointless reporting.

Ok, I've got that off my chest and I'm feeling a little more calm about the whole day. Thank you for indulging me in the rant.

posted by Becca at 8:46 PM