by Sharon Archer
Reading: Annie West's Passion, Purity and The Prince. Love Alaric and Tamsin!Watching: A very blank page - mine! :(
Listening to: Midnight Express
Making me smile!
Luncheon at the Langham...
Do I deserve to take a break? Nope!
Am I gonna anyway? Yup, you betcha! :)
I've done it! I've done it! Yep, you guessed it - our tax returns!
But before you congratulate me... I suppose I should confess... in all honesty.... erm... it's the return for the 2008-2009 financial year! The spectre of 2009-2010 is still hanging over me!
Anyway, anyway, I'm still feeling awfully clever! It wasn't easy, but I prevailed! Of course, it was made a lot harder by the fact that I'd started organising the papers... but then stopped with every intention of coming back to them in a day or two.... not more than twelve months later. Sadly, the thought processes that had seemed so logical three hundred and eighty... ninety... whatever... days ago, were gone, gone, gone!
Worst problem was the whole year of missing bank statements - just vanished.
The year before - in the file where they should be.
The year after - in the file where they should be.
But the 2008-2009 ones - nowhere to be found. Maybe I'd be able to get them on-line, I thought hopefully... but no, the bank was way too organised. They only show the 2009-2010 in archive because naturally they expect everyone to have efficiently finished with 2008-2009, don't they!
So I pressed on, leaving post-its all over the things that needed to be revisited, until finally everything was sitting in nice little piles... some of the piles were even post-it free which was very exciting. Realising that I couldn't do more until I'd been to the bank to get copies of those missing statements, I moved on to filing the pile of documents for 2009-2010 so that when I started on those, they'd at least be a little organised. So I'm working away and... ta-da! There were the elusive bank statements!
Note to self for the future: Put things where they belong - not in special places for safe keeping!
So, are you one of those super-organised people who do their tax returns as soon as you have all the papers? Or are you like me and procrastinate until it all becomes a bit of a monster!
Sharon, congratulations on the tax return! Commisserations on 2009-10 still to do! I started my 2009-10 one and had the docs spread out across the dining room table, sorted neatly. But before I got the chance to pull it all together we got visitors and I had to pack it all away. I think I know where I put them...
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your Langham lunch! Sounds just fantastic. What a treat! Wow, so thrilled to see you're reading 'Passion, Purity and the Prince' and enjoying Alaric and Tamsin.
Hope your next lot of tax papers are much easier. I used to do mine straight away but the past couple of years it's taken me longer.
Sharon, it seems to be true that for those of us for whom words are our delight, numbers can be... well... nausea inducing to say the least!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I start with very good intentions of keeping track of accounts and expenses and listen to everyone's advice on how to do it better but eventually all good intentions dwindle away to a scatter of lost statements and receipts. Thankfully, quite early on in my magazine career I found the services of a good accountant who specialised in writers and entertainers and our erratic ways and am still with him.
Have a lovely lunch at the Langham--by far my favourite hotel!
(Oh, and good luck with that blank page!)
Oh Sharon your system sounds so like mine!! My husband made me complete outstanding tax years before he'd marry me!!! LOL. It hasn't made me better at getting my tax done. He harps at me so they're done close to the end of year now (when his is done on about July 5) - who said wives do the nagging?
ReplyDeleteCath
I have to agree with your approach, Sharon. My tax return for the year ended March 2010 (different in NZ)is still in a pile waiting my input. It's just not one of those exciting things to do so it always gets pushed to the back of the to-do list.
ReplyDeleteLunch at the Laingham? I'm green with envy. Enjoy.
Sue
Sharon, I'm even more behind that you were. But I have very good intentions!!
ReplyDeleteUgh, tax!
ReplyDeleteNo, no, no let's talk about something much more interesting -- what did you have for lunch at the Langham? :-)
I try to be organised, but have been overseas the past two years at the end of the financial year, so have been a little behind with my paperwork. I'm determined to be on top of it this year! The plan is to spend one morning a week before 8am getting things in order -- filing, spreadsheets, etc. Hasn't happened yet, though...
ReplyDeleteP.S. Don't know the Langham. Is it very swanky??? I hope so!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Annie! And the GOOD thing is that I've done a little bit of sorting for the 2009-2010 year... which will be helpful as long as I don't leave it for another twelve months and forget what I've done! It's a job that needs to be done spread out, isn't it! Good luck with getting yours wrapped up soon!
ReplyDelete:)
Sharon
Kandy, there's something extra nausea-inducing when it comes to dealing with tax numbers! I mean it's not as if I'm intending to do anything I shouldn't... actually, it's a bit like seeing a policeman when I'm driving, I have an automatic UH-OH that lights up in my brain! Even though I've been obeying all the road rules to the letter!
ReplyDelete:)
Sharon
LOL, Catherine! Not exactly, er, romantic! But a GREAT story! He's obviously imminently practical and definitely a man to have on your team when you want stuff done! But... OMG... he has his tax done about the 5 July?? I'm having hives just thinking about it!
ReplyDelete;)
Sharon
Sue, doing the tax return is definitely not the sort of job where you think... "ooo, goodie, I'm going to have a fab, fun weekend sorting out my tax return!" is it!? But I do have to vouch for a lovely glow of satisfaction AFTERWARDS!
ReplyDelete:)
Sharon
Well, Rachel, from my newly virtuous pedestal of not actually being BEHIND anymore... you know what they say about a good intentions... a certain road is paved with them!
ReplyDelete;)
Sharon
Michelle, Michelle, luscious, luxurious luncheon at the Langham! Their buffet is a *serious* treat, isn't it! The little duck pancakes are always divine, and there was a cucumber and lentil salad - delicious *and* I felt like I was being extremely healthy by having it. The mounds of seafood and yummy vegies... and the tiny desserts! YUM!
ReplyDeleteAnd they had the Christmas tree up - a paradise of pink, this year!
:)
Sharon
Your plan sounds excellent, Emily - even more excellent once you put it into practice! Tax returns are things that I have *intentions* about - like Rachel! A bit like my Christmas cards...which I haven't started yet and it's December on Wednesday! EEK! But at least I have done my tax so that's a big tick!
ReplyDeleteEm, the Langham is very, VERY swanky, elegant and divine! It really is a great way to treat yourself to a bit of luxury!
:)
Sharon
Hi, Sharon! How was the swanky lunch? Nice reward for doing the dreaded tax return.
ReplyDeleteI've learnt from previous lapses. I'm super organised and diligent about filing all year. Then I take it all the accountant as soon as my final statements and whatnot come in. So exciting! Okay, that part isn't exciting, but the tax refund is.
x
Sharon,
ReplyDeletejust thiniking about tax time gives me the heebie jeebies!
Lunch was just divine, Vanessa! Yep, a very good reward for getting that pesky tax organised! Mmmm, perhaps once I've done 2009-2010...
ReplyDeleteOh, good for you being so organised with yours! I used to be pretty good about mine, actually... it's just got away from me for the last few years. Perhaps it's time to turn over a new leaf... or at least get the old leaf out again!
;)
Sharon
Hugs, Mel - it sounds like we all need to take a leaf out of Vanessa's book and just do it! Let's face it, it doesn't go away! It just sits there as a weight at the back of your mind.
ReplyDelete:)
Sharon