NT / Ok, I know how to use the phone

[RitaB]

What is wrong with people?? Told the guy when he dropped off I was busier than a one legged man at a butt kickin contest. "Oh, I'm in no hurry," he says. A couple days ago he had his sister call to see if I had tried to call. He just now came in to see if I had tried to call. What the crap? Generally, when I TRY to call, I am 97% successful at the phone technology. And, if I leave a message, and you don't come get your return, I know to call you again. Why would you let someone do your taxes if you did not have any confidence that they could use a phone?

Yes, I know, he was just pushing me. Happens every year. This year is worse. I wonder why.

[JohnH]

Well Rita, he's creative.

At least he didn't say he just dropped by to ask "How's it coming on my return?"

[Lion EA]

This is the week that everyone starts contacting me to say they're leaving for FL 2 March or going to be on vacation the first two weeks of April or gee they thought I knew that school break is ... even though my youngest child is 31 and living in another state. I need my returns now. I remind them that we do have telecommunications in most vacation spots. (Didn't they know they'd paid for a vacation back when they dropped off their information? They remember to ask me if they can deduct Girl Scout cookies but forget to tell me they want to file before the deadline.)

[RitaB]

Well Rita, he's creative.

At least he didn't say he just dropped by to ask "How's it coming on my return?"

He did that last year. He's a smart one, that guy.

[RitaB]

They remember to ask me if they can deduct Girl Scout cookies but forget to tell me they want to file before the deadline.

Mine remember to sell me Girl Scout cookies but forget to pay me. And it's almost worth waiting til summer to send the bill, cause the kid is selling something else for school fundraiser if I don't.

[Jack from Ohio]

Mine remember to sell me Girl Scout cookies but forget to pay me. And it's almost worth waiting til summer to send the bill, cause the kid is selling something else for school fundraiser if I don't.

I have gone strictly check/cash & carry. No tickie no laundry.... Solved that problem quickly.

[RitaB]

I could use some tickie right now, not gonna lie.

[mcb39]

They are really terrible this year; or is it because we are so far behind. I have been eating cough drops (and little else) all day because I am losing my voice from answering dumb phone questions. I started out with three appointments today which left me the afternoon to work; ended up with seven and have not produced one complete return today. For the first time this year, I feel as though I am really losing it. And, don't even go there, with the Girl Scout cookies. I swear if someone thought of it they would want to deduct the clorox to clean out the dingy kitchen sink. And then, "Oh, I just happened to be in town, can I swing by and pick up my taxes?" My silent reply was, "Bring cash and leave your spoiled daughter home who threw snowballs at my clean office windows and then smeared them around with her mittens; kept running in and out; leaving the door open and dripping snowy boots over everything. Not to mention hanging upside down in one of my new office chairs (with wet mittens and boots on) and don't say anything to her because she might cry." Gosh, you have to be at least half crazy to even think of doing this job at times.

[RitaB]

It's not just you, Marilyn, this is a special kind of nightmare. I haven't had a vegetable in two weeks. I haven't been home during daylight hours, except Sunday, for the same length of time. I got your low resources right here, you hourglass on my screen from $#%%.

And, I have no idea what tickie is, just for the record.

[joanmcq]

What are vegetables? The things rotting in my kitchen that I threw on the compost pile today? That was my outdoor excursion for the day. But I figured if I could smell them so could the clients.

[Ray in Ohio]

And, I have no idea what tickie is, just for the record.

I was hoping you would enlighten us. I was thinking if you need some right now, the rest of us probably do to.

[Catherine]

They are really terrible this year; or is it because we are so far behind. I have been eating cough drops (and little else) all day because I am losing my voice from answering dumb phone questions. I started out with three appointments today which left me the afternoon to work; ended up with seven and have not produced one complete return today. For the first time this year, I feel as though I am really losing it. And, don't even go there, with the Girl Scout cookies. I swear if someone thought of it they would want to deduct the clorox to clean out the dingy kitchen sink. And then, "Oh, I just happened to be in town, can I swing by and pick up my taxes?" My silent reply was, "Bring cash and leave your spoiled daughter home who threw snowballs at my clean office windows and then smeared them around with her mittens; kept running in and out; leaving the door open and dripping snowy boots over everything. Not to mention hanging upside down in one of my new office chairs (with wet mittens and boots on) and don't say anything to her because she might cry." Gosh, you have to be at least half crazy to even think of doing this job at times.

I solved the interrupting phone calls problem for this year: I outsourced phones to Ruby Receptionist. Couple hundred a month - I forward my phone, they take messages, have secure voice mail -- AND can patch an emergency call through to my other number (cell phone) for that new client who has gotten lost on the way here and needs directions.

Got through some gnarly RSU basis calculations the other morning with NO call interruptions -- and the phone rang a half-dozen times or more! People think the phone is being answered by someone at my office.

Highly recommended. Three-week free trial, too. Let 'em know I sent you and the free trial gets upped to 3 weeks from the advertised. 2.

http://www.callruby.com/

[kcjenkins]

No tickie no laundry....

And, I have no idea what tickie is, just for the record.

There was a 1940′s and 1950″s shibboleth that paraphrased went like this, “no ticket, no laundry” which meant if you lost your ticket for the items dry cleaned, you would not get your laundry back. It was a short-hand phrase that reminded you to take care of the claim check if you expected to get your items returned. It is considered very politically incorrect today [as it should] especially when it uses the 'dialect' version 'tickie', since it was associated with Asian laundry businesses. The laundry business was in those days in large cities, dominated by Chinese operators, hence the dialect.

[RitaB]

I sorta figured tickie was ticket, but it sounds like tickle, and I was feeling sorry for myself, and nevermind. LOL.

[mcb39]

I sorta figured tickie was ticket, but it sounds like tickle, and I was feeling sorry for myself, and nevermind. LOL.

That's OK! Some of us "Elders" knew what it meant. Be thankful that you are young enough not to know for sure. And, we have a right to feel sorry for ourselves this year. Wednesday was my "losing it" day. It all started with the notice that three people were removing me from their friends list. I never did find out where that came from or where it went; but at least three new people jumped into my friends' list almost instantly. Thanks guys and gals.

[RitaB]

Hey, I explained that 3 friends thing, you must not have seen my post. Don't remember where it was. It's not you! It's a trick, trust me.