Audited!!!

Audited by the IRS. OK, so audited may not be the correct term, but they decided to review my return from 2004 and they found some errors. Stuff that I didn't know existed, in both directions. Like my 'retirement' (non 401K) from my current employers is taxable (so there is a LARGE increase in income) and evidently the interest from my student loans finally got filed (I never got the forms, so I ignored it) and so my taxes went down. So in the end, I am owing almost $800. But it isn't the money (which I currently don't have due to my loan to the card store) it is the fact that this was for 2004.

Why is it anyway, that I have to file my return in the first place. Why can't the federal government calculate what it should be and take appropriate action. Why am I even in the loop. I bet for 90% of America that the tax process is simply addition and subtraction, if you have all the appropriate forms (which obviously I didn't) so why doesn't our system of government do that for us? They know the amounts. Hell, I don't even care if they keep the normal $200 refund a year if they would just not bother me to fill out their stupid forms. Seems like Income Tax forms are the biggest scam of all time. First the postal office gets to charge the IRS money to ship out all the forms, then they get to charge us to send them all back. Additionally all the trees that are killed in the process of completing the forms, and keeping records for 3 years. Why in this day and age are we still following such an archaic structure. Fill in the variables, tell the businesses that they have to conform to a new system of reporting W-2 results, and Viola! Income tax reporting is automatic.

And for the rest of you that like to be complicated, you still have to screw with the IRS and figure out how to do a form, but I bet in the end this would save the IRS BILLIONS, if they would simply automate the process. Which is exactly why it will never happen.

Game On!

I hate being sick

Just incase you didn't read the title.... I hate being sick!!! This time, I think it is just a bit of the flu, but it hit me hard on Saturday night, right after every local shop closed for the holiday, all except the new godsend down the street (A Wal-mart Neighborhood market). So this morning, I drove down there got some meds, and I am feeling marginally better this morning. If work was not so pressing, I would call in sick tomorrow, but it looks like we will need to do some more testing, so I need to get that process started as soon as possible...

Anyway, this sore throat is really bugging me, basically because if it lingers too long it will really screw with my plans for next weekend or if it is really persistant, the weekend after that. If it lasts more than 3 medicated days, I think I will barge into my Doctor's office and demand to see him prior to the two weeks that I generally have to wait. I am not an impatient guy, but when my illness prevents me from doing what I want, and being the person that I want to be, well that really just stinks.

Anyway, for those having trouble with Baraka decks, it turns out that Sonchi is a good card. Very easy to set up in your hand (with a certian Klingon, and Guidance) and drop on one turn as well... Yes, I know that only applies to Klingons, but it is really an ultimate counter to that cheese (well that and FSE) and cheese really only needs one ultimate counter for it to go away.... For those that play that other game, I am really liking my new Shou Tucker deck. My players hate it, but it does alot better than I would have expected, considering the generic inclusion of Scar in most decks. I think I need to put Shou away for a few weeks, until I can reveal the brokeness to Trevor, but be warned Trevor, this is what you have coming for you... =)

Game On!

eBay And My Retailer

So I finally sucummed to the life of selling items on eBay. I have been a buyer in the eBay community for about 6 months now (I know I am late to the game) but with permission for the game company I volunteer for, I have begun to sell singles and exclusives on eBay. For the first 7 I put up, I will cover the cost of the digital camera that I purchased to facilitate this adventure. I have another 14 cards to put up and hopefully a few cards after that as well. Basically, I have no dilusions of breaking even in the rat-race of trading card games and collecting, but it would be nice to recoup some of the lost money.

Also this cash influx will be very nice, since I emptied my accounts to front my retailer the money to move to a new location. Basically this is something I should have done a month ago, but I didn't realize that he was in as dire straits as he was in. He basically had not set aside any money for this move, even though he has had 18 months of NOTICE. The other problem is that he had not been looking for a new location, so by the time he is being forced to vacate the current location, he has almost no options. The only decent place was demanding first/last months rent and a hefty security deposit, which totaled about $5000. No, I didn't just up and give him $5000, but I am putting in more than he is. He claims that he can have it paid back in 6 months, and I believe him. He does excellant business, so long as he isn't buying 6 cases of dead games... but that is another story.

This new place will be great, tho. The location is not far away (actually closer for most people), is visible from the street, has pleanty of parking, and is TWICE the size of the current location, for only about 30% more per month. I have no doubt that he will make his money back in no time flat, which will be good for me, sicne living without a 'safety blanket' is... well lets say I am not sleeping like I was when I had that money in my account. But it is all for a good cause, and should drum up more business. It should be good times!!!

Game On!

New Players

I was running my weekend tournament yesterday, when 2 new players pop in 20 minutes late (but we were already waiting for some other players) and want to play. One of them had a deck but didn't think it was very good, and the other didn't have a deck, and would not have one until after payday next week. So I helped the one player with one of my spare decks, and the other player I gave a few rare cards to and helped him trim his deck down and make is more focused.

Needless to say this delayed the tournament by about an hour from the original start time and the other player we were waiting on was still no there. So we got underway and started playing. I made sure the two new players were not playing each other in the first round (no it wasn't random, so shoot me...) and they were having a great time. And then it hit me. I was annoyed at having delayed my tournament, when I should be happy that we have new players. Why was I annoyed???

Anyway, I was finishing up the tournament and handing out packs to all the players (except myself as I routinely do) when from behind me, one of my new players bursts with, "Cool! I just got a foil Lust!" and I figured it was the foil common, or uncommon. No. It was the ULRTA-RARE Lust; the last one I need to complete my set. So, yea, I was a little upset, but I explained to the kid that I wanted that card, but honestly I probably could not give him the $100 that it would be worth online. However, he really wanted to make a deck like the one I let him borrow. So I pulled out my deck and started to pull it apart, with the rares that I know I had extras of. That left the stack painfully short... Then I pulled out some exclusive cards that he was looking at in my binder, and I knew I was still short. So when all else fails, I when up the the store owner and said, give me some packs. I think it ended up being 10 or so. So for the $5 entry fee, this kid walked away with 12 packs of cards, a not-yet-avilable promotional card, and a almost ready made deck like the one he enjoyed so much.

And then after all that, and my less than stellar attitude, I looked over at these two new kids (and their older brothers that had come to pick them up and were just as excided about this new game) and realized THAT is why I am a volunteer for game companies. Sure, running tournaments are fun, and encouraging high level of play is a big deal (especially for me), but watching a kids face light up with getting some card, that 5 minutes ago was rotting away in your binder... that is why I still enjoy playing card games. It reminds me how lucky I am to be able to have such a fun hobby.

Game On!