I'm gonna bust down the double doors

This last weekend was my ten year high school reunion. Once I committed to go, I decided to make a "trip" out of it. I left work early on Friday and drove to Fresno to see Grandma & Grandpa Winter, Jeff, and Lucy. According to Grandma, Grandpa is "in charge" of Friday's, which means he went to Piemonte's for sandwiches (N.B. this is a place I heard my mom talk about - apparently it's across the street from a job she had in a previous life). After tastey sandwiches, and a late and pleasant visit I spent the night in the Lion King room. You might be thinking, that makes sense; hotels have themed rooms, so why wouldn't Corey's grandparents? The theme actually hints at my grandmother's passion for collecting. I won't begin to describe it, b/c it is in fact something you must see to believe. Needless to say I was in the Lion King room for the night, having sweet sweetness dreams w/Nala and Simba and the population of pride rock.

I slept well and got an early start on Saturday morning. Unfortunately due to bad timing (namely on my part and the luck of the dial) I was not able to connect w/my aunt and uncle in Modesto. I killed some time by stopping at the Gap and grabbing a cute onesy for Kristin and Scott who are expecting next month (it's a surprise! the sex is, not that she's expecting).


I had a great visit with the Hackman's and they're snippy dog (sorry - but she is!). The only dog on the planet that has yet to like me, and yes it's the same one that took a skin sample from my hand the last time I was there. I had just enough time for a nice chat/catch-up, to iron out a few wrinkles (literally), and then meet some old friends from the Carmichael Stake for a pre-reunion dinner.

(Jeremy Swain, Tierra Thompson, Kaly Jones/Dushku, Emily Holdaway, Melissa Tenney/Wells)

Fast forward to the main event, an event 10 years in the making. The quickest summary: FUN!

I can't help but think of that part in Pretty in Pink where Iona tells Andy about her friend who "didn't go to the prom" and every once in a while feels like something is missing, she checks everything, her purse, her keys ... and finally decides "nothing is missing" - she decided it was side affects from not attending the prom. You don't have to tell me that comparing a ten year reunion to a high school prom is not the most parallel comparison, and while said reference was not the main catalyst for my attendance, I didn't want to spend my life feeling like something was missing! :)

It was great to see familiar faces.

And hear a unique rendetion of Sweet Caroline (not quite Fenway Style)

I can make lots of generalizations about the 10 year reunion, but I'm just going to keep it simple with a total high school cliche: Ohmygosh! SO. MUCH. FUN.

To be continued ...

Just sayin ...

Genius

These are a few of my favorite things ...

about Kelton James Cooper

He's sweet and innocent and lovable.

He's a handsome little guy with personality.

His complexion goes well with bright colors.

Amazing that you can care about someone, you hardly know, so much.

Baby step to September 1.

Abatement?

No, you must have meant aRAPEment.

So here's how backwards MassHOLEchusetts is with taxes.

Every year you get issued an excise tax. Understood. My thought, which has obvious relevance to the comments that follow is that when you leave the state you should not be charged a tax for 1) you not being in said state, and 2) your "property" not being in said state.

Fast forward to Corey in Huntington Beach.

I take a day off of work to go to the DMV and get everything switched over (i.e. registration, license). The CA DMV informs me that I need to send my plates to the DMV and provide me with an address in Sacramento, apparently their Mecca of DMV's. Great, I can handle that.

Done and done.

Now to the process of trying to switch my insurance policy. My current insurer (MA) was baffled that I was issued a CA registration w/o having an insurance policy in the state of CA. The nice insurance-man helping me sets aside his shock only to break the bad news that I can not cancel my MA policy unless my plates are submitted to them or the RMV (a.k.a. the DMV of MA).

Note to self: SHOOT! I sent them to the CA DMV as instructed. Wouldn't it be my luck that CA is the only DMV that destroys the plates they receive and will not forward them to the state who owns them (obviously in my case that's MA).

SO, until my MA insurance company or the MA RMV receives those plates, my insurance policy automatically self renews and can not be canceled until I submit my plates (which remember were destroyed), or I default on payment and the policy is then canceled due to lack of payment. Again, another option that I'd prefer not to have on any type of financial record of mine. It seems asinine to me that I am left with no choice; my insurance policy will basically self renew for a ghost car and ghost driver in MA. Miraculously, that helpful guy on the phone investigates and decides my best option is to complete a "lost plates" form.

Dovetail all the above with the premise of my original rant: Excise Tax.

I spoke w/the Watertown Tax Collector's office and they informed me that the only way to not pay the excise tax (remember, for a car that is not in a state in which I no longer live) is to talk with the Abatement Office. Which I do. They need a copy of the "lost plate receipt" and my CA registration. I obliged.

Ready ...

Here is an overview of the numbers for you:
Original Excise Tax: $56.25
Interest and fees while I tried to get everything sorted out (these things take time): $46.38
ABATEMENT: $42.19
New Total: $60.44

... YOU DO THE MATH!

I now have no other choice but to pay the original amount of the (absured) excise tax for the year plus $4.19.

I realize it's "only $60", but it's RIDICULOUS! So if you happened to call me on one of the many days I spent trying to sort out all this poppycock, and I seemed a bit short, I again apologize for now making you relive my frustrations. I wish I knew how to fight the feeling of violation by being subject to laws that don't seem to have any application.

The point of me writing all of this is best explained through what I believe is a shared outlet of exasperation: literal expression. It's like today when I went to get my car washed and upon my departure there were two girls and one guy camped out on the curb of the car wash in lawn chairs with a home made miniature billboard that read "car wash steals". They obviously needed to be heard. I might have listened had they been there before I entered the car wash and the Mexican'ts broke my rear view mirror. Unfortunatley it was an experience that tainted the fact that they did a great job cleaning my car. I now have two days to get it replaced and submit my receipt (yes, the ARE paying for it) before Raul goes on vacation and my situation gets outsourced to India or Mexico.

I guess that wasn't really a nice thing to say. :(
I feel a little better now.