Let’s not get too excited. Yes it was 64 degrees today in DC but it’s still winter folks. Luis and I took a walk down by the Georgetown waterfront and there were people everywhere…eating, sitting on the dock, and reading. It was a really nice change from the frigid weather we’ve been experiencing. If you remember two weeks ago, we were dealing with this:

But today, we got this. I’m not complaining but I know it won’t last.

So I’ve been slowly doing my taxes the last couple weeks as I’ve been waiting for W2s and 1098′s for student loans. This year my taxes have been a little difficult because I lived in California and DC but also worked in Virginia at Abercrombie. So I have to file 3 different state returns. It gets more complicated. It’s hard to tell whether I’m a California resident or a DC resident. If I choose to be a DC resident, I only get $140 back from state taxes in DC. If I choose to be a CA resident, I get $1230 back from DC but then I OWE CA $226.

It gets better.

I owe the Commonwealth of Virginia, $1. ONE DOLLAR. I only made $171 at Abercrombie because I worked there a month. How is it that I owe both California and Virginia money?!

I moved to DC mid January 2008 then moved back to CA during the summer and then back to DC in August. In January before I moved to DC, I made around $500. Now when I add that income to my taxes, I only paid $59 in federal taxes on that $500 amount for some odd reason, so it calculates me owing that $226 figure I mentioned earlier. I’m going to call the accountant back in CA who prepared that W2 because I should have paid more taxes than that. Because I didn’t pay enough taxes on that amount, it’s causing me to owe half that amount.

This all sounds really complicated but I’ve been doing my own taxes for 4 years now and I know what I’m doing. So the question is, do I stay a California resident and get more money back TOTAL and pay out $227 in taxes to CA and VA? Or do I takes less money and not have to pay the states? At the moment, I’m leaning towards just paying the $227 because then it keeps me a California resident. I also stay a resident as long as I keep a California drivers license. But another catch is that if I live in DC for more than 183 days, then DC considers me a resident.

Taxes. Not for the weak. One day when I’m all grown up, I’ll pay an accountant to handle them. I don’t really have any assets so it’s usually not this complicated to do my taxes.  I just don’t want to pull a “Geitner” and use Turbo Tax when I should be using an accountant.

Reverse chivalry is bull. For Valentine’s Day this year, Luis has put me in charge of planning the evening. Dinner, after dinner, the whole show. I kinda have dinner figured out but I am clueless on what to do after. I am on sabbatical from drinking so going to a bar after isn’t going to be fun, for me.

I am open to suggestions from my readers!

And for the record, it should ALWAYS be the mans job to figure out Valentines Day!

Today on my run home, I had a whirlwind of thoughts going through my mind.

“Don’t get hit by a car.”

“Watch for ice.”

“What are you going to do about grad school?”

“Should you really be taking a trip to Africa?”

“What are you going to do if you don’t get that fellowship?”

Without getting into a long story, I’m technically out of a job in June. The new administration takes over and I’m not guaranteed a job. (At least, that is my understanding.) I would love to stay on with the CRNC but at the same time, I need to get my ass in gear and do something. I briefly looked into grad school at John Hopkin’s University in DC. I would do a part time Masters program in Government. At this point in my life, I really can’t go to school full time and live in DC without taking out some sort of loan, which is something I’m trying to avoid. Rent is too high, students loans are in repayment, you know the drill. If I went to school full time, I could have my MA in a year. The part time program would take a year and a half, two years if I did summer school and would give me the ability to work full time. I know this would be exhausting but it would give me another piece of  paper that says “I’m educated”. And if I don’t do a masters program, I need to take the LSAT…in June.

While grad school should be the number one thought on my mind, I really want to travel some more. I decided today that I want to visit Spain and Morocco, if possible in April. Round trip plane tickets are around $800, which is awesome, and it would add two more stamps in my passport. I also really want to go to Israel. Since things are a bit unstable back in the Middle East, now isn’t the right time. Regardless, I want to travel some more and now is better than any time. I have no commitments to school and nothing holding me back really.

And the fellowship. I won’t know about the fellowship until June. If I get it, I’m definitely taking it unless I come across some job that pays $50k a year! The fellowship puts me in grad school, pays (horribly), and puts me back in California. It would be a new city [Sacramento] and needless to say, a new adventure.

So those are my thoughts. I don’t like not having a plan and at the moment, I don’t have a set plan. I have hypothetical plans for hypothetical situations but none of them are set in stone and that bothers me. I have a hard time believing that things happen for a reason because I feel like I can control a lot of my fate based on the plans I make. If I don’t have any plans, then I can’t control my fate.

The cardinals almost had it! The 4th quarter was super exciting and depressing. I really thought that Cardinals had it. Oh well.

Maybe next year will be the year for the Chargers? My take…dump LT. Keep Sproles. Win a superbowl. Pretty simple really.

I was born in Phoenix and lived there until I was 11. I was never really a fan but I am rooting for them today. I’m no sports bookie or analyst but I’m guessing it will be a relatively low scoring game. (Under 20 points for each team.) Co-workers and friends are heading over now so it should be a fun game to watch. Not to mention the one hour Office episode after!

If the Cards win, I hope they dedicate the game to Pat Tillman.