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N/T - Recovering?


jklcpa

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How are you all feeling, and are you feeling mostly recovered?  Besides sleeping more and going back to normal hours, what are you all doing to recover and what are your plans for enjoying your personal time?

I didn't realize just how very tired I was and still am.  Husband and I went to an evening concert this past week, a very loud concert, and I was actually falling asleep after the intermission.  Thank goodness we stopped for coffee and he was the one driving home because he's usually the one that's napping along the way.

This morning I also realized that along with the extreme weariness, I've been having a slight issue at the prospect of turning 62 this weekend and feeling old, that age when some start collecting social security, and that feeling is totally out of character for me. I remember having these same feelings at reaching the age of 50 and mentioning it to many of my friends, and here I am telling this here too!  😆  I may need to go for a bike ride, a walk, or some other fun thing.  Most of my enjoyment involves outdoor activities, and maybe I'll get in some fishing this year too before the temps and humidity here feel like an inferno.

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Happy early birthday greetings, Judy!  If only I was just 62 again....  You will feel better with some R&R, though, and moving your body.  It makes a difference.

My postponed for 2 1/2 years trip to Raja Ampat diving was just recently cancelled outright by the operator.  So bummed after all the delays.  But now I'm going to Bonaire in June with friends and my son who was the one that got me diving originally.  It will be great!  Raja in 2023, I hope!  Next month is the Senior Olympics in Ft. Lauderdale with some visits along the way and family reunion in July, Northwest and Alaska in September.  A full schedule of fun ahead for us!

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Judy, it sounded like you were working way too many hours, not getting anywhere near enough sleep.

I have been there too many times in years past, and it's the classic formula for burn out.

The only cure I have ever found is time away from work etcera.

About 40 years ago I way overdid it and ended up depressed on top of the burnout. It took me 6 or 7 months to recover that time.

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18 hours ago, Margaret CPA in OH said:

...You will feel better with some R&R, though, and moving your body.  It makes a difference...

My postponed for 2 1/2 years trip to Raja Ampat diving was just recently cancelled...

I swear, Margaret; you are just the most enthusiastic and active gal I've ever heard of.  Kudos for your gusto.  

Looks like I won't make it to Bonaire but the doc told me recently to "get some exercise"; so I'm taking your R&R advice.  Think I'll wander over to our high school track after hours and make a couple of rounds. And; since he also warned me (again) to "NEVER eat another hot dog", I think I'll stop by Ralph's Kustom Kreme on the way home (Jog? Probably not) and get a foot-long (with extra mustard). 

Good luck with Raja.

Regards, BB :D

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I am just feeling totally zapped.  Of course, all of those extensions are sitting here and I have no desire to do them, but knot that I HAVE to.  I would rather get them over now than be filing in October, but some have not even come in yet.  I so looked forward to some time alone in the woods, but Wisconsin is having a really sketchy Spring.  Weather is terrible and unpredictable.  Really, all I want to do is read and sleep.  I have 20 years on you, Judy, but still have no intention of quitting this crazy way of life.  I just need to gather my thoughts and ambitions together and get them finished.❤️ to all of you.

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Exhausted. And, looking at a stack of more extensions than I've ever done before. Depressed. Hard to get motivated. Clients are calling (I think every one of them thought their own returns would be completed 19 April.) Laundry, doctor check-ups, house check-ups (for example, need a new compressor before A/C season), trying to schedule seeing the grandkids plus grown kids' concerts, back on the liturgical assistant schedule for live church, some minor payroll things, taking tax classes, etc. I haven't e-filed a single return since 18 April. I guess I need a fun trip, but short trip so I don't worry more, before I'll enjoy life again!

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On April 18th last year I started intermittent fasting with the goal of losing about 20 lbs but ended up losing 33 and am well below the BMI index "overweight" bracket which is nice. On April 18th of this year I decided to initiate weight training workouts (I've been walking about 20miles per week since last summer). The stronger I get in my 50's, the better shape I'll be when I'm in my 70's (is the theory). In September we are taking a vacation and I'd like to be pretty lean by then. Not sure where yet but we have friends in Portugal so we may go back there.

 

Otherwise my only recuperation is sleeping better. During tax season I always have insomnia and that goes away almost instantly on the last day of taxes. The first few days I was sleeping 10 hours per night.

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Happy Birthday, Judy!  I have about a year on you (ahead, not behind). Last summer when I was teaching I so seriously overdid it all that it took a full month to feel even vaguely human again.  This tax season has been relatively mild in comparison (there was one really nasty week, and a few other multiple-day events). No alarm clock. Not working weekends, or evenings. I "wasted" an entire day reading a novel I'd bought in like February and had been looking forward to; that was lovely.  Working in my garden.  Visiting granddaughter (and her mama and dada) - she started walking at 10 months! Also talking a bit (mamamamama, dadadadada, aaaDUH (all done), awwwtuh (water) and a few others). This weekend I'll be starting some seeds for veggie plants.  Sewing.  Finalized the book for the Bible study class I run weekly.  I also started the intermittent fasting last fall with great trepidation but frankly I had the best/healthiest winter in memory and feel good overall, too.  Rifle practice with the laser trainer setup in the basement; our annual set of 3 matches starts next Saturday (first time since 2019), but it's been way too cold and windy to practice outside! 

Having a hard time getting motivated to deal with extensions. Remembered at 4:15pm today that PR tax payments were due; got 'em scheduled on time! Plus 941 and other filings. Two amended returns done (both had late-received, totally unexpected, K-1s from estates). Next week I have my own bookkeeping to catch up on.  Summer vacation in August to look forward to, and another week of teaching in July (told them months ago I won't be doing nearly so much this year) to prepare.

Was feeling super burned out last year so I've been scaling back as best I can this year. 

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On 4/29/2022 at 5:18 PM, Catherine said:

Happy Birthday, Judy!  I have about a year on you (ahead, not behind). Last summer when I was teaching I so seriously overdid it all that it took a full month to feel even vaguely human again.  This tax season has been relatively mild in comparison (there was one really nasty week, and a few other multiple-day events). No alarm clock. Not working weekends, or evenings. I "wasted" an entire day reading a novel I'd bought in like February and had been looking forward to; that was lovely.  Working in my garden.  Visiting granddaughter (and her mama and dada) - she started walking at 10 months! Also talking a bit (mamamamama, dadadadada, aaaDUH (all done), awwwtuh (water) and a few others). This weekend I'll be starting some seeds for veggie plants.  Sewing.  Finalized the book for the Bible study class I run weekly.  I also started the intermittent fasting last fall with great trepidation but frankly I had the best/healthiest winter in memory and feel good overall, too.  Rifle practice with the laser trainer setup in the basement; our annual set of 3 matches starts next Saturday (first time since 2019), but it's been way too cold and windy to practice outside! 

Having a hard time getting motivated to deal with extensions. Remembered at 4:15pm today that PR tax payments were due; got 'em scheduled on time! Plus 941 and other filings. Two amended returns done (both had late-received, totally unexpected, K-1s from estates). Next week I have my own bookkeeping to catch up on.  Summer vacation in August to look forward to, and another week of teaching in July (told them months ago I won't be doing nearly so much this year) to prepare.

Was feeling super burned out last year so I've been scaling back as best I can this year. 

 

On 4/29/2022 at 5:18 PM, Catherine said:

Happy Birthday, Judy!  I have about a year on you (ahead, not behind). Last summer when I was teaching I so seriously overdid it all that it took a full month to feel even vaguely human again.  This tax season has been relatively mild in comparison (there was one really nasty week, and a few other multiple-day events). No alarm clock. Not working weekends, or evenings. I "wasted" an entire day reading a novel I'd bought in like February and had been looking forward to; that was lovely.  Working in my garden.  Visiting granddaughter (and her mama and dada) - she started walking at 10 months! Also talking a bit (mamamamama, dadadadada, aaaDUH (all done), awwwtuh (water) and a few others). This weekend I'll be starting some seeds for veggie plants.  Sewing.  Finalized the book for the Bible study class I run weekly.  I also started the intermittent fasting last fall with great trepidation but frankly I had the best/healthiest winter in memory and feel good overall, too.  Rifle practice with the laser trainer setup in the basement; our annual set of 3 matches starts next Saturday (first time since 2019), but it's been way too cold and windy to practice outside! 

Having a hard time getting motivated to deal with extensions. Remembered at 4:15pm today that PR tax payments were due; got 'em scheduled on time! Plus 941 and other filings. Two amended returns done (both had late-received, totally unexpected, K-1s from estates). Next week I have my own bookkeeping to catch up on.  Summer vacation in August to look forward to, and another week of teaching in July (told them months ago I won't be doing nearly so much this year) to prepare.

Was feeling super burned out last year so I've been scaling back as best I can this year. 

With that resume you're running a close race with Margaret.

 

14 hours ago, joanmcq said:

I remembered this morning that PR was due! Just doing my husband, thank dog.

I turn 62 later in the summer, and having those same thoughts. And being a couch potato thinking about exercising again….

With that resume you're running a close race with Me.

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Happy Birthday Judy!  

Milestone birthdays are always interesting, 50, 60, 62, 65, and for me in March, turning 70.  
 

Makes you think more about whatever you need to think about in your life stage.  For me, the last few years have been about how to improve and keep my health because many people depend on me.  At 70 I’m doing pretty well using a program and routine the last few years that have kept me going and fighting old age, it’s a battle for sure.

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Thank you for the birthday and well-wishes.  Birthday was low-key, relaxed at home, and made some delicious strawberry shortcake.  I'm pretty much recovered and feeling back to my old self again already.

I'm certainly not overworked because of my workload as I am probably one of the few here that is definitely underutilized.  I've purposely not taken on any new clients in the last 3 years and a few of my business clients have either sold or retired, so that is also less work during tax season and the rest of the year too.  I did take one new referral in early April but that is the first in a while for me.

The reason I end up working into the wee hours is because I now spend a total of 2-2.5 hours a day on mom's lunch, dinner, and bedtime routine each day and doctor's appts, etc., and then there is my husband's health issues. Read on if you'd like to know more.

There are only a handful here that are aware of husband's health issues, but for the rest that aren't, he is battling TCC bladder cancer that was discovered in early 2019 during the pretesting leading up to treatment for prostate cancer (PSA well below 1.0 now).  At that same time those tests also revealed that his heart was skipping 30K beats a day (1/3 of normal beats were missing or erratic), and he also had an abdominal aortic aneurysm.  The moral of his story is if a doctor tells you that you have cancer and can "wait, watch it and see...," please consider a second opinion or think long and hard on that choice!  If he'd listened to those first 2 doctors about the prostate cancer, then his heart, aneurysm, and TCC may have been discovered too late to treat, as is often the case.

So in a little over the last year or so he's had corrective surgeries for the heart and aneurysms plus the ongoing bladder treatments, biopsies, and followups for that. He's doing really well overall but had a major reaction to the BCG bladder treatment on 3/16/22 and ended up in the ER that night and hospitalized for 4 days with a major fever, the cause of which has yet to be determined. The ER visit and subsequent admittance cost me an entire night's sleep being there with him and where I then went from there straight to 3 client appointments, and just the extra time spent each day with him in a hospital that was 1.5 hrs away round trip in the days that followed. 

All of that left me that much shorter of time that I have had to devote to tax preparation this year, but I got it done with only 2 clients on extension; 4 in total but one of those individuals also has 2 small partnerships along with the individual return.

So, worry not, I'm feeling better now and have mostly caught up on my sleep.  And for those that would say I was here too much in light of all of that, helping others here is actually a break from my own reality at times.  If you made it this far and read all of this, thanks also for listening!

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Just WOW!  I had some idea of issues you were facing as they have come about over time but the totality as listed here is nearly overwhelming.  You surely don't need reminders that you need to care for you in order to care for others but, well, be reminded.  And we here are ever so grateful and do understand that your comments and guidance can divert your mind and energy for what might seem a respite of sorts.  There is clearly a lot of love in you for your family; surely it is also returned.

Take those extra 5 minutes from time to time to watch the birds, admire the flowers, feel the breeze and recharge.

Definitely thoughts and prayers from your many friends here.

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Judy, I could not agree more with what Margaret so beautifully said.  Your  husband and mom having you there must mean the world to them.  You are truly a special person and like Margaret said, keep  yourself cared for, as caregiver in your daily schedule to be sure you can keep up this loving pace that you are doing so well.

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18 hours ago, jklcpa said:

helping others here is actually a break from my own reality at times

Everything that Margaret & FDNY said.  If helping us here is a break for you, then God bless you and thank you for finding us a respite. Please take time for yourself!

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On 4/29/2022 at 4:08 PM, mcbreck said:

On April 18th last year I started intermittent fasting with the goal of losing about 20 lbs but ended up losing 33 and am well below the BMI index "overweight" bracket which is nice. On April 18th of this year I decided to initiate weight training workouts (I've been walking about 20miles per week since last summer). The stronger I get in my 50's, the better shape I'll be when I'm in my 70's (is the theory). In September we are taking a vacation and I'd like to be pretty lean by then. Not sure where yet but we have friends in Portugal so we may go back there.

 

Otherwise my only recuperation is sleeping better. During tax season I always have insomnia and that goes away almost instantly on the last day of taxes. The first few days I was sleeping 10 hours per night.

Where are you in MO?  I'm in Lawrence, Kansas.

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I've been dedicated to planting a new bed of shrubs, visiting many local nurseries to find just the right plants.  This is our third spring in VA, but covid hampered our explorations the first two.  It's so fun to find these wonderful places filled with gorgeous things just wanting to grow and be happy.  Oh, and I've been ignoring the 50 or so returns I have on extension.  I did manage to get my own done.  VA was due May 2.  To my dismay, first quarter estimates were due May 1, so I guess I'm late on that one.  (Still trying to get the hang of their odd deadlines I'm not used to.)  Oh well, the shrubs I've planted so far look wonderful, and I feel somewhat human again.  Sure beats staring at a computer all day and responding to phone calls and emails.  What a little manure won't do!

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On 5/2/2022 at 3:05 PM, jklcpa said:

Thank you for the birthday and well-wishes.  Birthday was low-key, relaxed at home, and made some delicious strawberry shortcake.  I'm pretty much recovered and feeling back to my old self again already.

I'm certainly not overworked because of my workload as I am probably one of the few here that is definitely underutilized.  I've purposely not taken on any new clients in the last 3 years and a few of my business clients have either sold or retired, so that is also less work during tax season and the rest of the year too.  I did take one new referral in early April but that is the first in a while for me.

The reason I end up working into the wee hours is because I now spend a total of 2-2.5 hours a day on mom's lunch, dinner, and bedtime routine each day and doctor's appts, etc., and then there is my husband's health issues. Read on if you'd like to know more.

There are only a handful here that are aware of husband's health issues, but for the rest that aren't, he is battling TCC bladder cancer that was discovered in early 2019 during the pretesting leading up to treatment for prostate cancer (PSA well below 1.0 now).  At that same time those tests also revealed that his heart was skipping 30K beats a day (1/3 of normal beats were missing or erratic), and he also had an abdominal aortic aneurysm.  The moral of his story is if a doctor tells you that you have cancer and can "wait, watch it and see...," please consider a second opinion or think long and hard on that choice!  If he'd listened to those first 2 doctors about the prostate cancer, then his heart, aneurysm, and TCC may have been discovered too late to treat, as is often the case.

So in a little over the last year or so he's had corrective surgeries for the heart and aneurysms plus the ongoing bladder treatments, biopsies, and followups for that. He's doing really well overall but had a major reaction to the BCG bladder treatment on 3/16/22 and ended up in the ER that night and hospitalized for 4 days with a major fever, the cause of which has yet to be determined. The ER visit and subsequent admittance cost me an entire night's sleep being there with him and where I then went from there straight to 3 client appointments, and just the extra time spent each day with him in a hospital that was 1.5 hrs away round trip in the days that followed. 

All of that left me that much shorter of time that I have had to devote to tax preparation this year, but I got it done with only 2 clients on extension; 4 in total but one of those individuals also has 2 small partnerships along with the individual return.

So, worry not, I'm feeling better now and have mostly caught up on my sleep.  And for those that would say I was here too much in light of all of that, helping others here is actually a break from my own reality at times.  If you made it this far and read all of this, thanks also for listening!

Judy,

My thoughts and prayers are with you. It takes a toll to be a caregiver to one person, let alone multiple persons. My mother disliked her BDG treatments with a passion. I am looking forward to turning 65 this year so that I can get Medicare. It is pathetic to want to get older to have better health insurance. 

You need to try to find time for yourself. I know that I fell behind in working out during this tax season, from being overworked, exhausted and taking care of my husband. Between his heart, COPD and constant pain, I never feel like I should complain. I am so glad that I am not taking on more work. 

I am finally leaving tomorrow for a few days to see our son in Littleton. My husband has orders to do nothing but hang out. His daughters and neighbors are watching out for him. Hopefully, we can both drive out later this summer. 

I will be here all year if you are looking for someone to talk to. I felt like I didn't get much done this year with not extended due date, but then I compared the number of returns to last year and was thrilled to find that I had pumped out a lot more returns, even if so many were a pain.

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