Mishmash & Updates

It's been quite a while since I've written a mishmash post. In this one I'm including some short updates about my life.

ALEX

I really can't update my life without starting with the furball whom I serve. Recently he has decided that wherever I am he needs to also be:

Yesterday Alex wrote in blog, Alexicon, about our watching TV together.

IRS

I am no longer jousting with the dragon named the Internal Revenue Service. Actually, I have no idea what I am doing other than trying to scrape by financially. With the wonderful assistance of the office of one of Kentucky's United States Senators, the Honorable Mitch McConnell, the IRS listened to my story and, although not agreeing to agree with me that I do not owe the $20.000+ they think that I owe, the IRS will not levy my bank account or Social Security check again. They also said that the money ($1.028.00) they took from my back account would be returned to my bank account.

Senator McConnell's office was informed by the IRS that the funds would be returned by  the end of July. When that didn't happen, they were give a date of "around August 23." That date passed without anything happening, too. On September 9th the senator's office again contacted the IRS; as of today they have not responded.

What I now want from the Internal Revenue Service is a ya or nay about returning my funds. It's as simple as that! There must be some bureaucrat able to make that decision and inform Senator McConnell's office who will inform me.

AMAZON.COM and ME

The book I am presently re-reading is entitled Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh. This was the third time I have read it; I am enlightened a bit more each time I do.

 Living Buddha, Living Christ may not be the sort of book you want to read or own. However, it it or Thich Nhat Hanh do interest you and you click any of the above links, you will be transported to the book at Amazon.com. And, if you happen to purchase the book or whatever from Amazon after going to the site via a link on Nick's Bytes, then I receive a whopping 4% of your purchase price. (OK, it ain't much but it is something). I have been creating these links since Blogger and Amazon.com made then available a few months ago. Thius far, my total commision has been zero, which is what I expect future commissions to be.

There are other links to Amazon.com on my sidebar and below Nick's Bytes' header. They cover music. movies, electronics, and even groceries. I recommend everything that is linked and have used everything except the Kindle that I cannot afford to purchase. (I purchase all of Alex's cat food and cat treats from Amazon because it's much cheaper). That same 4% to me applies with all of the links if you make a purchase after following a link from Nick's Bytes.

Thanks for putting up with this "commercial." I promise not to repeat it. (As Alex would say, OK?)

SPICE IN MY LIFE

Please meet my new (about 5 weeks) caregiver, Tonay, a.k.a. Spice. She is a joy to have around, really spicing up my life!

HEARING

Thanks to the VA, I can hear well for the first time in many years:

I had forgotten that

• one can hear birds singing from inside the house
• magazines and newspapers make a rustling sound when pages are turned
• shoes make a sound when walking across the floor
• one can hear Alex purr even when not holding him close to one's body
• cars and trucks driving down the street are very, very loud
• one can converse with another without using the words what did you say; say again, please; I didn't hear you; huh? 

 THANKS FOR DROPPING BY

ADDENDUM:

I offer my prayers of thanksgiving! I received the following email from Senator McConnell's office on the afternoon of 16 September, 2010:

Mr. Temple,

I am sorry that I am just now contacting you about your reimbursement from the IRS.  I have been trying to figure out what is going on with your case.  I received a call from the Taxpayer Advocate Service this morning.  Apparently, the Taxpayer Advocate Office had been misinformed by the IRS initially in regards to the approval of reimbursement.  The IRS had not originally approved this action and had just agreed to put you in non-collectible status.  However, the Taxpayer Advocate Office has convinced them to reverse their decision.  They will be sending you a payment manually (in the form of a paper check), however, it will not be processed and sent for another 10-14 days.  I hope you can hang in there for that period of time.  I am very sorry for the hold up on this and the congressional liaison at the Taxpayer Advocate Office also wants to apologize.  Please let me know if you do not receive this money in the allotted time.  I will be closely tracking this.