I normally hate to see mail! One good thing hit my mailbox, today.
I opened the notification from my local bank advising me of my income tax return being directly deposited into my account.
I am (minorly) rich-like, YaY!
Last year, I got my investment dividend and my income tax return in the same week. (I've had my dividend for a month - I procrastinated on my taxes this year) I have made a decision to re-invest my dividend in BBy stock (HoW's that for a company MAN!! Actually, their stock is at a fairly low point right now and as an employee, I get an unbelievable break. They go from the date you buy "in" out six months to the future and the actual selling price of the stocks you buy is the one day average lowest price during that six month period. Employees get a fifteen percent discount from that six month low price. Even if I only keep it for six months, I am guaranteed at the very minimum a fifteen percent return on my investment. NOT bad, really! I only wish I had more than fourteen thousand to invest, right now), so I don't have as much "funny money" as last year. (Last year I re-did half the house with all the bounty of my yearly dividend and my tax return)
We will still have a nice night out on our anniversary (I have made big plans for her for the day - she knows to keep that day free, but the spa/pampering thing is a surprise), buy about a hundred movies (mostly for the kids - we don't do television in our house) and CDs (a few for all of us - we're all music lovers), all new living room furnishings (TeH HoRRoR!! but, she wants it ...), both cars "renewed/tune-up/maintained/" in a big way (put it off for a while, time to catch up), seven books on my endless list, a new sewing machine for my wife (she has it all picked out), a bunch of jeans and tops for the kids (this is constant), a fancy Viburnum fragrant flowering shrub I have coveted for a few years and a few other things, but - ALAS, my camera will have to wait, again.
I will have to wait.
I feel that my investment return will either buy a camera or a HDTV. We'll have to see where we are in six months.
BTW, this is what it is like to be "retired-ish," with all you previous work, hopefully set in motion to save yourself from yourself. You have moments of great clarity which only slightly punctuate ages of confusion.