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People can be silly. Yes, yes, believe it or not they can be!!! Sometimes, they can be outright dumb, too. That is the case for one individual I had to deal with for the past two hours. The sorry dumb bastard wanted to take money out of his 401(k) retirement account, but I couldn't help him understand why it was that he had to pay a penalty on top of paying taxes on the money.
Here is the skinny: If you take money out of your 401(k) before a certain age, or for something other than a short list of 'hardship' reasons, you get hit with a pretty nasty little penalty. That is Uncle Sam ensuring that this money is used for what it is meant to be used for, which is your retirement. Uncle Sam knows that his citizens are greedy little bastards, and tries to help them stay their hand from dipping into their own retirement age livelihoods. On top of the penalty, taxes must be paid as well. This is because the money that a person puts into their 401(k) account is pre-tax money, meaning it comes from the paycheck before taxes are paid on it. While Uncle Sam is all about helping you live well during retirement (re: helping you build up a huge amount of money so he can tax you on it instead of chump change), he does want his taxes, so cough it up furball!!!
In any case, this poor dumb bastard couldn't understand this. So with his thick country drawl and frequent stops to spit chaw juice, he told me promptly where I could shove his retirement money, and I assure you it wasn't a nice place. If you know me at all, you'll know I can have quite the nasty little temper, and I felt it starting to creep up my throat. I've had enough stress in my life recently, I don't need some country hick backwater bastard telling me to shove his retirement money up my ass, especially after I spend two hours of my very precious and vary valuable time trying to help him. In any case, I swallowed REALLY hard and I felt the temper fall back into the pit I have dug for it, a definite good thing in this case, and I brought up his account balance. The figure hit my eyes and it felt like hot pokers, I tell you.
$32.87
ARE YOU FLIPPING KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALL OF THIS OVER $32.87?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?
Needless to say, I was quite peeved, but that is okay. I processed the distribution and I was done with it...dumbass.
In other news, the weather outside is ass. A tornado apparently hit on the Northshore sometime this morning in Madisonville I think. I don't know anyone who got hurt or lost any belongings to it thankfully, but no fun all the same.
I am hoping the weather keeps this bad through this evening because I'd rather not go to my meeting tonight. Working with city officials can definitely have its perks, but at the same time the thought of politics makes me sick to my stomach right now. I had a close call at school the past few days, and someone I care for very much, who was completely innocent in the matter, almost got drug into things for no other reason than they are my friend. I got out of the political games at school for this very same reason, among other reasons mind you, and it has come back to bite me yet again. And the same people are on my ass, no less!!! You'd think that after five or so years, someone could let a grudge go. Hell, even when I was at my best/worst, I was never that bad!!! So, manipulation of pawns was done, and the favor had to be returned to make sure people stayed safe. I'm not happy about it. In fact, I'm upset, angry, frustrated, confused and generally sad about it. I may make a post later with a bit more in it...I think talking about it will help me. Thinking of it, I'll wait to talk about it till tonight. Face-to-face communication is better anyways...
Okay, so I feel alot better after venting a bit on here. Originally I wasn't going to say a damned thing about it, but you know how I get when I am excited about something. I will be taking up a hobby soon, but no comment on exactly what it is. It is something I always thought WAY out of the realm of ability for me, but the past few weeks I've been told otherwise by numerous people. All I have to say is one or more members of the Rat Pack was very good at it, if not the best. Do not hound me, I won't say anymore until my first step in a thousand mile journey has begun. *nods* Or until some beautiful woman tickles it out of me or something, can't imagine who that'd be, though. *eyes Shala cautiously*
In other news, I'd like to send good luck wishes out to Shala on her exam today. You'll do fine, promise!!! Can't wait to hang with you tonight, it'll be fun I'm sure.
Well, this post is kind of all over the place looking back on it, but I have learned alot the past few days. I've learned that even though you understand something quite well, it isn't necessarily so for someone else, or even easy for that matter. They may need things explained in simpler terms, so I'll stay aware of that. I've also learned that even though I make a conscious decision to leave something, that doesn't mean other people will drop issues as well. On the bright side, though, I've come to realize that I am happy and that I can, in fact, protect those I love and care for while at the same time not sinking to the level of throwing mud or hurting someone. That makes me very happy. And lastly, I've learned that someone new cares for me and likes me, and that it is mutual. While it may not seem like a big thing to you, it is to me and to her as well. I'm proud of that, and it makes me feel very safe.
Wow...so what should I dedicate this post to? Because of how much I realized I've learned the past few weeks, I will dedicate this post to 'knowledge':
"I have learnt silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers."
-Kahlil Gibran
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."
-Confucius
"Listen or thy tongue will keep thee deaf."
-American Indian Proverb
Stay safe my friends, and see a certain special someone tonight. ;)
He who is now 'The Doctor',
Nate
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