1. Death
2. Taxes

I don't know who first said it. But it's now a common phrase. And I'm experiencing both right now as I adjust back to life in the Midwest.

1. Death

A couple weeks ago at work we started receiving daily updates about the poor health our IT guy at Headquarters was in suddenly. He was fine. Then the emails started...

emergency surgery
ICU
respirator
unconscious
infection
multiple strokes
etc.

When I returned to work today I found emails now talking about his memorial service.

Wow. The guy was only 40.

I read his obit. Left behind a dad, a sister, and her family. It talked about the many schools he went to and where he worked, and how he spent the last decade with our organizatioin.. In place of flowers, his family is asking for donations to our organization. Our headquarters is handling the post service reception. His family has given us right of first refusal on some of his belongings.

I just don't get it. My life is not my job. My job is not my life. It's hard for me to relate to those whose lives revolve around their job. I've never had that much of a tight relationship with the place that pays me to do work.

It got me thinking. What's my obituary gonna say? Where I worked? Where I went to school? My hobbies?

What really matters when it's all said and done? When I am no more - what do I leave behind?

2. Taxes

The day I returned from Vegas I picked up the mail. A letter to me from the Indiana Department of Revenue. Gulp.

They're telling me I did my taxes incorrectly. Crap.

I find my copies (good thing I still had them) and pore over them, trying to figure out what I did incorrectly. I can't find anything wrong. I have my mom double-check; she can't find anything wrong. She has her tax professional friend double-check as well; again, nothing wrong.

Conclusion: I did nothing wrong. I made no mistake. The State did when they said I was wrong.

So, now I have to fight this. Provide documentation and proof that they screwed up. And then wait 8-12 weeks for it to be re-processed. Oh boy. What a mess. You'd think they would do some double-checking of their own when they find what they think is an error...

So, death & taxes. Two things that will happen. But two things that I don't have to fear if I have The One in my life.