Also, will the place I did consulting for send me a tax form, or is that on me? I know how much I billed them for, so theoretically I could file today, but if they're sending me something, I'll wait for it.

They should send you a 1099, but some small companies never get around to it. They've got until Feb. 28.

Oh, bummer -- I thought they only had through January.

The last place I did freelance work for never sent me anything. I just filed without it.

Hello, Natterers. It is 23degreesF here, and the wind feels much much much colder. Having fetched sustenance from the grocery (where one woman stared at me as if she'd never seen a human before, and I don't know why) I'm staying inside until I'm forced out in the morning by that "having to work" thing. I long for spring.

W-2s have to be delivered by 2/1.

But I don't think it's the location - I think winters in this region have gotten seriously milder/less snowy than twenty or so years ago. And it's kind of sad and freaky.

Actually, the 1970s/early 1980s was an abnormally cold and snowy period in the overal history of Midwest weather, as recorded since the mid-1800s. But, since that's what I grew up with, I keep on thinking that that is normal, and what we get now is strange.

The local news channel has that banner on the bottom of the screen stating the time and temp, and it is now "12:33, 00 [degrees]." Brrrrr!!

Interesting Kathy, I hadn't heard that.

I remember when I was a kid we used to get tons of snow every winter. So much so that when driving in town you couldn't see over the piles of snow to see if cars were coming, so everyone would put these bright orange Styrofoam balls on their radio antennas. And my dad would use the tractor with the scoop and scraper blade thingie to clear our driveway, so he'd make these huge piles of snow for us to play on.

I miss having that much snow, although as an adult I realize it'd make city life hell....

I remember having one of our many snow days off of school, but instead of enjoying it, we had to go outside every few hours with the parents to shovel the snow off the driveway, because it was drifting so badly that if we left it until the storm ended, it would have solidified into a five-foot tall pile in the middle of the drive.

I'd much rather have the occasional big snowstorms we get now, since they usually only last one day and then once you dig out from it, you're set for the rest of the winter. This cold snap lasting for the next week is probably worse than the snow.

ETA: oh, and I learned about the 1970s abnormal weather pattern from a History Channel doc on snow, which touched on the two big snowstorms here, the killer back in 1967, and the political-career killer in 1979.

Kathy, that's interesting. I think it must be true of the South, too; I remember there being much more snowfall there when I was a kid.

That German shepherd doesn't wander off, he dons his secret identity as a super hero, human rescuing dog! How cool. I hope he can make a career out of it.

I think I'm taking the laptop upstairs to the bedroom so I can watch some SPN while DH fritters around downstairs with the foozball pregame stuff.

Do it, Cash. You know you want to.

Stop looking at me like that. I can quit anytime I want to!