Ok. I hope the title did not alarm anyone. It’s 8/21/17, solar eclipse day. If we were a few hundred years back in time we may think the sky was falling. Or Armageddon or some other such catastrophe. But it’s just lights out for an hour. So, relax people. It won’t stick like that face you used to make that your mom said would stick. Too bad it didn’t, you might look better.
Michael is getting ready to leave, its back to school for him. I don’t know if he realizes it might be his last one. I didn’t in my time. Now I miss it and I miss the children, mostly, when they go. Next fall he will probably have a job and be in the first year of the forty year slog to retirement. Doesn’t that sound fun? I think it’s fun once you get there. I have noticed retired folks are quite relaxed all the time.
Anyway, I am not much for the eclipse mania. There is a good chance the sun will blot out right after 9 am today. If I am outside I am sure I will look up. Even though I do not have proper eyewear. I am smart enough not to stare at the sun. One of the few of my parents warnings I took heed of. They would be so proud. Knowing me I will forget till it’s over and have to wait another 40 years to see one in person. Not a problem. You can see one at the planetarium every day. In a comfy seat. No special glasses required. Full solar eclipse on the wide screen with a better view than all the idiots who reserved hotels five years in advance to get the best seats. What if it’s overcast. That would be a bummer, don’t ya think? Enough of Astronomy 101, I am not much of a professor. I know more about Astrology which is also more fun. I wonder what it means to be born during an eclipse? To an Astrologer I mean. 
This is a weird eclipse shadow. 
Looks like kid is ready to go. He doesn’t talk much but I can see trips to the car are finished and so is breakfast and he gets real antsy to get moving when he has a destination. I’d say right now. Off by five minutes. He is doing a final walk through to be sure he did not forget anything. And down the stairs. And out the door. 
No taearful goodbyes. That’s his sister. At least I can tell she misses her mom and me. And he is down the driveway. On the road to Irvine. Time for shower, shave, and eclipse. Lots to do, very little time. About 30 mins to eclipse start and an hour 30 to full. Â Already the sky is changing color. Of course, it’s overcast like crazy right now. That is not going to be good for viewing.
I was noticing this am how everything I do every morning is in the exact same order and same method as every day before. Even showering, I grab the soap and start cleaning the same spot first every time. I have forced off that but the habit is strong. My dentist told me people start brushing theirbteeth in the same place every time they brush. It actually wears a spot in ur teeth. He said he can always tell. Since that time, I have tried very hard, with success, to move the start point around. That is my new habit. Not sure why I was thinking about it. Someone once told me you will do the same things all the way through the last day of your life. Never changing. Now it’s Philosophy 101. Maybe I am a frustrated college professor.
The house is really quiet now. Â Like the grave quiet. Â I make very little noise when I am home alone. Â Unless I am talking to the dogs. And they are asleep which is where they are 90% of the day. We should all have a dogs life.
I am going to pack my lunch and get on the road. Time to go to work. Sadly. In case no one has noticed in their own lives, work can really get in the way of enjoying a nice day.
Got to work at a reasonable hour. I have no appointments or phone calls planned. Client Kim came in, she needed a calculation of her SEP amount for 2016. She told us if she wins the Powerball tomorrow night she is going to give each of us $1M. I hope she wins. I guess if I win I will need to give her $1M. After her, client Arlene stopped in. She had a tale of woe, her computer crashed and she lost most of 2017. The guy she asked to repair it, also screwed it up. She was in a state. I am going to recreate the first 8 months of the year for her.
Lunch was about as exciting as usual. Chicken noodle soup. I hope you weren’t thinking I was joking. That’s the item.
Spent a half hour on the phone with the IRS. At least I got to talk to them. That’s amazing. I was trying to reset my IRS e services login. Yes, that takes a half hour. Nice lady who knew what she was doing. So that is a win.
I got a call from client Nouman about 4 o’clock. He wanted to come in and see me. I told him to move quick. He arrived close to 5. He had about ten different notices to go through. Most from IRS and a couple from FTB. Almost all did not require any action by me. Just a couple I needed to respond to. Not very exciting.
Emily usually calls about 430 every afternoon. Today she did not call till 520. Very strange. I thought something was wrong. But it turned out no problem. But she was not able to go to her yoga class today. That’s a very bad thing cuz it really puts her off her kibble if you know what I mean. Anyhow, I had had dinner all planned out. I could leave office at 6 and have dinner on the table by 715. When I did get home Emily had not made dinner so I had to throw a meal together. Not what I wanted to do. But no complaints from her except for a mean comment about the alfredo sauce.
So it’s 8pm and the kids are back at school. You know what that means? That’s right, bedtime!! We go to bed early when no one is around. I have to finish this post first of course.
So Emily just told me she got a SF Giants email. Special ticket for 9/3. Brunch two hours before the game in triples alley, unlimited booze (no shit) and lower box seats at field level. So now I have two tickets to the game. Should be fun. I have parking too. It ain’t a baseball game without overpriced parking.
So now I can go to bed. I have done enough damage for one day.
Wait. Just received a phone message from a client. He got hot wire a $50k lien by the IRS. Wonderful. Guess we will have work tomorrow.
Now it’s bedtime.