February 11, 2008

• Taxes and Printers

  Yikes!  What a different afternoon this turned out to be!

  Our taxes ended up being the hardest thing EVER.  I've NEVER had this much grief while doing our taxes.  Each year (with Jesse's business) they get more and more difficult.  I think we will HAVE to hire someone this year to keep books.

  To top things off, after the taxes were finished, I needed to print our return and couldn't!!!!!  When the friend fixed the computer this weekend, he erased everything except my documents (which he reloaded).  The software that makes our printer "go" was erased.  We've long ago lost the disc that came with the printer and have to download info from the Internet so my computer can "identify" the printer.  That's something I've never been able to do without the telephone help of an HP employee.

  I called for help tonight (India) and got someone very nice man who was in the middle of helping me with the free download (and got me to the exact place where I had become stuck on my own) and "click!" . . . (dial tone) . . . we were disconnected!

  I called back (India) and this time got someone with a really thick accent.  I could only understand about 5% of what he said, but I DID understand there was a "charge" for the download ($35 - $65) because I wasn't eligible for free help.  AND, he thought I really needed to buy a NEW printer.  He was persistent, and so was I about the "free" download, and we made no progress.  I had to finally say, "I am hanging up on you now" and then did so.  The whole time I was embarrassed because I couldn't understand him and, now, I wonder WHY I should be embarrassed when I chose "English speaking" on the menu at onset of the call.  It's not my fault he had an accent too thick to understand.  Don't get me started!

  In disgust, I began to play around with the download choices and found one that nearly matched the title of the one I downloaded last year (after my computer had crashed).  I tried it and, Voila! - I had a working printer, again.  I tried so hard to let God deal with the "liar" in India who told me it wasn't possible, but I must admit it ate me up for the next hour.  Liars and manipulators are two characteristics I don't tolerate well AT ALL.

  Since I spent hours on the computer (literally 5 hours) doing taxes and trying to get my printer to "go" . . . I didn't make Amish bread, nor did I make chili.  Jesse saw my anguish and asked if he could do anything to help me and I moaned something about him taking over dinner and feeding us and putting the hamburger meat back in the frig for me!

  Hooray for Burger King! . . . and, Turbo Tax!

  • 9:39 pm
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