Paperwork... how I loathe you

Paperwork to me feels like a pokey tight wreath is around my neck with each pokey branch representing all the different things that I need to do... except it doesn't make me smile like this guy!

yet... I really do need to file my medical claims, etc, and maybe even do my taxes soon... so, that some MONEY will be coming my way... to help tide me over in case they actually, REALLY end up doing a furlough for US GOVERNMENT employees...  because you see dear readers... I'm a school teacher.. but, I happen to teach the children of the US Military deployed overseas and we are also considered government workers... (trust me:  WE are not making the big bucks that the 'real civilian workers' can make, depending on their jobs and length of service- we're a different group- almost considered 'seasonal workers' since we work for 10 months per year).   So, it is possible that we will end up having to be 'furloughed' and if we are... that equals to a 20% pay cut!  WOW!   So, we are some of the people that Congress (and the president) probably isn't even aware will be affected by a furlough (if one happens).  *The 20% paycut also affects your retirement salary, Retirement plan (I have a 401k that I put the max amount that I am allowed by law (as a government employee)... but, that max amount that I can put in -- is a percentage of one's salary and if they cut my salary by 20% that means I can put even LESS $$ in my 401k Retirement plan.  WHICH if it is now reduced by 20% will equal to the salary about what I was making over 15 years ago!   There hasn't been a pay increase in recent years and before that it usually averaged 1%- 1.5%.   I am doing laundry and cleaning house today. Later, I will do paperwork.   *Not putting it off... honest!  (The housework really needs to be done, trust me on this.) I'm also starting 3 on line college courses to get re-certified for my teaching degree. I guess that is good... since, I'll save $ by not having any TIME to do any traveling- because I'll be busy doing homework/reports/tests for the on line classes???

How many times have you moved?

I'm still looking for my 'missing paperwork' from a previous blog entry. Time is running out. I am now looking in 'weird, no way in the world would I have put the missing paperwork in this location' location... because, truthfully... there are NO OTHER OPTIONS LEFT!

I have to find the missing paperwork, complete the forms, and turn it in by June 17th.

While sorting through 'old' paperwork... I have found odds and ends of paperwork (lots) from previous moves. When you work for the US Government... there is just a lot of paperwork that goes with the job- including paperwork to authorize shipping household goods/etc.

Of course, finding this paperwork... reminded me of previous places, people I hadn't thought about in years, and of course a large assortment of names and phone numbers of people that I don't even remember who they were much less remember meeting them.

I'm more of a visual person and I'm sure if they were to knock on my door- that I'd recall how and why I knew these 'mystery names' though.

So, while thinking about some of my previous locations... and moves... which is why I need this missing paperwork in the first place... I thought about seeing how often others have moved.

Myself personally? I like change and the longest that I have lived anywhere in the past 21 years has been for 3 years at one time.

I have been here for 3 years and I did apply for a transfer this spring- but, I didn't get one. There was only the slimmest hope that I would get one and I was aware of the limited likelyhood of getting a transfer to a new location...

I want to leave because the winters here are 7 months long, dark, damp, cold, and we always have snow on the ground. The snow might 'melt off' one or two times per winter- but, that's not much when you consider how long the winters are. I'm not a winter person in the first place- but, the long, damp, cold winters cause me to get pneumonia for 3-5 months every winter. I go to work sick on most of those days too-because I only have a few sick days left.

So, I was curious about how many times you have moved.

Ollie, Ollie, Oxen... come out, come out from wherever you are...

I have lost some very IMPORTANT paperwork. I need it to file a claim (duplicates aren't available or allowed) from when my household goods were damaged when I got my stuff out of storage.

I usually don't bother with filing these claims because:

1. It's a PAIN to do them.

2. It's especially a PAIN to do them, when you are as 'form filling out & paperwork' deficient as I am.

3. They depreciate the claims so much; that you get almost nothing for the process of filling them out and filing them.

4. Did I mention that I don't like doing paperwork?

I work as a teacher and for the US Government... both jobs are full of paperwork and you add in the fact that I am a 'teacher' for the US GOVERNMENT... well, I'll let you think about how much MORE MY LIFE is full of paperwork than it should be.

I know exactly where these papers were until SPRING BREAK in mid-April. Yes, you heard it here... I got on a 'cleaning' and sorting paperwork plan... (so, I could file the above mentioned missing paperwork).... and for some crazy reason, I decided that they would NO LONGER be appropriate to stay in the living room on the little footstool hidden on one side of the coffee table... WHERE NO ONE could see them.

THEY were not in the way. Oh no, they had just sat there for months, patiently waiting for me to get in the MOOD and find some TIME to do the paperwork.

Sigh, it is NO ONE'S FAULT by my own. No pets, no kids, no one else living in the house but myself.

Yes, I have this problem because I delayed doing the 'dreaded' paperwork, I was sick, I had other things FAR MORE INTERESTING to DO... and simply because, I didn't want to do the paperwork.

SO, now ... the plan is: TO LOOK FOR THE MISSING PAPERWORK everyday when I get home from work.

I have until June 16th. I will have to turn the paperwork in on JUNE 17th at the latest.

Maybe I should 'ground' myself? Send myself to bed early?