I have been thinking about April for a few days now and I'm torn about this month. On one hand I love it because its my birthday month and anyone that knows me knows how much I love anything related to me, especially when presents are involved.
On the other hand, this year in particular, there is so much going on that the whole month seems like I'm running a marathon. I've already given you the details about our medical stuff and about things happening here in the Coachella Valley.
There is also the knowledge that summer is coming and the next six months will be filled with 100 degree days that just wear you down by October. Even the dogs flip us off when we try to let them out to go to the bathroom its so damn hot. Mabel just lays there with her cold bottle of Modelo daring us to take it from her and force her out the door.
Besides my birthday being in April I have seven other family and friends celebrating their birth in April, only November comes close with six birthdays. This large number of friends having a special day not only means that I have to remember a lot of birthday notes to send, but it is a near constant reminder of how damn old I'm getting.
I love the attention and presents, I am not so fond of the fire department standing around while I blow out the candles. I noticed Linda giving a few of them an unusual amount of attention this year. "Hey you, number 4362, put your shirt back on, this isn't a Magic Mike tryout."
This year, as I've recounted to you before, my involvement with the HOA budget process has been so consuming that it seems like it is never ending. Good news, it looks like by the end of the day today we should have come to an agreement with all parties on the numbers. The bad news is that it is going to cost us all around $20 more per month for fiscal year 2023.
I have been approached by a couple of board members to toss my name in the hat for an open spot on the board. I considered it for about a day and when I ran the idea past Linda my political career was over. I believe her exact words were "I will punch you in the throat if you do." Enough said there.
This whole business has been a real eye opener for me. As a superb sales and marketing guy this process has confirmed my decision to not go into accounting. I have a headache every day just thinking about numbers. I don't understand how I could figure my commission to the nickel without a calculator for forty years but when I add up a spreadsheet of budget numbers I get fourteen different answers.
But the worst part of April, for me, is that my friend Tom is so consumed with tax season that I feel bad about reaching out to him during this time of year so we don't talk every day like the rest of the year.
You all know how damn funny he is and his life can be filled with more crazy things than mine so it makes me feel good to hear him be miserable. I know it sounds mean and horrible but he knows his role in this relationship is to make sure at least one of us has a good day. Of course my role is to make sure that person is me.
If I was looking for more aggravation in my life we would have had kids. Not being able to discuss with him the depth of the meaning of why the Blackhawks broke up the Kane line, or what was Steve Stone trying to say about the White Sox bullpen, is distressing for me.
Almost as importantly I worry about his health every April. The accumulation of 22 hour days doing taxes, answering questions from clients at the same time, and me calling with some stupid question about a tv show in 1958 just wears him down. ("Alexa, call Tom and ask him who was the next door neighbor on Car 54 where are you.")
I usually give him some space in April until tax day and then add on another two days after tax day before I call him again. Even at his lofty age his bounce back after two days of not getting off the couch is remarkable. He will sound like he's only 57 when I speak to him later today.
You can see my dilemma with this month, a few good things and a few bad things and I don't know how to feel about April. I guess I'll just have to wait to talk to Tom and see how bad things are for him to assess my happy level.