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There is no better time than now to check out TaxACT. Then, when you have all your information gathered, you will be ready. And there will be no cost to you. It doesn't get any better than that!

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Easy steps to organizing your yard work

Ah, Spring! How good it is to get out in the fresh air again, to feel the warm gentle breeze. Even the birds are happy. You can hear it in their bright and chipper songs.

Gone are all the thoughts of "I am getting so tired of this yard work, the mowing, the trimming, the raking." Winter is kind to us that way. It helps us forget what we didn't like, and it feels good to get out and back at it, at least in the beginning.

The grass is beginning to green up. But there is a layer of "crud" on top, the winter's droppings, the accumulation of leftover leaves, twigs, plus the dirt and gravel from the snow plows. It is best to get that top layer off so the grass can see the sun and to save your lawn mower blade. 

Yes, it's time for yard work. So how can we organize our yard work to get it done most effectively and efficiently?

1. Consider the timing for early yard clean-up. It is easy to put off the yard work until another day, or week, or month. But there are things to consider before putting it off too long.
   • Consider pre-emergent applications. If you do your own fertilizing, consider whether or not you will apply a pre-emergent for crab grass and other weeds. Decide when you need to make this application, sometime in early Spring before those weeds start to grow. Or if you have a lawn service, be aware of their schedule for pre-emergent. Here in the midwest, it is usually about mid-April. Why is this important? Because you don't shouldn't do any heavy raking or thatching after the pre-emergent is applied. The pre-emergent puts down a barrier that keeps weed seeds from sprouting. Heavy raking or thatching will break up that barrier and allow the weeds to grow through. So early Spring, before pre-emergent application, is the time to do the clean-up yardwork. Keep that in mind as you plan your yardwork so you get it done before it is too late.
   • Know your local laws. Keep in mind the local laws when it comes to disposing of yard waste. In our city, we cannot put leaves and grass clippings in the regular containers that our trash service picks up between April 1 and December 1. We have the option of getting specially marked containers whose contents get hauled to a community compost heap, or we can haul leaves there ourselves during the forbidden dates. Be aware of what you can do legally, and plan accordingly. Get your early clean-up work done before those no-leaves laws go into affect. Better yet, if you have the room, create your own compost heap! We have a garden where we can put our grass clippings during the Summer. It helps keep the weeds down between rows, and helps keep the ground moist so we don't have to water as much. 
2. Work in sections. A while back, I sat out on my deck on one of those extra-early warm Spring afternoons. A neighbor a couple of yards over was out raking his lawn. I watched as he worked across the entire strecth of his yard. Then he would turn around and work back the other directon. When he finished his back-and-forth raking, he had the entire back yard raked. That's a lot of work, raking the entire pile of leaves and dead grass across the entire stretch of the yard. 
   • Divide the yard up into sections. I divide our yard into sections, four in the front, four in the back, and a single section on each side of our house. Then I rake those sections one at a time, starting from the outside and working toward the middle. I rake around the edges of a 1/4 section, which is almost a square, raking everything to the middle of this section. Then I move to another 1/4 section and repeat. When I'm done, I have four piles, one in the center of each section. And I didn't have to rake any of the leaves all the way across the  yard. There is also a sense of accomplishment when I see a section done. Psychologically, it is easier than doing the entire yard at once.
   • Move the trash container to the piles. When my neighbor finally finished raking across his entire yard, he started picking up the leaves with his rake and carrying them all the way across the yard up to the back of his house where his trash container was sitting. On each trip, he was leaving a small trail of debris that fell off the rake as he went, because he piled it as high as he could to save on the number of trips he would have to make. His trash container has wheels. It would have been much easier to move the trash container down to the leaves. When I get my four sections raked into four piles in the middle, I just bring the trash container to each pile. That saves a lot of extra work compared to what my neighbor was doing. And if you get tired of raking when you get one or two sections done, you can bring the trash container over and pick up one or two piles and give your back a little break. Then you can get back at it, and before long, you are done. I am always amazed at how little time it takes. The job seems much bigger before I start.
3. A few miscellaneous items.
   • Wear gloves. There have been times I've worn blisters on my hands while raking leaves. When I get done, I wonder why I didn't wear gloves. Be sure to think about that before the blisters come.
   • Watch the sun. In early Spring, it is easy to think the sun isn't hot enough to do any harm. But keep in mind we have been inside all Winter. Our Summer tan is gone. Wear a hat, and some sun-tan lotion or long sleeves to prevent an early Spring sunburn. You will enjoy the fruits of your yard-work labors much more if you aren't hurting from a sunburn.
   • Don't over do it. It is easy to get out in the fresh air and over work our bodies the first time. Take a break from time to time to give the muscles a chance to relax. If you have a huge yard, you might want to tackle it over a couple of days. A slight ache in the muscles reminds us we worked hard, and doesn't feel too bad. But there is no reason to kill our backs when there is another day coming to finish the task. It will be easier to sleep at night if we haven't over worked our bodies.

Now that you have your yard clean-up work plan in mind, you can get at it. Then when you are finished, you can sit back and enjoy the coming of Spring, and be the envy of your neighbors because you are already done. Then, all that is left is to keep it looking nice throughout the Summer. Enjoy your yard work!

If you lived at AOL

I don't know where this originated, so my apologies to the author. I ran across it at Laugh and Lift a good source for daily inspiration and humor. I thought it was worth sharing.

If America Online was a City...

1) You'd live in a place where no two people had the same name. 

2) You'd only pay $21.95 a month to live there, but half the time you tried to leave your house, the door would be stuck.

3) Once you got outside, even if you were in a hurry, you'd be assaulted by slimy little door-to-door sales creeps offering you great AOL deals for only $399.99. 

4) The commute to work is just a double-click away, but every time you try to leave your driveway, the flow of traffic knocks you back into your yard.

5) 48 hours after moving in, your mailbox would be overflowing with special offers, promotions and discounts from www.junkmail.com.

6) The local post office would tell your mother you're not a known resident.

7) The local post office won't forward your mail to you when you move.

8) If you saw a crime and called 911, they'd reply a week later with a form letter saying how you "really are important to us."

9) Every time you went shopping, you'd be kicked out of the store by a bouncer screaming, "WE'RE SORRY, THIS STORE IS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE."

10) Whenever you traveled to other cities, people would see your license tag and laugh at you, behind your back.

11) You'd occasionally be sent home during your day by another bouncer telling you that the city has performed an illegal operation.

12) You'd not have any idea who your neighbors are, and most new arrivals would move in at night, stuff everyone's mailbox with garbage, and vacate before sun-up.

13) The administration would build a huge, state of the art park, and allow the kids to play there free, then suddenly start demanding money.

14) Upon waking every morning, a voice from above would shout, "HEY! YOU! YOU WANT AN AOL VISA, DON'T YOU?" To which you say, "No." The voice then replies, "OK, I'LL ASK YOU AGAIN TOMORROW."

Again, the source was Laugh and Lift.

Governmentium - good for a laugh!

I received this in an email. My apologies to the author, since I don't know who it is. It might provide a chuckle about the organization of a certain entity - I'll let you read it. I don't want to give away the plot!!!

Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.

Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from four days to four years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years; It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.

This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons. 

Cleverly Disguised As A Responsible Adult

Organized Tennis Instruction

I really enjoy tennis, both playing and watching, but especially playing. There is something about competing that I like, and it is great exercise. I didn't start playing until I was about 30 years old, and I mostly taught myself at the beginning. So I learned a lot of bad habits which I have had to try to get rid of in order to improve my game.

Over the years, I have turned to people who really know how to play the game for tennis tips and instruction. Even after all these years, there are still things I can learn. Recently I was pointed to WebTennis.net produced by Brent Abel. He has tenis tips, intsructions videos, and a lot of tennis helps.

I signed up for his FREE doubles strategy tips. The instructions are very helpful, concise, and easy to put into practice. As a result, my game has really picked up and I am enjoying the game even more!

Brent Abel has been a tennis teaching professional for the past 35 years. His instructional tips can help you:

• understand the simple yet essential keys to footwork.
• develop the necessary mental skills for practice and competition.
• reap the benefits of becoming more focused on court positioning.
• get fitter, and greatly reduce the risk of tennis elbow, rotator cuff, and other tennis related injuries.
• enjoy this great game for your lifetime, and just plain have more FUN with your tennis.
  

I have been very please with his instructional website at WebTennis.net. He can show you how to:

• Dramatically improve any or all of your tennis strokes...
  - serve
  - one-handed backhand groundstroke
  - forehand groundstroke
  - two-handed backhand groundstroke
  - forehand and backhand volleys
  - returns of serve for singles & doubles
  - overhead
  - lob
  - drop shot

Brent also publishes a complimentary weekly video tips newsletter that can be an additional learning tool for you. It is free to subscribe, so you have nothing to lose, and a lot to gain! Just follow this link: WebTennis.net.

How to get (stay) organized for 2009 (Part 1 - Organizing can save money))

Here it is, not even a month into the new year, and already the New Year's resolutions are falling by the wayside. Is that because making resolutions is not good, or because our resolutions are out of line, or made on the spur of the moment?

Absolutely not! For the most part, our resolutions are made in good faith. We tend to replay the past year in our minds toward the end of the year and our New Year's resolutions grow out of our dissatisfaction or uneasiness with the year that is about to end. We want to do better this year, to make a fresh start, or improve in a few areas. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, we are to be commended for making those resolutions or goals for the coming year. The desire to improve or change things for the better is fantastic! So, to begin with, congratulate yourself for making those resolutions.

Now, on to the topic at hand. If you've made any resolutions about getting organized during the New Year, that is a great resolution and one well worth the effort to keep. And keeping that resolution can actually save you some money during the year which will help as you wait out the financial crises. Yes, here are a couple of ways decluttering your home can actually save you money!

• Avoid late fees. Standolyn Robertson, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers in Massaschussetts says, "People want to feel more on top of things - all of a sudden a finance charge is a big deal." A year or so ago, when the credit card bill came in, it didn't hurt so much to just toss it on the pile of bills waiting to be paid and forget about it for a while. A late fee wasn't going to kill you. Today, a late fee can do a lot more damage. "People have the money but they can't seem to get the stamp and checkbook and bill all on the same desk at the same time and out the door," Roberston says.  Being organized can help avoid those late fees. 

So, determine to pay the credit card bill, or any others that might incur a late fee, as soon as they come in. If you are used to paying bills at the end of your pay cycle, switch to paying them at the beginning of the pay cycle. That will prevent the "too much month at the end of the money" syndrome to which many people fall prey. And you will never have to worry about a late fee because you lost the bill, or forgot to pay it, and you will be saving money!

• Declutter first, then buy storage. A second way you can save some money with organizing is by decluttering first, then deciding what kind of storage you need. I've heard people say, "I am going to be cleaning out a closet this week. I have to go out and buy some storage bins first." So they head off to the department store and spend money on file cabinets or fancy plactic storage bins only to find out they didn't really need them. Since they have all that storage space, they might as well fill it up. So the decluttering isn't as effective as it could have been. Things that might have been tossed will get saved because they have the room after buying all those new storage items. 

So, declutter first, then determine what you need for storage. You probably already have storage containers or boxes around that would work. And thereby you will be saving some more money which can be put to better use!

• Declutter the kitchen. Another way to save money is to declutter your kitchen. If your kitchen is a mess and you can't find room on the counter to prepare your meals, you will be more likely to go out to eat. It is just simpler that way. But it is also much more costly. You can save a lot of money by eating at home most of the time. Save eating out for a special treat and you will enjoy it much more. Save it for celebrating things, like getting a room organized! So you might begin your organizing for the year with the kitchen. Most clutter in the kitchen is a result of two things.

1. Things just were not put away after being used, or were not washed yet and cannot be put away. That is easily solved - wash them and put them away. 
2. Things are in the kitchen that do not belong there. That is also easily solved - put them where they belong. Avoid the temptation to just move the pile to another room. Rather, put everything where it belongs, otherwise you'll have to do it later which multiplies the work rather than helping it.
   

There, now you have a decluttered kitchen, and you will enjoy the experience of cooking more, that is after you go out to eat to celebrate getting the kitchen organized.

With a little effort to keep that New Year's resolution to get organized, you can save yourself some money this year. Give it a try. Those dollars will add up. And when the economic crisis has passed, you will be in better shape financially because you are not wasting as much money. Congratulations. Time to go out to eat and celebrate!