...A Concerto for Organ and Tymphani

[Medi]

...Izee' and some other Tuchuk enter a Concert Hall in Turia...and Ragnar excuses himself from the group.  Izee' and the others all sit down, and pass around 'refreshments'...and the curtain rises.  The Tuchuk are a bit startled at seeing Ragnar standing behind the Tymphani, a percussionist is standing to the side...with a black eye...and holding a triangle...but the Tuchuk all just shrug and pass the botas around...and enjoy the concert.   

I have been the Principal Cellist in this piece, and the complete Title is 'Concerto for Organ and Tymphani'.  It is a magnificent work...   The Tymphani (The large 'kettle drums') has a HUGE part, it just HAMMERS the dramatic parts.  The Organ gets very eerie at times. When we performed it, the little hairs on the back of my neck kept rising, and it was hard to control my bow.     I really had to focus to play my solos.     The piece seemed to be expressing what my life was like at that time...I had been diagnosed with a manic/depressive illness...and was learning how to cope with it.  I did learn to cope, I had only one really bad event, but I learned how to function when I was depressed...and I actually enjoyed the manic phase.  They would alternate, each one would last 4 to 6 months.  I would steel myself to just wake up each day when I was depressed, and exercise and force myself to eat, and concentrate on work, and tell myself..."Life is fine, in fact it is very good...it is just your DAMN BRAIN that is f------d up!"  The manic phases were actually fun.     I only needed 2 or 3 hours of sleep a night, and I was full of energy, and had an appetite, and my mind was very clear and focused.  At work, I was seeing solutions to clients' problems that the Partners didn't see, and I easily faced down opposing attorneys...and Judges...and Arbitrators...and the IRS...   The IRS agents didn't like seeing me walk into the room with the Taxpayer.  Once, the agent just threw up his hands when we walked in, and said..."OK, how about we agree that half of your clients' 'useful lives' for his construction equipment are correct."  I just stared at him, and said, "I once worked for a construction company, and I KNOW how long a D8 lasts, and also a wacker, we can look at ALL 1,000 of the items on the depreciation list."  He just said, "Get out, we accept your figures."   

Anyway...here is what life was like for me between ages 17 and 31...

https://youtu.be/47_IPETjxTU

[Medi]

...If anybody thinks that our Government is 'pure'...well...

As I spoke above, the IRS didn't like me.  Once, after I totally blew apart a case they had crafted against a business client...(they actually wrote him a check)...well...

I GOT AUDITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And, it was one of those 'prove everything' audits.  I had to provide birth certificates for my children, and pictures showing that they lived with us...and proof of EVERY deduction we had taken.  They even contacted the Catholic Church to verify my contributions.  They accepted our return, no taxes were assessed, but I was pissed, and thought, "OK, that was fun."  Well...the US Government wasn't finished with me...the next year...WE GOT AUDITED AGAIN!!!!

My husband locked me into my study, and hired a CPA to handle that years audit.  He said, "You are too pissed off to sit with an IRS Agent."  He was right, and he chuckled when he handed me a refund check of $423 to sign...I hadn't reported a stock sale transaction properly.     I figured, "OK, now they will stop..."  But...I WAS WRONG!!!  WE GOT AUDITED AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I told my husband that I would handle that audit...and he just held up his hands and backed off...   I handled it well...and didn't cuss out the IRS agent as I wrote out a check for $138...I had lost a 1099 from a Symphony that I was playing in...

We didn't get audited ever again...there is a Regulation that says that if the IRS can't find anything significant in 3 audits, they have to show a REALLY good reason to audit you again.

So, I just spent my free time playing the cello...