Yes, I was a wild one in my ill-spent youth. With my blue mohawk and nose rings, my Bourke Accounting co-workers and employers would not have recognized me. And I had a lot of friends. I had pals to go drinking with, I had buddies to go to punk rock shows with, I even had a few friends who were ready to go to brunch on a Sunday morning.
Sure, I had a lot of friends to go do fun things with. However, after a death in the family, I realized that I didn’t have many friends who were willing to do the not so fun things with me. I looked around and realized that most of my pals could be equated to “Party People in a Can” – if the music was blaring and the drinks were flowing, all was well. If I needed help moving, however, my pals were mysteriously MIA.
When we’re young, a lot of us put quantity over quality when considering friendship. Basically, as long as there’s 40 people at our birthday party, it doesn’t matter that we don’t know the last names of more than half of the participants. As we get older, however, that quality concept becomes a lot more important.
When thinking of friendship, obviously the most important question is one of comfort. Can you be yourself around your friend or are you always self-censoring? Perhaps this is not surprising, but I like a dirty joke or two; one of my friends orders strictly off the Jeff Foxworthy menu of humor and I do find myself avoiding certain jokes for fear of causing offense. In addition, when this particular pal gives a symposium on the virtues of three different kinds of mops, I find my mind wandering. Is she a good person? For sure! Do I feel very comfortable around her? Yeah, not so much.
Another thing to contemplate is if a specific friend is good for you. For example, there was a 2007 study that showed “an increase of nearly 60 percent in the risk for obesity among people whose friends gained weight” (NYTimes.com). We’re all warned about peer pressure when we’re kids, but the subject doesn’t come up often as we mature. If your friend is forcing you to hike on a beautiful Saturday morning, that’s generally a good thing. However, if your friend is begging you to blow off a job interview so you can get drunk at 11 AM, you might want to think about your friend’s priorities, for her and for yourself.
Which brings us to the question of your friend’s intentions. I once had a friend who tried to convince me that drawing cat whiskers on my face with a Sharpie before a formal dance was a good idea. I said, “You first.” Neither of us sported whiskers that night. Sometimes, as much as a friend might love us, our success might be an underlying thorn in their side. This is dark, but make sure the advice a friend gives you is from a place of love and respect, not some hinterland of passive aggression.
Friends are important; Harvard researchers even reported that “strong social ties could promote brain health” (NYTimes.com). Friends are great at centering us, they’re good at keeping the cold darkness of loneliness away and, sometimes, they’ll even help us move. I don’t have a lot of friends these days, but the ones I do have are worth having.
You needn’t worry about your Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer’s intentions. A Bourke Accounting pro’s first goal is to provide you with the most efficient and accurate service possible. Bourke Accounting experts are well known for loyalty and standing strong by the little guy in the face of anything that can be thrown at them. Hey, Bourke Accounting reps love a challenge, so whatcha you got?
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
I want to be a travel journalist and I have to say you were my main inspiration and encouraged me with that. When I was a tiny kid and made cr*ppy poems, you always encouraged me – Text my little cousin sent me
At Bourke Accounting and before all the Corona social distancing, Bookkeeper Christina would randomly bring her 6-year-old to the office. Sweet kid, he stayed in Christina’s office and played video games or read. Generally, I’d forget he was even there (except when I’d accidentally kick him while asking Christina a question).
I am notoriously afraid of children. I don’t know if it’s the unexpected ways in which they move, the fact that they haven’t learned voice modulation or their high-pitched voices – I told you about my misophonia. Perhaps it’s the fact that a kid represents the utmost in responsibility. A kid isn’t like a dog. If your dog doesn’t twig to housebreaking right away, no one is going to call a government agency. However, don’t potty train your kid right and someone is going to question why your 12-year old is peeing in the corner during History class.
Beyond teaching physical social norms, a caregiver is also responsible for a kid’s mental well-being and self-esteem. Okay, that’s some heavy stuff right there! I don’t want to be held accountable for destroying a kid’s self-worth just because I said something offhand and stupid.
So, you can imagine my surprise, last Thursday, when Bookkeeper Christian accused me of being really good with kids. This was further compounded when my little cousin sent me the above text on Sunday. Has the world gone mental? I mentioned both instances to a friend of mine and he said: obviously you’re good with kids, you’ve never grown up and you listen when they talk. Well, paint me flummoxed.
After reading a few parenting articles, I can admit that I do some things right. For example, according to Parentingforbrain.com, when praising a child, you’re not meant to use “effusive or overly general praises” because the kid will end up thinking you’re full of it. Instead, the article suggests that you get really specific. Like with my little cousin, when she writes something, I pull up lines and images to complement. Reflexively, if there’s something I think she could improve on, I give her honest feedback. She knows I appreciate what she’s done, but she knows I’ll always tell her the truth.
In addition, we’re not supposed to congratulate every little thing. If you fall over yourself with every action, you’re “condition[ing] the child to expect praises every time” (Parentingforbrain.com). The workforce is starting to see a problem with this model when hiring Gen Y workers, as these employees now expect constant praise (Parentingforbrain.com). Big US companies are hiring “praise consultants to keep their young employees affirmed” (Growingleaders.com). I swear, I am not making this up.
Hats off to you parents and guardians. You certainly have a hard (albeit rewarding?) job. If you don’t mind, I’ll be over in the corner, intermittently babysitting and encouraging (with NO authoritative repercussions).
Your Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer will not tell you you’re the best if you make a bonehead move. Your Bourke Accounting pro will congratulate your hard-won successes though. Bourke Accounting experts will always tell you the truth, no matter the consequences. After all, if you can’t trust a Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer to tell you what’s what, you may as well just have dear old Autie Mildred kiss your cheek and tell you you’re the bee’s knees.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
It was a beautiful day when I got home from Bourke Accounting yesterday. I let the puppies out, sat on the deck and watched the birds. There were Cardinals and Cowbirds and Grackles – my favorite – and a ton of pugnacious Doves at my bird feeders. The puppies were rolling over each other, playing with a big rock they found (I don’t know why either), and I just sat and watched the birds.
I have always believed that I am too impatient to meditate, but I’m pretty sure that’s what I was doing. I wasn’t really thinking about anything. Grackles walked through sunbeams and deep oil slick purple feathers proved that Mother Nature is the best make-up artist. Just watching the birds.
Okay, before you accuse me of playing Puff the Magic Dragon at Bourke, there is a point to this. After weeks of stress and uncertainty, I found a peaceful little pocket where I wasn’t thinking of viruses, social distancing or the future of our country. So, if just watching the birds a while helped me, I was thinking of other things that could help us, too. As I love lists, here are a few of my humble suggestions:
1) Rediscover a neglected passion. Did you used to really enjoy doing something, but then your obligations got in the way? Between work, social functions and everything else, it’s sometimes difficult to keep up with the simple pleasures that are only for us. There might be a violin gathering dust in your closet at this very moment! Maybe you have a collection of books that you’ve promised yourself that you’ll read as soon as you’re not so busy. Take some time for yourself and disengage from the news and the internet. Explore what you’ve forgotten.
2) Exercise (I haven’t actually done this one, but I’m gonna…). Is everyone in your house staring at devices and randomly sighing sadly? Get everyone up and moving. New to the workout scene? Ana Caban has a vast collection of Pilates videos on Youtube.com. The cool thing about Pilates is that it’s low-impact and very much akin to Yoga. There’s deep breathing, stretching and a big emphasis on experiencing inner peace. Sure, your family, significant other or your own self might complain at first, but moving around is never a bad thing. Also, Ana teams up with Blogilates (why did she think that was a cool name?) for an eleven minute and sixteen second routine. Eleven minutes! Come on, it takes longer for some of us to poop!
3) Clean something. I have a room that I use for things that I don’t really know what to do with. I may have sort of let it get a bit chaotic. After watching the birds yesterday, I cleaned it out. I hung up discarded outfit choices, organized vaguely important pieces of mail and got rid of things that I had no reason to keep. I turned the radio up, danced and dusted (and scared the bejeezus out of the puppies). When I finally finished, I felt like I had accomplished something. I also scared the bejeezus out of myself. My newly cleaned room was so vastly different from its crustier version, I wasn’t sure what I was looking at first thing in the morning.
There is lots to do that doesn’t include movie theaters or restaurants. Just because our lives are changed doesn’t mean we can’t find peace and happiness. Perhaps now is the time to find solace and validation from within, minus all the whistles and bells.
Your Bourke Accounting professionals are in the same boat as you. We’re trying to make the best of a bad situation (the jokes around the Bourke office are getting funnier and dirtier). Your Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers are working tirelessly to complete payroll and returns, but they’re taking care of their bodies and minds, as well. They know, that if they don’t take care of themselves now, they’ll be no good to anyone once we can all come together again.
Anyway, if you need me, I’ll just be watching the birds.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
If you haven’t realized by now, the world is a very strange place and not everything is as it appears. I mean, there are cute, little caterpillars in North America right now that can kill you! Also, this mask thing is making me nervous – every time someone walks into Bourke Accounting with their face covered, my first thought is: Why would anyone want to rob an accounting firm? It always takes me a moment to remember that, right, the world is a very strange place and not everything is as it appears.
Take, for example, popular songs. As a kid, I thought that “Every Breath You Take” by The Police was a sweet and romantic little ditty. When I grew up and realized that it was really about a psycho stalker, I was surprised. So, here are three other songs that weren’t exactly what they appeared to be:
1) Van Morrison – “Brown Eyed Girl.” Released in 1967, this song was originally titled “Brown Skinned Girl” and it was about interracial love. After being told that it wouldn’t be “appropriate” (and, more importantly, would probably be banned from radio) Morrison changed the title (Songfacts.com). Later, Morrison said that he “forgot” that he had changed the words during one recording and that he had intended on keeping the original (Wikipedia.org). As it turned out, he was banned from a lot of stations anyway because of the line, “making love in the green grass.”
2) The Monkees – “Last Train to Clarksville.” I thought this song was about a guy, leaving his small town for fame and fortune, saying goodbye to the woman who wouldn’t go with him. Not exactly. Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart and released in 1966, this was a Vietnam protest song (Little Steven’s Underground Garage Radio Show). As Hart explained later, “we couldn’t be too direct with The Monkees…we kind of snuck it in” (Songfacts.com). The Monkees TV show had just started and it wouldn’t work to associate these nice, harmless troubadours with hippie ideology. In the anti-war context, the line “and I don’t know if I’m ever coming home” makes the song a lot darker.
3) Blue Oyster Cult – “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” A lot of us think that this song is about teenagers in love and a suicide pact. The line, “Romeo and Juliet / Are together in eternity,” lends itself to that interpretation. However, Buck Dharma, writer/singer of the song said that it is “a love song where the love transcends the actual physical existence of the partners” (Songfacts.com). Because Dharma had health problems, he often wondered if he’d be reunited with loved ones after his death. I have my own theory. I think it’s a song about Death falling in love and trying to convince a woman to travel the world with him. “Baby take my hand, don’t fear the reaper” and “I’m your man” are only two (of many) lines that make me think this is Death’s romantic, pick-up song.
Yes, the world is strange and filled with interesting things. Learning these things probably isn’t going to change your life in a substantial way, but you never know. There is no such thing as a useless fact.
If you’re looking for mystery and hidden meanings, a Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer isn’t for you. With Bourke Accounting, what you see is what you get – Bourke Accounting experts don’t practice ambiguity. Bourke Accounting pros will explain where you stand in a concrete and easily understandable way. Watch out if Taylor Swift comes on over the office radio, though, Bill will probably also explain the secret messages in her songs.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
At Bourke Accounting, we don’t look down upon body modification. It would be hypocritical if we did: Bill has tattoos, Bookkeeper Christina has tattoos, I have many tattoos (and 6 or 7 hoops in one of my ears). And all of us, with reasonable clothing, can cover our accoutrements.
Tattoos have become fairly accepted in our society. If your attorney shows up with a tattoo on her ankle, you’re probably not going to assume that she was in a prison gang. My own beloved Generation X went a long way towards stripping tattoos of danger and stigma by oversaturation. Once it was only naughty boys and sailors sporting ink, but the popularity of tats amongst nice college kids (with perfect orthodontic care) declawed the cat. When I took my aunt to get her tattoo, her kids and husband came, too – do you see what I mean?
So, is that why body modification has delved into new and – potentially physically – dangerous arenas? Because so many “civilians” have made a formerly taboo artform acceptable, I wonder if people feel the need to go further with their bodies.
Take, for example, scleral tattooing. This is where your local tattoo artist takes the needle to the white part of your eye. Although it can look pretty cool, your artist is, generally, not an ophthalmologist. There have been countless stories of damaged vision, infection and even eye loss. And unlike regular tattoos, laser removal surgery is not an option if you decide you don’t like your hot pink eyes anymore.
Another body modification is subdermal implants. This is where your local tattoo artist cuts you open and shoves a shape – generally made of silicone – under the skin. Then, you get stitched up. Fun fact: the artist doesn’t “have access to the proper anesthetic nor the legal authority to administer it” (Zwivel.com). That’s right – you are going to feel everything. Examples of complications from implants include infection, nerve damage, and implant rejection (Zwivel.com). The rejection is special because, when your body pushes the offending matter out, you are left with severe scarring (Zwivel.com). Depending on how bad the implant goes, skin grafts may be required and permanent disfigurement is a given (Zwivel.com).
Finally, we have people putting holes in their faces. Joel Miggler (you’re going to have to look him up for yourself), for example, pierced his cheeks and then progressively stretched the holes until – ta da! – he now must plug up the holes to eat. He has also done this with his nostrils and bottom lip. When looking at him from the side, pretty much all of his teeth are exposed. I don’t think I have to mention what sort of side effects come with putting extra holes in your head.
Sadly, we live in a world that still makes assumptions based on appearance. I try not to judge, but I question the ethics of an artist who, by doing some of these things, basically makes the customer unhirable in the mainstream workforce. However, it’s your body and it isn’t my place to tell you not to screw metal spikes into your skull if you get the notion.
When your Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer offers you coffee, they’ll wait while you plug up your face holes. Bourke Accounting pros don’t want you staining that nice shirt you have on. Just like Bourke Accounting experts don’t care who you take as your sweetheart, we don’t care about your body mods. The only thing Bourke Accounting is interested in is giving you the best financial service possible.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
More than half of American small businesses cannot survive three months without revenue, while 21% cannot survive a month. – Marketwatch.com
Who told you life was fair? – Everyone’s Mother
You did everything right. You worked hard, you saved your money, you opened your business, you worked even harder (you forgot your kid’s hair color for a minute there), you hired the best people, you started making a profit and 2020 was going to be your best year yet!
And then the Coronavirus walked right in and sat at the bar. You wouldn’t be hurting more if the Titanic had been dropped on your, so-close-to-being-profitable, little place. At least then, you wouldn’t have to walk by and see your shuttered and abandoned dream rot quietly in the April sun.
But all is not lost! There is a program out there for you! On April 3, The Small Business Administration announced that the Paycheck Protection Program is open for business to help you save yours. The PPP is designed to keep people employed in their pre-Corona jobs by giving loans to business owners. The funds given can only be used for “payroll and to pay expenses, such as utilities and rent” (CNN.com) and, as long as you follow the rules, you don’t have to pay the loan back. This seems like a pretty sweet deal.
Naturally, there are problems. For one, the loans are only made in an “amount equal to 2.5 months of your average monthly payroll costs in 2019” (CNN.com). What if the lockdown lasts longer than that? Also, these loans are available on a first come, first served basis. What happens if the money runs out? Oh, don’t worry your pretty little small business head because, as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin assures: There will be money. And if we run out of money, we’ll come back for more (NYTimes.com). Come back for more? From where? Ah! There is a secret orchard of money trees that only Secretary Mnuchin is aware of! How silly of me for questioning.
Another problem is that, while the SBA is running the show, “it relies on private banks to…make the loans, which are then backed by the government” (Slate.com). This is because the SBA is understaffed and underfunded, much like most US agencies. However, the banks aren’t really feeling confident that they’ll be paid back for the loans, so the application process has become difficult. Some banks won’t accept new clients, some won’t accept existing clients who have never taken out a loan with them (Slate.com). These banks are following the letter of the law, if not the spirit. It’s sad when banks don’t think the US Government is good for it.
Besides a slew of other problems (a faulty customer computer portal for one), the PPP doesn’t let “businesses count 1099 workers as employees” (Slate.com). So, if you run a business that depends on independent contractors, just consider yourself up a certain creek without a paddle.
At least there was an attempt to save small businesses. That’s all we can say at this point.
Bourke Accounting experts don’t want you to lose your business. If your loan application forms don’t make any sense to you, I promise that your Bourke Accounting pro can help you to decipher them (you know how Bourke Accounting always keeps up with the latest changes). Bourke can’t guarantee you’ll be accepted, but at least you know that you’ve done all you could, in a frightening time, with Bourke Accounting at your side.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
Bourke Accounting is trying to restore my sanity. Before Bourke, I worked a bit as a shipping clerk. The trucks would arrive for a pickup and, inevitably, my crew would report that the order was not quite done. This led to stress. For example, I started having recurring nightmares about weird, living ceramic babies with shattered heads. It was my job to put their shattered heads back together, but I was always missing at least one part. I woke up more exhausted then when I laid down.
Dreams are weird.
We often put a lot of stock into dreams; we tend to look at dreams as mystical, perhaps precognitive, messages from our most inner selves. I know I’ve spent a lot of time trying to decipher the codes that some force was clearly trying to hip me to. Healthline.com takes a bit of the mysteriousness away with their definition: Dreams are hallucinations that occur during sleep. Oh. Fair enough.
However, Healthline.com goes on to discuss that one theory why we dream has to do with preparing for battle of some sort. When we dream, the most active part of our brain turns out to be the amygdala. This area, “associated with the survival instinct and the fight-or-flight response” (Healthline.com), may be getting us “ready to deal with a threat” (Healthline.com). This makes sense when considering my short-lived, and never-missed, shipping clerk life – I knew the next day would present impossible challenges and my brain was just getting me warmed up.
Rubin Naiman, Ph.D has a theory that isn’t much better than the stark hallucination definition. According to Dr. Naiman, dreams are more akin to, well, poop. He suggests that, when we dream, it’s as though our brain “swallows, digests and sifts through information, and, just like the gut, eliminates” (Huffpost.com). He believes that whatever the “brain keeps becomes a part of who we are” (Huffpost.com). Considering some of my dreams, I hope I’m eliminating a lot.
Yet another theory, put forth by Psychology Today, is that dreaming is sort of like a visit to the shrink. It is a belief that, while dreaming, your mind “works through difficult, complicated…emotions and experiences to achieve psychological and emotional balance” (Psychologytoday.com). So, I guess I was trying to come to grips with the ridiculous pointlessness of my job by dreaming of broken, porcelain skulls? Whether I believe it or not, I like the concept of my brain sitting down with my emotions for a nice therapy session in the middle of the night.
No one really knows why we dream; there are many theories, but not one concrete explanation for it. I had a friend who said we dream because the sensory deprivation of sleep would drive us mental and, to avoid insanity, the brain puts on a little show. I’m not sure about that, but it’s no worse than any other theory. It’s a fact that every mammal dreams and that’s all there is to it (Popsci.com). My puppies dream so much, I spend all night kicked by puppy paws. I don’t really care about the why so much, I’m just glad that we do. If nothing else, it’s a free surrealistic movie every night.
If you’re having nightmares about numbers and forms and men in black suits, maybe it’s time to see your Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer. Your Bourke Accounting experts can put you on the road to a balanced life with their superior knowledge and service. There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep and your Bourke Accounting pro is just the person to set your mind at ease.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon and sweet dreams!
Written by Sue H.
I don’t know how many, if any, of my Bourke Accounting co-workers have met their significant others on internet dating sites. I might be clawing and fighting against the modern age, but it seems like a rude question to ask. A nice backstory like, “Oh! We met when I dropped a dozen eggs on his foot at the store” is kind of quirky and cute. Saying, “Yeah, I swiped right on Tinder” (wait. Do you swipe right if you like someone? Geez, I don’t know) just isn’t as romantic to me.
Because I recognize my own bigotry regarding internet dating, I thought I should take a closer look.
Obviously, internet dating is popular. In 2017, a study found that “39% of heterosexual couples reported meeting” (News.Stanford.edu) their significant other online. This was up from “22% in 2009” (News.Stanford.edu). The study cited that more traditional ways of meeting – such as through work, church or friends of friends – was declining. Of course, we live in a very busy world and hanging out at a bookstore until you find someone who strikes your fancy isn’t always feasible. With work, kids, friends and hobbies, simply searching a site is a pretty convenient way to find love.
The interesting thing about online dating is how specific the dating sites have become. For instance, if you happen to be a religious person, there is JDate.com and ChristianMingle.com. Religion is a big deal for many people, so it just makes sense to explore a place where singles share the same spiritual beliefs. Meeting someone on a religious site automatically takes the religion question off the table.
There is also another site, OurTime.com. This site is for older people seeking older people (50 years old and up) for relationships. Again, if you’re someone who wants to date someone of the same generation, this makes it easier than having to sift through hundreds of college kids.
Regarding age-focused sites, we also have ones like CougarLife.com, the site that “connects modern, confident women with energetic younger men.” Personally, I couldn’t date younger – I just don’t have the stamina for that, but congrats to the ladies who do.
And then there are the more esoteric sites looking to match you with your perfect fit. Take, for example, FurryMate.com. This is a forum for people who like dressing up as animals to find other people who like dressing up as animals (if Bill looks at my computer history, I’m going to have some explaining to do: No, Bill, I swear, this was for research purposes only!).
Or, wait, did you ever want to date a clown? ClownPassions.com is tailored made for you! This is a free site that will allow you to meet the clown of your dreams. They have a breakdown of clown choices, even: Evil Clowns, Amateur Clowns, Clown Groupies….
Ah, the world moves on and I guess I have to get used to it. I have nothing but the best wishes for those who have found true love on these sites (especially the clown one) or anywhere else. Sometimes it’s a cold hard world and love is love.
If you want to file jointly with your Sweet Babboo, Bourke Accounting professionals don’t care how you met. Your Bourke Accounting expert does care if they can save you money by filing a different way, however. And, of course, if you have an interesting “How We Met” story, your Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer will be more than happy to listen.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
When I first moved to Louisville – before Bourke Accounting had the pleasure of meeting me – I watched a National Geographic documentary. It was called “Know Your State” or something like that. When the commentator discussed Kentucky, he extolled the virtues of bluegrass, rich traditions, etc. Almost as an aside, he mentioned that Kentucky’s biggest cash crop happened to be marijuana.
Coronavirus is the new disease sensation that’s sweeping the nation.
Unemployment in Kentucky is rampant because of said new disease. Do you see where I’m going with this?
In 2018, “state and local excise tax collections on retail cannabis sales surpassed $1 billion” (ITEP.org) in the states that had legalized it. In Colorado and Nevada, cannabis excise taxes raised “more revenue than alcohol excise taxes” (ITEP.org). According to the Colorado Sun, 31% percent of these taxes were spent on Human Services and 16.4% of taxes were spent on education. That isn’t even mentioning how much money went towards roads and other vital organizations. According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, the taxation of recreational weed “could generate approximately $11.9 billion” in state, local excise and sales tax revenue each year. That’s a lot of money that would come in handy right about now.
I know that there are some of you who espouse that pot is inherently dangerous. Of course, we know that deliberately inhaling smoke is never good for you. However, the CDC reports that, on average, six people die from alcohol poisoning every day. In addition, tobacco products are responsible for “more than 480,000 deaths annually” (CDC.gov). These are legal products offered over every counter on every street corner. Last year, the CDC reported that the “rate of absolutely zero (0) deaths from” (Huffpost.com) pot overdoses has yet to increase.
Besides providing much needed income and besides causing less liver cirrhosis and heart disease than the legal stuff, there is another reason that Kentucky (and the country) should go green: drug cartels. Who doesn’t hate a drug cartel? All that murdering and kidnapping and torturing, extortion and human trafficking – who needs it? Since 2014, when some US states began to legalize, the amount of marijuana being smuggled into the country has vastly decreased. Between 2013 and 2018, Border Patrol agents “confiscated 78% less marijuana” (Cato.org) and believe it was due to limited legalization. In addition, American weed is projected to cost the cartels over $3 billion in revenue a year, and that’s just because of Colorado and Washington (Washingtonpost.com).
We are facing a very tough road ahead of us. Legalizing Wacky Tabacky can provide jobs, infuse our country with much needed cash and, let’s face it, chill us all out a bit. The Late, Great Hunter S. Thompson, Louisville’s favorite son, is even going to have his own strain of the weird little plant. How can Kentucky not be legal when one our most famous denizens is slinging dope from beyond the grave?
Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers are pretty sober most of the time. But they don’t judge. If you decide to open a cute little Marijuana Mart (after legalization, of course), your Bourke Accounting expert isn’t going to give you static. In fact, because your success means success for Bourke Accounting, too, maybe we’ll even give you a hand behind the counter.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
Now, I am angry. I stopped at my local gas station this morning on my way to Bourke Accounting. I was filling up and the lady next to me was cleaning out her car. She emptied her ashtray onto the concrete and then, although there was a garbage can two feet to her left, she threw her collection of fast food bags to the ground. And finally, this wonderful person decided to dump at least ten plastic gloves next to her McDonald’s bags. She noticed my quizzical expression, snapped “What?” and then got into her car and drove away.
It was bad enough that she left cigarette butts and greasy bags right next to a garbage can, but the fact that she also left used gloves really made me wonder about her.
Woodsy Owl encouraged us to “Give a hoot – don’t pollute.” I’m not going to say that I’ve never littered, but I try my hardest not to make it a common occurrence. So, when I see someone flagrantly disregarding our environmental and social norms, it gets the old blood simmering.
Litter is ugly. It’s distasteful to walk through a lovely forest only to see tumbleweeds of plastic bags gently rolling in the breeze. Besides being ugly, littering can also be hazardous right now. Within the last couple of weeks, communities have noticed that, with the rise in the usage of protective gloves, there is a huge increase in the improper disposal of them. Look at any parking lot and you’ll see, flapping like lazy ghosts, piles of used gloves. Look guys, someone has to clean these up. The employee at Kroeger is already putting her/himself at risk simply by coming to work every day; now this person (while being paid minimum wage) is forced to double as a biohazard technician? Bad form – bad, bad form.
Why do people litter anyway? According to Alleghenyfront.org, studies have shown (I’m not making this up, there are studies focused on trash disposal habits) that “the distance to a trash receptacle was the strongest predictor of littering.” Easily accessible trash cans mean less litter. Of course, this doesn’t apply to my new friend this morning, as she was standing almost atop a proper receptacle.
My new friend is more aligned with another reason for littering: “it’s not my responsibility” (Keeptnbeautiful.org). Some people will wantonly discard trash because they “feel no sense of ownership” (Keeptnbeautiful.org) concerning public spaces. In addition, they have the belief that someone will be around to clean up after them. These gems of humanity don’t spare a thought for the underpaid workers who are forced to play nursemaid to our poorly behaved apples.
Finally, “litter begets litter” (Keeptnbeautiful.org). Generally, if people see a trashed space, they’ve no qualms about making it sadder. Instead of thinking, “I don’t want to make this area worse,” they think, “it’s already messed up, so who cares?” People are less likely to leave their leavings if a place is pristine to start with, so maybe it’s time for us to pick up ten items of (non-glove) litter a day. Make it fun, keep a journal!
I know we have a lot to worry about right now, but let’s try to keep each other healthy through the proper disposal of our gloves!
At Bourke Accounting, we police ourselves hard – no dishes in the sink, no haphazardly discarded gloves. Whether you’re coming to pick up or drop off, you’ll find that our Bourke Accounting office is like a little clean spot on a dirty window. Besides offering the best in bookkeeping and tax preparation services, your safety is a real priority to Bourke Accounting (Bookkeeper Mary relentlessly wipes down all doorknobs and sundry surfaces with her disinfectant wipes. Seriously, if she’s not at her desk, she’s hosing something down).
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.