Strange thing, though, is that very few of the people who worked in that building are still there. The lawyer who owns the building and his associates are there, of course. One business who took our former upstairs office is still there. But that’s it. The United Way, Building Development and Chamber of Commerce are gone. I imagine the SBA agent who performed Small business valuation there once each week no longer meets there now. So much has changed. It isn’t the same place that it used to be.

I’m trying to detach from places and things. I’m trying to not allow the past to hold more meaning for me than is necessary. I think I’m going to try to drive by the old building this week and not look in that direction. I’m going to release that memory. And move on.

They told us it would be between $150 -$250!!! When I questioned the cost, I was told it was due to the complexity of the forms that needed to be filed for the EIC as well as the calculations. Yeah, right. And I have “Idiot” stamped on my forehead, too.

That’s when I hung up on the guy and logged on to one of the online tax filing sites. I started the process at 11:37 and finished at 12:04, including the online digital signage at the end so the rebate could go directly to the bank. Another few minutes to print the return and we were done.

I’m still shocked that H&R Block was going to charge so much to do such a simple return. Nothing like taking advantage of the unknowing. This kind of consumer abuse is just another reason why we need to obliterate our current tax code and start over. New tax code rule: Tax code cannot be over 10 pages long. I’ll vote for any candidate that commits to that.

This message has a personal slant, of course. My husband works construction and right now the housing market is really bad. Add to that this horrendous weather and, well, things are not looking so good.

If you’ve invested well in the past and are looking for a way to invest now, I’d be looking into some cheap land for sale. It’s a buyer’s market right now, for sure. And remember, land cannot be manufactured. What’s here is here so it’s always a good investment. And right now, the price is right.

Then, when you’re ready to build on it, give me a yell. I’ll send my husband over.

Part of the issue was that the two offices – which were actually a “tech/equipment room” and a front office – were on two different floors. When we added a third office near the equipment room, it was obvious that our little business needed many of the features of a PBX system but the we all knew that would have been cost prohibitive. Not to mention the time and effort involved in setting up something like that! Hard to believe but our answering system actually lived on an old 486 Windows95 machine for several years.

Eventually, we did find a slightly better system but what we really needed was something like the Packet8 Virtual Office. With Packet8, there isn’t a lot of expensive equipment to buy and the system will grow with your business. It sets up easily, saving time – which we all know is money – so it’s a bargain from the first step to end user satisfaction. In fact, the self-installation instructions are just 10 simple steps. Honestly, I think my mom could follow the set up instructions!

Not only is Packet8 a smart option for the typical Small Business but they also have a great service for your Call Center, too. Having worked tech support, I know how important a call center is to an organization. And Packet8 does it quickly and easily.

Packet8 offers Business VoIP as the best choice for small businesses or any organization wanting state of the art communication without the major expense or the tedious setup of traditional PBX systems. It’s a shame we didn’t know about this option 3 years ago. If your company is looking for an affordable phone system, pass this along to the boss. I bet you’ll score some points!

If your company is looking for an excellent intranet software package, epazz.com has the answer. They are currently offering a 30 day free trial of their business solution, BoxesOS. From website content management and group scheduling to full integration with all back end systems, epazz.com keeps information flowing to and from every level of your business.

Contact the company today for your 30 day free trial.

I know there are several places online to design your business card but I’m not sure where to go for free or low cost logo design. Anyone have any ideas on that?

I was kind of surprised to find such reasonable prices on Las Vegas Real Estate. I expected the prices to be quite high, almost like Hawaii. Maybe that would be a good place for us. It has a terrific building industry which is perfect for Brian. And the weather is perfect for me.

I need to talk to Brian about this latest brainstorm.

Even those who did it all right, got a good education and pursued success in a career can find themselves unemployed. A college degree used to be a ticket to a good salary. Now, there are no guarantees.

So many people are learning this first hand that personal bankruptcy numbers have skyrocketed. This hAS led to stricter rules regarding bankruptcy but it hasn’t fixed the problem of our economy. Some people have turned to refinancing their homes. The question, of course, is whether this is the best solution.

Before making such a huge decision that will surely affect your financial stability for years to come, I suggest taking a look at the free online consumer portal Bills.com. From top financial news to refinancing tools and even an online Bill Pay, Bills.com is a one stop shop for a financial tune-up.

Their free 17-page step-by-step guide to financial freedom is worth the visit all by itself. While you’re there downloading it, check out their Savings Center and Debt Boot Camp. It’s never too late to get into financial shape!

I’d never heard of K-Laser therapy before but Harrington Chiropractic, PC and Laser Therapy Center has begun using the K-lasers for several conditions including chronic pain. This could be exactly what I need.

K-Laser therapy has no side effects which make this very attractive to those who are looking for safe relief of pain. This kind of treatment can also be helpful in the treatment of Chronic Non-Healing Wounds such as foot wounds associated with diabetes. Very promising, indeed.

One of my common Google search terms is “pain relief.” I’ve received physical therapy for the pain in my shoulder but it’s never really gone away. Today I read about Harrington Chiropractic, PC and Laser Therapy Center. I really need to look into this.

Dr. Harrington’s website provides quite a bit of information for both the patient and other doctors. I like that about a physician’s site. I like to have information available to me even if I’m not a doctor. His Laser Therapy FAQ answered all of the questions I had when I looked over the site.

Dr. Harrington is the first doctor in Iowa to utilize the k-laser but unfortunately, I’m not in Iowa. Thanks to his comprehensive website, though, I know what to look for in my own area. I have a better understanding of this new technology and I’m going to try to find a doctor around here willing to look into this. There’s much to be learned from Dr. Harrington. I’m glad I stumbled on his site.

Right now I’m looking at the Orlando area. I’ve always like Florida and it’s closer to my family than Hawaii is. I’m going to make a chart for my husband so he can evaluate the pros and cons of each area.

I hope he considers Florida when I show him the Orlando Pool Homes that I’ve found. I’m not really certain how much demand there is for brick and stone masons but I would think that masonry buildings would be desirable in hurricane regions. I know that’s what I’d want in that area. Now lets see if I can sell the husband on the idea.