Dunno why, but the image of leeches sucking my blood seems apt for the Internal Revenue Service's annual collection of income tax.

My animals hear the birds, see the sun, feel the warming air and howl to be let out. I see the film and lecture calendars, feel the thinning fibres of my faded wardrobe, and itch to spend/redirect money. A dress here, pair of jeans and earrings there, a bit to the HELOC.

Certainly the baseball tickets are an extravagance, and judging by the way I was treated when attempting to buy them I will not be buying baseball tickets anytime soon. It's refreshing to know, I guess, that the economy has rebounded to the point where merchants feel confident enough about revenues to treat its customers like criminals or crap. "We can't have a smooth and friendly business transaction or else THE TERRORISTS WIN! OMG! LOL! WTFBBQ!"