Tobi

Well, it happened. Tobi, my computer, has passed on. No, I had nothing backed up. Yes, I took it to data doctors and it's even too late for surgery. Alas, I'll spare you the list of all things lost and the spiritual wondering which ensured ... suffice to say it's all gone. 7 years worth. I will say a couple of things though. The saddest loss is my personal photos. No amount of time or rework can replace those. And, I know you've heard it before, so do back it all up. Perhaps you don't really know how (What? Do I drag every email address onto a black screen?). Ask somebody. Google it. Go to the external hard drive store. It's too late for me but yooo ... it's not to late for you! Unless, of course, you enjoy, or feel you need to be dragged through, a hardy dose of change. By the way, my camera is broken as is my scanner! How can I show you all my new work? This, I must figure out!

Forms, Numbers and Taxes, Oh My!

After at least 16 hours of research, I finally came to the sure conclusion that a “Tax ID number” is NOT the same as an “EIN number”! Really. And after 3 hours of meticulously going over the application form for a “Sales Tax ID number” which is the same as a “Tax ID number” which is not the same as a “Federal Tax ID number” (which is the same as an EIN number, maybe) which is the same as a “Sellers Permit” which is also the same as a “Resellers License”, I drove to Denver to exchange a wad of cash for a short string of special numbers, which allows me to collect sales tax and then give it to The Man when he comes-a-knockin’.

By this time, I had wised up to the fact that it’s not all designed to make sense, so it didn’t take me very long to, if not understand, accept, that even though the form I was filling out said “Business Registration Form” I was not Registering a Business by filling it out but requesting a Sales Tax ID number! As it turns out, Registering a Business is yet another situation, which may or may not be the same as Registering a Trade Name, which is completely different from Registering a Trade Mark. I do at this point feel fairy confident that applying for a Business License is something else entirely. Oh, and NONE of this even begins to address Income Tax! Did you know that? Oh, the fascinating things I’ve spent hours, days and weeks now, trying to make sense of!

It was a cool, sunny, beautiful day. I had precise directions and was delighted to find myself right downtown, near the Capitol Building, Art Museum and Public Library. I found parking one street over and had just enough change to feed the parking meter for an hour. I went in, clarified a few details (see above), paid my fee and was back at my car with 3 minutes to spare, special numbers in hand. Leaving the building, I felt a straightening, a scintillating Yes, and Thank You.

The sky was clear and blue. The breeze felt fabulously refreshing and OrganicPinkLady.com is another step closer to being Open for Business!