I need to rant.

[rant=begins]I feel I can yell in here, cause you people seem to be friends to me, well, I consider you friends, and this is not the kind of rant the friends I have in the "REAL WORLD" would understand, cause they don't understand computers, they have no idea why someone would get upset about not being able to upgrade. I call them "The Unwashed". Anyhow, my story/rant begins with this, since last fall, I've been planning for my new system, it all hinged on my income tax rebate, $2200 to $3000.

I've been posting about said new system since December, asking for opinions, tips, tweaks, and have received a ton of help, makes a guy happy he calls these forums "home".

Yesterday, I trip down to H&R Block, get my taxes done first thing in the morning, 9:30. So, "Janice" says to me: "Nice to see you again, let's get on with it". Pause... "Dave, you made a hell of a lot more this year with your raise. Hmmmm, your old boss was taxing you too low. Hmmmm, seems your new boss was taxing you too low too, he taxed you according to what you would make working for "HIM" this year, not if you made that amount for the whole year, not good. Ooooops, Lisa(my wife), you made more than last year too, like $5000 more. This doesn't look good....."

Bottom line? $267 rebate, instead of $2200. MAN MAN MAN! I am so pizzed off! 4 Years in a row, at tax time, when I got the rebate, and promised myself a new system, I spent it on the family instead. This year, I swore I would stick to my guns, my system would be bought. Nope. Once again, I can't do it, without it affecting the family. My system has to be bought without compromising everyone else. That's how I feel about it anyhow.

Now, I have to buy it one piece at a time, which is gonna drive me nuckin futz. Well, not "one piece at a time", I'll snag the case first, and start modding it, the CPU/mobo/RAM/vidcard will be bought as a unit. I guess it's good in one way, prices will drop, so it will cost me less in the end. I'm trying to convince myself that this is a good thing.

I'm not depressed, I'm freakin frustrated, 5 years in a row, and I still can't buy what I want. Man man! It's like every time I think I got it all figured out, someone says "NO!", and then starts pokin me with a stick, hahahahahaha.

Ah well, I got a pair of unlocked Tualitins I bought from Xaotic, I'll snag a $90 Soyo board for one of them, something to play with until I can start buying my system. I am soooooo not impressed. What a kick in the nuckin futz. Maybe I'll win the 649 tomorrow night.

[/rant=ends]

Thanks for the place to vent people, dunno if I feel better, but I got a load off my chest.

Best part of your post was "Once again, I can't do it, without it affecting the family. My system has to be bought without compromising everyone else."

You sir are a good man with your priorities straight. You will get your chance to upgrade. Watching your family grow will give you MUCH more pleasure and satisfation though.

Be proud, your head is on straight.

Thanks for the props.

It's hard, when you have a plan, and it keeps getting burned. It may be pizzin me off now, but in the end, I'll have a bonus system, and happy campers at home. I'll get over it before the weekend is out, I always have before.

Nice to have a place to vent amongst friends.

Man does that suck. Think of it this way, gives you more time to wait out and see the offerings for AMD and for Intel. I wouldn't be surprised if you see a good system by the time you get around to it, and you will actually be glad that you had to wait.

When you get your case, use your dremel as your tool of malice. Make the case understand the deep emotional harm that having to wait is doing to you. That or dremel a message to the IRS on your tax return. Your choice.

You would think that it would be pretty easy to take out the right amount of taxes over the course of a year so that someone would get back what they expected. But NOOOOOOO, it seems that a lot of employers have a knack for screwing that up. My wife and I have had to pay in each of the previous three years due to imcompetence in the payroll department where I work. We finally are going to end up with a refund this year, but it is going into the adoption fund (we're adopting one or two children from Ethiopia this summer).

I feel your pain - it took 3+ years and the near-total liquidation of my old computer to fund the machine I'm typing on now. As Remove said, you've got your priorities in order and should be proud of that. Hope that your system comes together soon and smoothly.

Ken

man_utd said:

Man does that suck. Think of it this way, gives you more time to wait out and see the offerings for AMD and for Intel. I wouldn't be surprised if you see a good system by the time you get around to it, and you will actually be glad that you had to wait.

When you get your case, use your dremel as your tool of malice. Make the case understand the deep emotional harm that having to wait is doing to you. That or dremel a message to the IRS on your tax return. Your choice.

Click to expand...

I keep telling myself prices are dropping, technology is advancing(albeit slowly right now), so I'll end up coming out on top. That was my mantra last year, PCI-E came out, and I explained to the wife how it was a good thing I didn't get my system with the refund, I would have been kicking myself for not waiting. I only half believed it myself, but it was the truth.

I'll spare my new case, no point torturing it, although the thought is appealing The next window I pull out will bear the brunt of my frustration, I'll leave the Sawzall in the truck, and go at it with a flat bar and a hammer, very good means of releiving tension. I must admit, customers do look at you funny when rip a window that way. It also seems to keep them from watching over your shoulder, which is nice.

penquissciguy said:

You would think that it would be pretty easy to take out the right amount of taxes over the course of a year so that someone would get back what they expected. But NOOOOOOO, it seems that a lot of employers have a knack for screwing that up. My wife and I have had to pay in each of the previous three years due to imcompetence in the payroll department where I work. We finally are going to end up with a refund this year, but it is going into the adoption fund (we're adopting one or two children from Ethiopia this summer).

I feel your pain - it took 3+ years and the near-total liquidation of my old computer to fund the machine I'm typing on now. As Remove said, you've got your priorities in order and should be proud of that. Hope that your system comes together soon and smoothly.

Ken

Click to expand...

Ah yes, employers. I don't blame my new employer, his accountant is a moron. Instead of taking off taxes by calculating how much I would make over a year at my rate of pay, he calculated how much I would make from October(when I started) till December 31st, which dropped me into the 16% bracket instead of 22%. My old employer, moron that he was, had his daughter doing his books, so she put everyone in the 16% bracket cause it was easier for her. So, a full year at 16% instead of 22%, I still came out on top, I'm just very happy I'm not owing anything.

I filled out the forms for this year with my current boss, and authorized an extra $20 a pay/$10 a week to come off my cheque for taxes(I like this option). I also have him taxing me as a single guy with no dependants. I know I wouldn't bank that money myself, so screw it, the gov't can hold it, and, I have my butt covered, I went through owing the gov't $3600 one year, it really sucked. I'd much rather pay them too much and get it back, than owe.

I'll get my system, when works picks back up, I can get $600 to $800 a month in OT easy(well, easy hour-wise, kicks the hell outta me), so I should be able to buy everything by summer. I was looking at a 540, listened to Sentential, decided on a 630 instead, and hey, the industry will get better before summer and I may have another option, at a cheaper price. That's a good thing, but go figure, I wanted "instant gratification". Must be a guy thing.

I have a deal with my kids, we have a "graduation kitty", if they don't screw up, as in: don't skip school, don't get escorted home by the cops, be home on time, all that good stuff, $5 a week goes into the kitty, payable upon graduation. First screw up, they're back to zero. They've both been "clean" since the middle of November, and have both told me they are commited to getting that money. That comes outta my OT this year instead of my rebate. Tack on $5 per "A" on any test, and another $20 bonus for each "A" on the final report card. Aaron already has 5 A's on tests, and I'm sure he's good for at leats one A on his final. Josh, well, he's already flunked a few, but, I give him credit, before we could discuss the situation, he signed himself up for summer school. That impressed me. Good for a $20 bonus itself.

Ah well, I just have to put my new system on the back burner for now, and think about those Tualitins, they should satisfy me until I get what I REALLY want.

Thanks everyone for your support, and the OC Forums for giving me a place to vent/ramble on, it does help.

education is important...
and thats a nice way of encouraging your kids but dont make them learn just for the money...they have to see how important it is for there futures...
just my 2 cents keep the change.

threeme2189 said:

education is important...
and thats a nice way of encouraging your kids but dont make them learn just for the money...they have to see how important it is for there futures...
just my 2 cents keep the change.

Click to expand...

Ah yes, Aaron already has his heart set on being a chartered accountant, and Josh, he wants to drive transport, knowing he needs a grade 12 diploma to do so, that's why he signed himself up for summer school. My guys know they will get rewards for doing well, or just trying their best, I can't see any downside to this approach. Even if they were learning just for the money, they are still learning. Their incentive may be a monetary reward, but they have to learn to get said reward. What's the downside, none, as far as I can see?

As I type this, Aaron is out front chipping ice out of the driveway. Why? Because, he doesn't want ice in our driveway. Keeping the driveway shovelled is a responsibility he and his brother share, part of their allowance work. He doesn't get paid extra for chipping out the ice, he does it because it should be done. These kids make me proud, they're not scared of work, they have regular customers for snow-shovelling, and lawn cutting(season dependant of course).

They don't have to hunt down their pay, they just go do the job, and leave, their customers drop the money off to me, and I(my wife too) have to be the "accountant" so the right kid gets his money for the job done. Cindy, our neighbour to the left, pays in advance, when she sees a storm forecasted. She's told my wife and I she loves Aaron, he is the coolest kid she's ever met, as she never has to worry about snow in her driveway or on her steps. Actually, when the old neighbour sold and moved out, Candi(must be a "C" thing there) left a note on her fridge, telling Cindy to come next door for lawn-cutting and snow-shovelling.

Money is a good motivation, in my book, provided that motivation comes along with ethics and morals. As far as I can see, my kids have it down to a science. I'm proud of those yard apes.

I know exactly how you feel, for the last 3 years i have been trying to get a new system, and all i have gotten so far is what is in my sig, but i should be getting some good luck soon, selling some stocks, but even that is turning into a huge pita

Firstly, Brundle Fly, I have to say I know that it sucks when you think you have some money coming your way and it suddenly happens that you dont.

Secondly, I also have to say you have your heart in the right place - I respect the way you put your family before yourself. The world would be a better place if everyone took that approach.

Thirdly, it will be worth waiting for it when it comes, even more so .


I got my Christmas bonus and comission, it came to about £430. Well I was pretty damn happy and planned to get a nice 17" 16ms LCD monitor to replace my ageing, out of date, 14" CRT (Yes it sucks). The rest I was going to put in the savings account.

The week before I was due to get paid the car was acting funny - it would accelerate well until it hit ~2500rpm and then the clutch would slip. I spoke to my dad who took it for a drive and agreed the clutch had gone. He suggested it would be around £180 for a new clutch, including fitting. Not bad I thought I would settle for a 15" LCD if I needed to, or put less in my savings account (I have enough to fall back on for a couple months if something horrendous should happen). Found out that:
- Ford designed the Zetec engines in such a way that the transmission was hidden between suspension and the engine itself. So options are to either remove the suspension or remove the engine.
- The alternator belt was worn as well
- The timing belt AND tensioner pulley which should have been replaced a year before I bought the car (should be replaced every 6 years or 80k miles, whichever comes sooner) were worn and needed replaced.

Total bill? Around £500. Bah.

oooooh....that uber sux.....^^^


well brundle i see your point and its a fairly reasonable one...
but when your kids go out of the house the question is will they give it there all in college because you will be mailing checks or will they bust there butts off because its the right thing to do and because they want to make you proud. (i hope its the latter)
just wanted to make my point clearer.

Try having to pay in $1000 because the morons forgot to change your W4 to take a bit more out for taxes. Complete tards in that office I tell ya.