We didn't actually get into Phoenix proper but went to Mesa which is growing tremendously and has all the nice new hotels and a convention center as well a new public library and new civic buildings. These towns around Phoenix have gone from farm towns to major cities, due to becoming bedroom communities, and with proper Valley of the Sun flair are building not only houses for all these people, but the public buildings that will make what they feel is a modern, up and coming city. We'll see what they look like in ten years and whether they have made good on their promise. I know sprawl is a bad word now but I enjoy seeing such optimism.

At this seminar, like others I've been to on tax issues, I am amazed at how many people say that they have no idea what they are doing. They were just told to start handling these issues and no one gave them any guidance or information. We're talking about issuing 1099s and 1042s which can be very difficult and complex issues and, if not done correctly, can make the company liable for very hefty fines.

Most of the other people, like me are not high level people who get paid lots of money for our expertise, but closer to the clerical level and we don't make enough money or have enough authority to be making these kinds of decisions.

I've been reading about obsessive compulsive disorders, along with other types of disorders, and have realized some of the obsessive behavior I have. I am a perfectionist and it's all or nothing. I have to have a perfect house, but before too long I am exhausted and I crash and it's all over as the house slowly reverts to sloth and dust.

One book mentioned that much of this is because with some people their brain never gives them the satisfied feeling and they keep wanting more but can't ever get the satisfied feeling. Often this results in retreating to day dreaming as our dreams are more satisfying and I know I spend more time than I should in thinking about what I wish could be instead of handling what is.

I feel like I have not lived up to what I should have in other areas of my life so I use my day dreams to make up for this and often find myself spending more energy on dreams than on life. I even get irritated at people who won't leave me along to dream. This is something I need to pay more attention to so I can stop it when I see it getting out of hand.

Another thing the author mentioned is that people with OCD use shopping. I never spent much because I never had much to spend and had no credit cards, but once I got credit cards my debt slowly built up to what I consider to be much to high amounts. It wasn't usually large amounts but the small amounts on things that I "had" to have and that I obsessed about till I got them because I thought they would make me happy. Most of them were nice but didn't really make me that happy, so I try again. Another issue I'm trying to get control of.