Dear Uncle Sam: I don't appreciate your sense of humor

Dear Uncle Sam:

As the snow storm of the season locked me in my house with Sunshine and the kids, I decided to use my time in a positive way. Sooo.... instead of spending $400 getting my taxes done, I claimed the dinner table and went at it.

I am a responsible woman, Uncle. I believe in contributing to society. I believe in helping others and I believe in paying my share of your care for me. My children go to public school, so I pay. My husband is on unemployment, so I don't mind paying. The snow plow drove by this morning, so I was happy to see my money at work. So WHAT IS UP WITH THE 100 INSTRUCTION BOOKLET TO FILL OUT A 2 PAGE DOCUMENT????? AND EVERY LINE REFERS YOU TO ANOTHER BOOKLET OF INFORMATION AND ANOTHER 2 PAGE DOCUMENT???

Now, dearest Uncle, I am a VERY smart woman. I have a bachelor's degree, I have a Master's degree, I read books like they are magazines, I watch the Discovery channel (although I have to admit, not much lately since we got Netflix), I can squeeze a penny like no other and I balance a budget the way YOU can't. After 5 hours last night, I completed my first draft. Today, I spent 3 additional hours fixing the mistakes that I made after my brain oozed out of my head... and to make things worse, every mistake I fixed for you, impacted my state return - another nightmare conceived while a demon was strolling through Hades, torturing kittens and still found himself bored.

Uncle, I don't mind paying you, but it doesn't make a lot of sense that I have to contract an agency to be able to figure out our returns.

Thanks for listening, Uncle.

-Loving Wife, Working Mom

P.S. By the way, while you are at it, was up with your nephew State Income Tax charging me $45 to e-file my federal and state return? No thanks. I have mailed my return with two 44cents stamps. The accountants didn't get my money this year, but the Postal Service did.