Tax Time

My house looks like it has been hit by a tornado, which can only mean one thing.

Tax time.

Ah, the unglamorous tax time. My brain is mushy from figuring out how to not soil my perfect score of never owing any income tax. Seems that 2007 was a big income earning year for me and I am thinking I may not be able to reduce the number to one so small I make homeless people snicker. Nope, looks like this may the first year I am going to OWE taxes. Frustrating. Although I see its silver lining. To have at least one year's tax return be eligible for something like a credit application or a mortgage can't be all bad. Of course, 2008 is shaping up to bring my gross income (not to mention my net income) back to Shamesville. So, who knows what affect one good year will have.

In my SEP classes this week we spoke about Insurance. Insurance! Boo, I say. The topic couldn't be more boring if it tried and will probably only be paralleled by next week's classes on GST and Saskatchewan Labour Laws. All this piled onto Tax Time and my eyes start to glaze over. No wonder most of my artistic friends hide from the realities of all this stuff. It is about as creative as dirt. Most actors I know don't file taxes until they've built up to some horrible monster and then they sheepishly cart piles of paper to some random H&R Block in the mall where they end up owing so much money that take their names out of phone books and screen all their cell phone calls. In comparison to them, I am a virtual Donald Trump with my color coded filing systems and my business classes. Yet, I feel their pain. No one teaches you that being an artist is just a euphemism for being an entrepreneur. An actor is essentially a business person who makes very little money and talks really loudly.

I had better go clean. Truth is, I am blogging to avoid.

Oooo, just one more second of avoiding...an interesting tidbit...today is my mother's last day of work EVER. When she leaves work today she will never have to go back ever again for the rest of her life and YET she will still be sent cheques in the mail every month!

If only artists had pensions.

So This Is How I Will Get Married

Before I launch in, let's clear things up. I am not preggers. It was a scary thought that has not become a reality. Now...

Final Plans: as follows:

Leon and I will be taking our civil vows in a (very) short ceremony on March 11th under the same snowy gazebo in Wakamow Park that the proposal took place. It will be performed by a wonderful marriage commissioner here in town and there will probably on be two (mandatory) witnesses - my mom and my aunt - as I am pretty sure Leanne and Lanita will be busy and the rest of my close friends are a million miles away. We are told the ceremony will take about eight minutes and then ta-da, we will be husband and wife.



The stunning thing about March 11th is that it will be exactly one year from the first time we ever laid eyes on each other. I don't think we have left each other's side since. All it took was one look and one conversation and I knew I would marry him. Thus, March 11th is the perfect day.

For a more spiritual, magical circumstance we are leaving for Puerto Plata on March. 25th for a two week stay in paradise. There we plan on having another ceremony, just between us. We have purchased some beachy wedding attire and are going to go to the gazebo on the ocean pictured below and say our own vows to each other in our own way. We both agree we don't need to pay a hotel $1250 USD to lead us through the process.



An amazing gift was given to us yesterday when Leon's mom, Barbara, called us to tell us that as her wedding gift to us she is going to pay for our two week trip to the Dominican. We are both floored and totally grateful. With the truth of that, we will both only have to spend about $150 to get married...and considering other people spend anywhere from $5000 to $30,000, I'd say we are starting out on the right foot.

This summer there will be a chance to party with family and friends at the cottage. I have two sets of aunts and uncles having 50th wedding anniversaries, so we will probably lump all the celebrating into one big summer barbeque. Then, in early September we want to drive back to BC and have another party - perhaps on the Sunshine Coast - for our BC friends and family. It could be there that we exchange our wedding rings since we won't be able to afford to buy the third of our three ring sets until after we've done our summer contracts.

No baby yet - check. New Furnace resulting in warm house - check. Wedding - check. Honeymoon - check. Find money to pay for it all - check. Relax - check. Enjoy the rest of my life with the world's coolest guy - check.

Happy Krista - check.

Theory #6

It hadn't even occurred to me when I wrote yesterday's blog post that I could be pregnant. Then in came the emails and comments about the possibility of me being pregnant and I thought - ohmylordhelpme - what if it's true?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No, I can't be. I have an IUD in for goodness sake! Although Leon was conceived by a mother who had an IUD in...and knowing his sperm they will be every bit as determined as my finace. Oh God, please let me have my period. You can not even know how NOT READY I am to have a baby. Not to mention Leon. God, Leon. Leon would poop his pants instantly.

Brrrrrrrrr, it is so cold in here. We had our furnace replaced today and they couldn't get it all done so we only have heat coming out of two vents. This freaking furnace better makes things a whole lot warmer. When it is properly hooked up that is. Tonight L and I are going to have to just take a hot hot hot bath, put on fourteen dozen pajamas and snuggle into our heated bed. I feel like we should call each other Inukshook and join the Inuit culture. Damn winter.

A baby. No, no, no, no. Not yet. I imagine it one day, with Leon. Our child would be blessed to have two parents so outwardly in love and full of good humor. But our child would not be blessed to have to wear fourteen dozen pajamas just to keep from freezing or to be fed scraps from the dumpster because we spent all our money on a new furnace. Nope. A couple should be making more than a combined annual income of $14,000 to have a child. Plus, I got NEEDLES put into me to have this IUD shoved into my uterus. If it fails I will kick its ass.

My fingers are now officially too frozen cold to keep typing. I should go lie down anyway and woo my womanly parts to bleed. Sorry for my blunt and inappropriate blog. I blame the pregnancy. Hahahahahaahaha...*sigh*...

Cry Baby

I am not sure what has been happening to me lately, but I seem to be crying more than usual. I also can't remember when I have been so happy. My extremes are extreme and it is starting to annoy me.

Last night, I watched that new TV show Cashmere Mafia. It's the new Sex in the City and far from a tear jerker. But there was something about the fact that these four women were all CEOs and COOs and UFOs and GOD KNOWS WHAT and were making a bazillion dollars a year and had these powerful lives - that made me want to shoot myself. My poor Leon didn't know what hit him when I flung myself into bed at the end of the night and sobbed "Sometimes I'm just not proud of myself!!!" crying and snotting all over his beautiful bare shoulder. This, for the record, is NOT like me.

This morning I saw a commercial where a man leaned down and picked up his little girl and I burst into tears again. Wet faced, I walked into the office and, once again, flung myself onto my fiance's lap. "I'm turning into a crazy lady!!!" I wailed through tears. He assured me nothing was wrong. Later on, when I started crying during some bad teen tv show because it seemed like they had the best gang of friends ever and I was going to die all alone, he helped me brainstorm theories as to why I have become so...well, uhhhhh...emotionally sensitive.

First theory: no artificial birth control drugs controlling my hormone levels. Secondtheory: big, life altering choices being made in short periods of time. Third theory: a wierd side effect of the new vitamins I am taking and fourth theory: I have just become a big 'ol girl.

Here's the schizophrenic thing - all my sad spurts are followed by moments of elation. Case in point, me yesterday afternoon, beaming with pride as I vaccumed my rug and watched L lick yogurt off of his spoon in the TV room, realizing that I have
such a lovely home and such a great guy to share it with.

See? Erratic. Moody. Uncharacteristic.

Theory number five: maybe it's just a symptom of finally living totally unprotected without any walls or plan b's and
completely giving my heart up with only faith to carry it.

Naahhhh. I'm quitting the vitamins.

Being Adults, Doing Adult Things

After days and days of heavy snow, a warm patch has hit. The sun is out today and it is currently minus 1 and climbing. It would feel like Vancouver except for all the cars down the street that are stuck in the tremendously large snowbanks, spinning their tires at top speeds, sorry they paused at the stop sign at all. It has inspired me to write.

By the end of the week, my Visa will hit a record high of just over $11000. When it rains, it pours (I should use some snow analogy here, but it is too early in the day for my brain to have turned on yet). Our furnace and all new heating system is being put in...so there is half of the debt right there. A necessary evil. It has been so cold living in this house with our 1946, gravity furnace and its octopus arms. Besides the cost, I am thrilled to imagine how much warmer the house is going to be once this replacement is in. And how much smaller our heating bills will be. And the funniest part is that we chose to do the least amount of work at $5800. We could be spending a whole lot more...

Then the elopement decision. Our plan has been completely changed and although I like what we are choosing, it has bumped up our output of money from September of this year to right now. Our plan? We will be having a civil ceremony right here in Moose Jaw, probably in our living room or back at Wakamow park if this warm patch sticks around long enough. It will be done by a marriage commissioner and takes about three minutes. I will ask a couple of family members to be our witnesses and TA DA we will be married. And then, as honeymooners, we are leaving from March 25th - April 8 to go to a stunning resort in Puerto Plata. I found this stupidly good deal on the internet, called my travel agent and asked her if it could be beaten. She took one look at it and flat out told me I would be insane to pass up a chance to go to this particular resort at this price. Usually, this resort costs $500 more for a one week stay than our total is going to be for a two week stay! So, I booked it. Cha-ching goes my Visa.

But like I said, when it rains, it pours. So, a few days ago I went to SGI to change my plates and insurance over on my car only to find out that I had to have it inspected for an evil price. Not having an option, I took it yesterday for inspection only to be told that it had failed and that I would need to bring it in on Monday to have a, b and c fixed and re-inspected before it would pass. After x for the repairs, y for the inspection costs and then z for the insurance I hope to eventually pay at SGI, my Visa bulges some more. Add to that the already existing debt that I was in when I started last week and you have one KJ Konkin, officially drowning.

Yet, I refuse to get panicked. I see money flooding into my life in unexpected ways, helping us to pay our way back to a skinny Visa. I remind myself that we are saving money by not having a full out wedding. That our money savings with the new furnace will pay for the replacement and that we are getting a great grant to cover some of the costs as well. And as spring approaches so does lots more work for us - both of us - and with an increase in our cash flow IN, the cash flow OUT won't feel as unbalanced.

Until then, I will take some walks to enjoy the balmy weather, enjoy planning for my HOT trip ahead, wrap my head around the fact that I will be married in a few weeks and work quietly on my business in the coziness of my newly heated little house. I will appreciate the good and watch it multiple, knowing the universe will always supply me with exactly what I need when I need it.

And, of course, I will accept personal donations. They're my favorite.

Introducing, The Man I Will Soon Call Husband

Leon and I have come to a decision and the very man himself is here to tell you all about it...



Can't see the vlog?? You will need Quicktime to view this...if you need to download it for free, please click here for Windows users and click here for Mac users.

Definitely, Maybe

I have now whittled down my prospective business names to a Top Ten List and want you to give me your top three favorites.

Click here to practice being opinionated!!!

I Hate Weddings

Never in a million years did I ever think that I would find myself, one day, at Judi's Wedding Shop in Moose Jaw, standing all alone amongst a gaggle of women, staring at rows of taffeta gowns and trying not to burst into tears. There were eighteen brides in the store and I was the ONLY who was there alone. Every bride was the star in her own little show. One by one, they would emerge from the dressing rooms, clutching a two big or two small cloud of white to their boosom and their perspective fan clubs would burst into an array of ooooohs and ahhhhhs, snapping pictures and clapping. I shouldn't be doing this alone, I thought enviously. But there I was. The girl who has denounced weddings her whole life was now planning one. It was an awful moment. And it has definitely influenced my newest decision...

I don't want to have a wedding.

The whole thing is just appearing to be too much stress. There isn't anyone interested or available to help me - save for my mother and Leon - and the idea of spending the next six months mired in details of my own wedding is nauseating. Designing my invitations alone. Writing out my invitations alone. Booking my venue alone. Getting quotes all alone. Trying on dresses alone. Boo. Boo, boo, boo, boo. Leon is amazing, truly, and has promised me that he will get involved as much as I need him to, and has even agreed to come to the bridal store with me, but I know he doesn't really want to. He just feels badly that he is the only friend I have to share this with. Sweetest man alive, I swear. Yet, I don't want to do that to him and I definitely don't want to do that to ME, so no wedding. Instead, we have come up with a possible alternate plan.

Get married at city hall or somewhere else as easily accessible and low maintenance. Sign our documents and make it legal in the next month or so. Then, after I am done my four weeks of SEP classes, we whisk off to a honeymoon. We can find a beautiful spot one night on the resort to steal away - just him and I - and under the moonlight exchange our intentions. Then, in the summer, mom can hold a big party for us out at the lake and perhaps Barb can give us a party in September at her home in North Vancouver. Maybe at one of those party's we will do a bit of a ceremonial ring exchange in front of witnesses...or maybe not. Whatever. We will miss out on gifts (which when you are two actors who own a house, could really come in handy), but we will also forego a dozen arguments, save over $2000 and I will escape having to do it all alone.

Leon feels badly, of course. He thinks that I am having to give up a dream of sorts and is scared that I will end up bitterly disappointed that THIS will be how I get married. But I figure it is fitting. In some ways I haven't started to believe in weddings and marriage, I have just started to believe to Leon and KJ. So...

There it is. I might return to the bridal shop to try on some dresses, just for the fun of it...since I won't be getting the chance to wear one those feminine wonders. And I will still flip through my Bride magazines, now and then. But that is all...

The only thing I wanna worry about from here on in is getting a good base tan.

A Call Out To My Arch Nemesis

Impatient to find out if the perfect name for my company had been submitted to my current Konkin Question, I visited my site yesterday to find a posting from someone who signed their name 'long lost friend turned arch nemesis who owes one KJK a big-fat apology!' The posting is articulate and funny and intelligent. And baffling. Who are you, arch nemesis?

Now I can't stop going through all the people I can think of from my past who were at one time my friend and then my enemy. Their posting also says something about the 'actions of their imprudent youth'. Who did me wrong in my youth that is currently reading my blog and I consider an arch nemesis? The only names I can come up with are female and the posting seems like it was written by a male. And, other than my exes, I can't think of any guy that became my arch nemesis and has the ability to write that well. Man, I am stumped. And so I put out this call...

Dear Arch Nemesis,

I can not figure out who you are and have no memory of any one person who has hurt me terminally with actions of their imprudent youth. Whatever happened between us when we were young, it was lifetimes ago and I can assure you that I hold no ill will anymore. Although I hold much affection for the girl I was back then, she no longer exists, not really. And apologies are fruitless when time has washed away any need for forgiveness. I beg of you to email me at the address found on this site under the Krista Who? page. Re-introduce yourself and let me thank you in a much less public manner for your wonderful post to my Konkin Question.

As for this name to my company...another submission threw out the suggestion "Against The Stream Productions". This made me sort of sigh since I have lately been learning a lot from Esther Hicks' Abraham talks and one of the most repeated lessons that is taught is how to gain the freedom that comes with going downstream in the flow of life instead of upstream. Upstream choices are choices that cause a person to feel stress, shame, fear, guilt, worry, etc. Downstream choices are choices that embrace things as they are and leave you feeling at ease, calm, sure, amused, relaxed, carefree. Perhaps my trying to start my own company is an Against The Stream decision? Maybe my hectic search for the perfect name is and upstream battle?

Or maybe the name is supposed to connotate a company that thinks outside of the box and takes a different path than the same old trodden one that everybody else takes. Ya, I like that better. I will choose to believe that...

See. I knew that asking for suggestions would get my brain juices boiling and my idea pistons pumpin'. Keep 'em comin' my dear readers...Just click here to submit your suggestion for a great name...

And stay tuned for my next blog post which I am thinking is going to be filled with curly hair and pectoral muscles.

What's In A Name?

So, I am starting this business. Really, I am just going to learn more about running the business that I have always run...a sole proprietorship as a theatre performer, director, choreographer, writer, producer, administrator, facilitator and consultant. But now, I am going to register my business, learn how to keep the books and concentrate on creating my own projects. Honestly, I am excited to learn more. And I am grateful to be part of a program that pays me so I don't have to take a receptionist position to pay for food.

Thing is, now that I am going to actually register a business, I need to name it. I could register the company as just my name since it is a sole proprietorship. But I am not sure that is my favorite idea...especially if I produce shows in the future. Weird to say on the poster "Krista J. Konkin presents A Chorus Line". You know what I mean? The obvious place to go is to Fill In The Blank Productions, but then I get confused by that idea as well because lots of what I will get hired to do won't be necessarily attached to a production, like facilitating workshops. So then I think about Fill In The Blank Entertainment, or Group or Creatives or Creative Services. It is like I would like to choose something the encompasses everything.

Which brings me to my request. Give me a name for my company. Click here to get to my Konkin Questions page and help me brainstorm. Serious or humorous, I welcome any ideas because who knows what will inspire the actual name to pop up in front of me.

The closest thing I have so far is based on this blog. Live Out Loud Productions or Creative Services. Shortened to LOL Productions or Creative Services is both cool and annoying due to the fact that LOL stands for Laugh Out Loud in cyber talk. I have thought up a cool logo for it, though. I dunno. Not totally convinced. Looks like I am needing your help...

GO NOW...NAME AWAY!!!!!!