Goldstruck

Goldstruck - a Chinese/Bollywood film to be shot.......but first, marketing, next month at the Berlin Film Festival.

I haven't done a voice over in 30 years.  I did voice overs two days ago for Goldstruck teasers.  Wow - it was fun to be an actor!!!!  and I had a goldstruck 'situation' that day:  I left my bag in the taxi, during my trip to the studio.   An iPad, Leica camera, my Kindle, a good Cross pen, Bose pod earphones.......and what would be the odds of the bag being turned over to the HKPD?    2-3 times out of 500 is what the police stated.....a really shitty situation was alchemistically turned to a golden moment when we got the call from HKPD!!!!!!!!

I'm trying to coordinate getting the taxi driver a reward - let's see what happens....good definitely must be rewarded!!!

Freezing one's ass off in Hong Kong

The sun is shining.  The hoodies are on.  It is one day of work prior to the weekend, after a long holiday.....and there will be an awful lot of people calling in sick, today.  Such was the case with my stretcher - who - had he had his numbers correct, might have SMS'd me, cancelling this morning - not that I'd have even looked at the SMS, which I never do......

For those of you who only look at the blog but not my site, be aware that since I spend most of my time at home in China, where this blog is blocked - either from reading or writing - I have started a website page for entries while in China....so if you and to read me during the lapse of time where there is nothing on this blog, then go to www.lifeilao.com

But there'll be a lot of blogging while we are in warm Thailand for the entire month of January!!!!!

Last night, though, in Hong Kong, our blankets and mattress warmer were not enough - we froze our asses off.  Tonight and tomorrow will necessitate wearing of long thermal underwear under the warm up suit.

And of course I am wearing my FCC hoodie, today!!

In pursuit of my PTIN number

For the past few weeks I tried on a weekly basis to go online and renew my number with the IRS;  the number that legally permits me to stay in business as a tax preparer.

It was announced, sometime in October, that practitioners could renew online.  That was simply not so.  It was only this past week that I could advance to renewal screens online.  But then, who remembers once a year passwords and usernames?  Who knew that the password only was valid for 6 months and that the incorrect data you were posting was caused by the wrong password, locking you out of the system?

So last night I called an IRS number in Iowa.  Lo and behold, I did not have to wait - I got through to an individual almost immediately.  I got an activation number that I had to use when re-applying as a new online user.

And then, this morning, I tried the activation number - although the screen where one can enter that number only was found after a very frustrating half hour online.  Yet I did succeed and I did confirm, once again, that the IRS is not a bastion of computer efficiency;  that the FATCA and F(u)BAR systems it is extending its electronic reach to are going to truly be fubar!!!

It's the old in and out (of Hong Kong) game, again.....

I came to town on Sunday afternoon and now it is Tuesday night.  I didn't really have much on the agenda this week but procrastinated sufficiently that I didn't think I'd finish the little that had to be done.  Surprise of surprises - I finished.

With one exception - I have to call the IRS, tonight, because I cannot access my practitioner's number renewal program and need alternative means of getting the task done.  This is one, I am afraid, of many misdeeds perpetrated by the IRS computer system that I have been personally involved with, recently.  I fear that the system is irreparably broke;  broke beyond repair.  It cannot get fixed and will only get worse.  What a nightmare!!!

But there is good to go with the inconvenience of having to stay up later than I do to make the call:  I get to go to and listen to some jazz, live!!

This afternoon I listened to a speaker at the FCC who talked about the financial woes of the cities.  She had no idea of what a comprehensive property tax was or what the long term future of taxation in China will be based upon.....I think I am going to be well prepared for my speech on Saturday - I know the subject matter well.  Now I have to polish off how I say it.....