Those sad Statues of Liberty

April 15th and I'm depressed--like half the country, I know. But I'm not depressed for the same reason they're depressed. In fact, I like tax day! My husband and I don't listen to the sage advice of investment experts who tell you that if you do things "the right way", you should end-up not owing the government nor expecting a return at the end of the year.

No, we aren't savers. (Except for all of the crap we've accumulated around our house, but I digress.) We don't "do" money very well. So, we look at taxes as our own little savings plan. With 5 kids, we know we're in pretty good shape in the refund department. Cha-Ching.

Lot's of people would consider our view as unconventional. Others might see it as unconstitutional. Still others probably see it as sheer lunacy. We just like knowing that we'll have a few bucks in the bank come summer.

No, I'm not depressed because it's tax day. Well, that's not exactly true; I guess the date is part of it. I'm depressed because I know the local unemployment rates went up today. In our little neck of the woods there's a tax preparation company that uses the Statue of Liberty in their logo. Every winter, they hire people to work from about mid-February until April 15. Their job consists of standing on busy street corners, dressed in a head-to-toe teal velvet dress and matching spiked foam headpiece and waving their plastic, teal torch at all of the passersby. Some of them smile, but others just wave. I think some don't smile because it's cold in Minnesota at this time of year-- REALLY cold, and REALLY wet. Standing on a busy street corner'll get you pretty darn good and soaked. That can't feel good. It's also got to be very difficult to smile through it all.

I've seen a few of these folks wearing ski masks--like cat burglars wear--on especially cold days. This is scary looking and it's creepy, seeing the Statue of Liberty's face covered in black with only her beady little eyes shifting back and forth as cars whiz past her.

But, heck, let's face it: it's a job, after all! And, at least for a few months, these folks get a steady income. Sadly, I highly doubt they work in the office the other 10 months of the year; I'm quite sure they're temps.

So, today was their last day of work. That's why I'm depressed. And, to make matters worse, we all know Santa won't be hiring his elves for several more months. Maybe there is a line of Statues of Liberty sitting along the bar downtown right about now, drowning their sorrows and wiping their tears away with their long, soft, teal-colored sleeves. I'm so sad for them, maybe I'll go "belly-up" right alongside them all to express my solidarity. I guess I'd feel better if I gave one of them a job. I'd hire one to paint my house, but I can't get that done until I get my tax return.