What Really Grinds My Gears

I was inspired to start Sean's Ramblings after reading blogs by several friends. My friend Dan was the author of one of these blogs and had a regular feature titled What Really Grinds My Gears after the TV show Family Guy. Well, I have a perfect example of this today.

Late in 2022, three friends and I purchased tickets to see Bruce Springsteen for approximately $200 per ticket. Why there was a television show called Who’s the Boss? and the answer wasn’t Springsteen is one of life’s greatest mysteries. Anyway, the concert was scheduled for summer 2023. It was postponed several weeks because of an illness and then postponed again to September 2024. By the time the concert date arrived, two of my friends were no longer to attend.

So I did what any other logical person would do with two extra tickets. I posted them on Ticketmaster and sold them. While I can't find the exact amount of the sale, I made some money even after refunding my friends for their tickets. Of course, Ticketmaster being Ticketmaster, they took a cut of the sale. Yes, Ticketmaster charged a rather significant fee to buy the tickets and took even more money from me selling the same tickets. 

A few weeks ago, I received a 1099-K form from Ticketmaster/Live Nation. While I'm not an accountant or tax professional and I don't play one on the internet (or TV), apparently, this counts as income that needs to be reported on my tax return. Even better is that the amount on the form is the total amount of sale. The original cost of the ticket and the fees taken out for selling the tickets by Ticketmaster are not part of the equation. Ticketmaster is the worst.

Sean's Day Off

You've seen the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, right? Matthew Broderick takes a day off school and lives it up in Chicago by going to a Cubs game, visiting the Art Institute of Chicago, eating at a fancy restaurant, and leading songs in a parade. I hope that these aren't spoilers from a nearly 40 year-old movie. This is also a somewhat poor summary if you haven't seen the movie. I think it's safe to write that Ferris had a great day. That's not a spoiler either. 

Recently, I took a day off of work. Did I tour Washington DC by attending a Capitals or Wizards game, eat at a fancy restaurant, or lead the Cherry Blossom Festival parade (which is still a few weeks away) like Ferris Bueller? Not quite. Here's what I did to celebrate:

- Took my car in for an oil change and state inspection.

- Played pickleball where I was one of the younger people in attendance. Do not underestimate any of the other players. They all play regularly and are assassins. When I told my 13 year-old the probable age of many people there, he boasted that he could easily beat them. Not a chance. They would destroy him.

- Picked up paperwork from the pediatrician.

- Took my 13 year-old to the dentist.

-  Went to Costco.

Oh, I also cut my toe nails. 

Yep, I am really living the dream. I also suspect that this is what my life is going to look like when I retire!