Filing 2022 Federal Income Tax/Carlos Pueblo

 Filing 2022 Federal Income Tax/Carlos Pueblo

There is a date line to file federal income tax every year which is around April 15. I came back home from my month long cruises and to make sure to file it before our trip to Japan in March. I exhaust almost all my cash to pay our annual dues, Arthur's and ours. It's getting harder and harder each year to meet our obligation. I once have been told that we must paid more in federal income tax because that we have run out of any deduction. It is true that I have used the standard deduction for many years.

I don't have any earned income. All my incomes are from requirement minimum distribution of my pension funds, various dividends, capital gains, interest income, and social security payments, etc. I have been healthy for most of the time the Medicare can cover most of the expanse. The Federal government comes in to be my major expanse in my life, not the living costs after the inflation or intensify cruise trips, etc. I understand that the government needs the revenue to fund various functions of the nation.

I am lucky that I am above 50% of the national population who don't have to pay the Federal Income Tax because of their low income status. I appreciated my opportunity to come to this great nation to make a living and also contribute myself to this nation via federal income tax. The longer that I live, the more that I shall contribute to this nation.

申報2022年聯邦所得稅／莊峻華

 申報2022年聯邦所得稅／莊峻華

匆匆忙忙從加勒比海，趕回紐約港搭機回家，就是為了申請2022年聯邦所得稅，我們準備三月到日本旅行，行前又需要北上為琳兒看家，照顧愛犬愛貓，申報聯邦所得稅有期限，而且要有一大筆現金，我在年初已經領出一筆2023年退休金來應變，當然需要時間來心理建設，適應這種局面。

我出生在一貧窮家庭，一直到現在老年，始有經濟獨立之感覺，很不習慣交如此多所得稅，這是美國之國家制度，我了解也無甚意見，已不是我之煩惱，許多人比我收入更多，需交更多之所得稅，我深覺多交稅比缺錢好，沒有錢之煩惱，我的所得稅比過去高，是因為我誤領多退休金，忘記60日內交還退休金帳號，一石油股賺錢，還有股息利息等收入，沒有任何折扣支出可報銷。

美國有一半人口以上，無需交聯邦所得稅，因為年收入不高，未達到申報標準，雖是世界富國，也有許多貧窮人士，所以收入高者需要幫助聯邦支出，當然，地方政府也有支出，地方稅也很可觀，我們都想辦法，減少支出，節儉持家，我到郵輪去浪費，實在是金錢購買船票，登入人間天堂，西方哲學家心目中之烏托邦。

我將申報程序完成，因印刷機失能，僅能一步步安裝早已準備之新機器，這舊機器是早年工作時留下之一匹，是南韓成品三星牌，想來我已經失業23年矣，又為聯邦所得稅操煩，我為自己慶幸來美國，美國也慶幸收獲我如此之提款機，歷久彌新。

A sketch of a pretty bar waitress on board/Carlos Pueblo

 

A sketch of a pretty bar waitress on board/Carlos Pueblo

The cruise ship Gem returned to Puerto Plata, Dominica Republic at the Atlantic on our way back to New York City. I was busy and tried to talk to nine beautiful parakeets without significant success. Upon return

ing to the ship's 24 hours restaurant, I saw an Arts & Craft with Cruise Staff class was at the end. Few passengers students turned their works back to the instructor. A silver hair lady was far front of the atrium podium, she turned her work to a pretty bar waitress with an asymmetric style hairdo. The girl was shocked and the instructor permitted her to keep the sketch. The silver hair lady handed her another blank piece of paper to cover the sketch. I knew what was going on, the lady artist drew a portrait of this pretty waitress and she was shocked. The artist's husband handed her cash to tip that pretty girl for her service.

It was at the same afternoon, I ran into this pretty waitress at her bar on deck 6, the Magnums, in front of the French Restaurant. She was with a Japanese lady scientist. I asked her if that silver hair lady was an artist. She was not quite sure and she insisted that she didn't post for her to sketch. She speaks fluent Japanese and obviously she is a Japanese Brazilian with an Italian surname. That same night, the lady artist was seated behind me at the atrium for a lady singer's show. She noticed my conversation with the pretty girl and knew that I would write an article about such sketch. She is a retired arts teacher of 30 years. Her husband was on her side also. They have a Japanese daughter-in-law who live in New York City. We have had a very good conversation about Japanese arts of animation. A sketch is a realistic art work yet she did input her idea to make such art work as an impressionist. I have had a strong desire to see her work.

Before the end of our cruise, I ran into Mildren San again, the pretty bar waitress. She showed me the sketch, a special effort to get it from her wall at her dormitory. I took several pictures with her. The high light of her hairdo and the vivid express of her eyes. Mrs. Lynn Wells, the artist, approached me at the end of our cruise and we exchanged our e-mails address and I promised her to introduce her art work to my readers worldwide.

郵輪美術手藝課／莊峻華

 郵輪美術手藝課／莊峻華

寶石號郵輪巴拿馬運河回程，重返多明尼加共和國銀港，我從碼頭拜訪九隻美麗俊秀鸚鵡後，回船午餐，這時候已近下午三時，24小時餐廳下之郵輪美術手藝課，即將下課，我看稀落幾位女乘課，坐在講師前交上作業，遠處一對夫妻，銀髮女士正在整理素描手稿，招來美麗酒侍，這位美女酒侍原在六層船中酒吧，當日在大廳執勤，美女驚訝素描，女士執一白紙覆蓋素描，要女酒侍提交講師，講師許可酒侍留存，酒侍回來感謝畫家，女畫家夫婿掏出皮夾，取出美金給畫家贈與酒侍，我在餐廳欄杆上，看得一清二楚。當夜我在六層遇見這位女侍和一位日裔女士聊天，我加入日語會話，原來她是日裔巴西人，有一義大利姓，我訊問這位素描者，是否為職業畫家？當日是否站立為她素描作畫？回曰不知是否為職業畫家？也未專門站立為她作畫。

一日我正巧認出這位女士在大廳沙發，我知她是位退休美術老師，有位日本媳婦，我提到那一幕，真希望能寫在我的部落格，介紹給我全球讀者，她給我她的名號，船很小，第二日我又遇見美女酒侍，正待報告畫家名號，她說她已遇畫家曰，我是位作者，於是她特別回其房間，取出素描讓我拍照留念，畫家確實告述生動化，日本美術強調生動化，這位酒侍有對迷人美目，瀏海左頃，非常特色，素描非是寫實，而是印象派，已經加入畫家生動化之意見。

旅程結束前夜，我在大廳和兩位加國牙醫聊天，女畫家趨近索取我寫作資訊，並給我其網址連落，我真受寵若驚，她住賓夕法尼牙州，兒子六呎七身高，難怪日本女孩羨慕，我許可寄給她我的英文版介紹這一幕，也許我將學會相片上網助興。

Returning to Victoria, Canada(2) 2022/Carlos Pueblo

 Returning to Victoria, Canada(2) 2022/Carlos Pueblo

The cruise ship returned to Victoria, Canada early in the evening for our last stop before returning to Seattle, Washington. It was the end of our two weeks back to back cruise trip. I always have a feeling of lost of something like money yet with a rich memory of a repeated journey for this Alaska route.

We walked out of the ship toward the pier where we thought we could visit the busy night activity at the water front. Actually we reached to a different area of the pier full of fishing and leisure boats with some seafood restaurants closed for the day. The city is very considered to keep rest rooms open for tourists. We walked back toward the tower of Encore direction. I believe that the ship is much more active than the city pier where we visit.

It is in my memory that I have come to visit this capital city of the British Columbia many times. I have been three times from Vancouver, Canada; twice from Port Angeles down the south on the north tip of Olympia Peninsula; and twice from cruises. They are all in a brief visit to such a lovely city. It is in a large part of the North American Pacific Coast Line, from Alaska down to Baja California, another peninsula in Mexico. I have tried many times in my life to get familiar to this lovely area. Many cities to be remembered.

重返加拿大維多莉亞港（2）2022／莊峻華

 重返加拿大維多莉亞港（2）2022／莊峻華

因為是重複阿拉斯加遊，因此重返加拿大維多莉亞港，旅行已接近尾聲，船抵達碼頭已經是黃昏，也僅幾小時可以逛逛碼頭附近，上週是參加遊覽夜間花園，這次原定找上碼頭夜市，結果僅達碼頭和鄰近之住宅區。因為國內和加拿大郵輪旅行，較為方便，因此常常選擇如此旅行，連愛美都來過好幾次。

傍晚碼頭已經關閉生意，僅留洗手間供遊客使用，這是維港碼頭體貼之處，碼頭顯然十分忙碌，有魚船有商船有遊艇等，許多海鮮餐廳，但僅一兩家開放營業，我們逛上幾處就沿著郵輪方向走回，這是一幽雅之住宅區，夜晚屋簷燈光，都照亮前院花圃。

我並不後悔船程，其實一整日也只能觀看一個大概，我們來過維港好幾次，這是卑斯省，不列顛可倫比亞省，之省會，不是溫哥華市，加拿大人將城市蓋得美侖美奐，非常有特色，南部隔一海峽就是華盛頓州，我網球老隊長服海軍潛艇役，經常經此海峽回基地，或出太平洋執勤，我也曾經在此附近，加美兩國租車陸地旅行，都是美憶。

Drinking parties on sea days at Encore/Carlos Pueblo

 Drinking parties on sea days at Encore/Carlos Pueblo

Drinking on board at the cruise is very expansive and popular. People are used to purchase a package before or on board with a discount. If you are not a drinker regularly, it doesn't bother you at all. If you drink casually, a drinking party on a sea day is attractive because that you feel that you are saving some money. Encore is a newer ship and one of the largest with this cruise liner. I am very impressed with their drinking parties on sea days.

First party is usually held on the first sea day at noon. The Cruise Next department shall invite repeated customers for a drink. It is held at a large room with a bar bar waiters are summoned from bars from all the ship. You can have the wine and mixed drink in a short period of time. You can witness a long que waiting to get in before the opening. I usually grape one glass of red wine and take one out for my lunch thereafter. The alcohol is not good for all my diabetes pills yet I sacrifice them for my fun.

There is also another drinking party for platinum and above latitude class members. Before you reach the platinum class you must have the bronze, the silver, and the gold status which means you must satisfy certain cruise days. the general manager at Encore has a better budget and he is more generous; therefore, he holds one more party with a mixed drink and the wine party and a beer party saperately in a large restaurant  as well as the Brew house. Some older ship with a limited budget would hold a wine party only for the platinum members on the Cellar.

On our second back trip, in addition to all of those parties mentioned above, I received an invitation card from the general manager on my new room desk to a drinking party on the Heaven. The Heaven is the most luxury area on the top of the ship for the rich and dare to spend the fund. The frugal person like me always budget myself in a basic minimum inside stateroom when I purchase the cruise fare. It was the first time that I have the opportunity to see the set up of the Heaven class. It was on an observation lounge with an entrance of a swimming pool. It is identical to the commoner's observation floor on the 14th deck yet you don't have to fight for a seat of lying sofa to observe the glacier.