Today I stuck our 4th estimated tax payment for 2006 in the mail. [The deadline is tomorrow.] My husband & I are both self-employed, so paying estimated taxes is a special treat we can look forward to doing 4 times every year.

A few years ago I realized that I was getting really worked up every time I wrote that check out to the US Treasury: I could feel my blood pressure rise and it would actually take me several hours to get calmed down and back to my normal level of concentration.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in taxes. I believe in good and free public education (and I don't have children of my own), I believe in defending the country, I believe in helping out those who really need a helping hand, etc, etc.
What does grate on my nerves is that I know there are people out there who enjoy the same government-provided services I do and yet I end up paying part of their share because they lie & cheat on their taxes. As silly & immature as this probably sounds, it seems that those of us who pay 100% of the taxes we are required to by law are owed some sort of thanks. Fat chance we'll ever get that, right?

So ... to take the edge off at tax time, I started writing "You're Welcome!" on the memo line for my estimated tax checks. Ya know what? It works!!! I now only cringe slightly when I write & mail the check, and after a few minutes I am calmed down and on with my day.

Am I the only one who does something slightly silly to cope with the stress of paying taxes? Please tell me I'm not alone!