I'm glad you're happy about $75 oil. Out here, it is absolutely eating up my vehicle maintenance reimbursement.

And I don't mind you saving a stamp! One less letter for me (that's a figuratives 'me,' of course) don't have to deliver.

Wow I really fouled up that comment.... It should have read

"One less letter for me to deliver."

yeesh.

I just figured you were in Tarzan mode.

My use of the word "love" in reference to $75 oil is an example of ironic hyperbole, a term that I just made up and truly don't understand. In reality, oil prices are a mixed blessing, especially for someone like me who's not directed employed in the oil bidness, but whose client base's fortune rises and falls in direct proportion to those prices.

Any chance your clients need some estate tax consulting? Because I'd love to have those kind of clients, as opposed to the ones that say "I thought I already paid you for that." Or, "the check is in the mail." Or, "your billing rate is what?!" This is when I wish I worked as a Wal-Mart greeter where I'm sure I could live up to my billing rate. ;-)

All Right! Is it new Duo with 30" mon?

Although I have never hired an actual independent consultant, I have used my share of individual contractors of one kind or another. I truly admire the self-employed. May those of us who depend on you always be honest and prompt in compensating you for your work.

Yay for payday! (Prompt payday, at that.) My sister is self-employed so I have seen the happy dance that accompanies prompt payment (and the irritation that arises when multiple billings are required.)

I'm not talking about how I just spent a little over $100 to fill up both of our cars yesterday -- and neither one is an SUV, they're both reasonable cars. It's just....wrong.

So people pay you?! And on time?! Please post more on this topic because I can't begin to imagine it happening in real life.

Julie, if it was actually a common occurrence, I would never have posted about it! ;-)

Rob, "independent consultant" is, in my case, just a fancy term for contractor. I'm really nothing more (or less) than, say, a carpenter, building with pixels instead of wood. But I feel comfortable with the consultant label also, because I do my fair share of advice-giving, both paid and for free.

Gene, the checks were nice...but not that nice! Actually, I was being honest when I described the potential uses. Two of the four things I mentioned will be addressed by the payments, but I'm not saying which two. ;-)

Enjoy this rare event while it lasts! Happy spending!

Thanks, Rachel, but it's my wife who's going to be happy about the spending part. ;-)