Mixed emotions, today.

I went to our CPA yesterday. Yes, let's all take a collective sigh together, shall we? hmm. Most of you know I went back to work this year after my era of homeschool/ stay-at-home/ remote-working/ dreembuilding/ ideaspawning wife ended. Well, ok only the homeschool part ended, to be honest. But that was a massive part of my day - and life - since 1999. When my children graduated, I graduated. I'm sure some of you are feeling that statement! Maybe some of you are still STEEPED in the chaotic joyful mess that is mired deeply in that era. Don't worry - enjoy it all, even the pain - because it will end, and you will look back in wonder at it all.

Back to our CPA... the final number that we needed to shell out to Uncle Sam wasn't as terrible as we expected, but it was still terrible. Now here is the thing. I don't hate my country. I can get worked up into a proud, patriotic blubbering mess when I'm sitting under the sparkling lights of a Fourth of July evening - hot dog in one hand, cold lemonade in the other, completely decked out from head to toe in red, white and blue. When "I'm proud to be an American" is played, I just - I well up. I do. Even though I wonder if the lyrics "where at least I know I'm free..." is still true. Are we? What exactly are we FREE to do? It's not the same country that it was when it was formed, and it's not the same country even in the last 25 years. I'm sure that my parents and grandparents would say the same, seeing the drastic changes over their lifetimes. When you compare our country with others, yes - it does seem a lot more "free". But I do wonder if we are all just satisfied with a joint illusion. God forbid anyone disagree with that - the more patriotic would tar and feather you.

The thing is, crypto has brought about a lot of blessings that were simply not options before it came along. I remember walking into the supermarket and seeing the yellow and black logo of the money-sending-systems, where people could send cash to other countries for exorbitant fees. It didn't really matter to me then; I didn't know anyone in other countries. But I do remember balking at the fees - thinking, why is there always someone trying to make a buck off of people in need?

At some point in the last 15 years, the internet finally wound its way into my heart with significance and connected souls across the world to mine. In 2016, all of the sudden I found immense joy sending this "fake money called crypto" across the globe, and began changing lives one token at a time. To me, really it was just all good fun. But I started to get responses in public and private that would really start to shape my life into something that I believe was paving the way for my passion to be born into a new era with greater impact.

But then... Uncle Sam.

At the end of our appointment yesterday, we had a chat with our CPA. She was actually enthralled with what we were doing with DreemPort, and trying to help us in the best way she could to plan for when we would file our taxes in 2024. I got a bit flustered - not at her, just at the situation.

"This... this right here?" I waved at her massive computer screens. "This is one of the reasons why I just want to leave this country."

I know. Gasp. We have been taught since we were thrust from the womb that Americans are "blessed to be in the greatest country in the world." And we repeat this mantra all through school, and don't even hesitate to propel the propaganda into the next generation. Growing up, if someone was to judge our beloved country, all eyes would widen. Jaws drop. "Tsk, tsk, how ungrateful that American is. Don't they know they're privileged to be in the greatest country in the world?"

That is no longer such a widely held belief, but I don't think we are all quite ready to jump ship either. But I have to say I am. I have been ready for some time for many reasons but a big one? For the life of me - I can't understand taxation in its current form. Am I against taxes? No. I pay them willingly, with understanding and duty, even though I can see that they make no sense, and that it is just another form of abuse and corruption that we are forced to endure.

I'm fine with supporting our country by taking a portion of my income and supporting the needs of the nation. I'm not fine with what it has become.

Perhaps an imperfect metaphor, but this is the general feeling I have: If I go out to my lovely little henhouse, and collect eggs from my hens for the day, these are my eggs. I can know that there will be more eggs tomorrow, and share my eggs with my family and friends. I bring one dozen in, make 2 for my breakfast, and send 10 to my daughter. She makes 2 for her, 2 for her husband, and calls a friend to take the rest. The friend enjoys her breakfast and then drops the rest to her mom. Everyone is happy, everyone is sharing, everyone is blessed.

But where I live, I need to "give an egg to the government" before I share now 9 with my daughter. Before she gives to her friend - the government takes its share of her "income" and now she can only share 4, and so on. How does that even make sense? How are we sharing what is rightfully ours AFTER taxes have already been taken. The government takes more - just because it has changed hands. How? Why? Greed and corruption is the answer, of course, but how and why have we allowed it to get to this?

Programming, I suppose. I don't know. I just know I don't ascribe to it anymore.

To me, it makes much more sense to invite everyone to my house, and make a big batch of omelets for them to eat around my table. Sharing, laughing, connecting - everyone is a part of the blessing without having the need to feel like they owe more than they do.

If I can't share my eggs with the people I love freely, and without the government feeling that they have a right to dip, dip, and dip again into the bounty - then I'd rather go someplace where I can bring everyone to my own table to enjoy freely and without having to circumvent dreemblockers. Because that's all I want to do, really. It's what I was made to do. Live, love, laugh, share, support, connect, bless - FREELY. Is that too much to ask?

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Thanks to @shadowspub, @penderis, @bluefinstudios, @kemmyb, @wesphilbin, @melinda010100, @samsmith1971, @silversaver888, @lizelle, @kenechukwu97, @jacoalberts, @acgalarza, @blackdaisyft, @balikis95, @alessandrawhite, and @dreemsteem for making the @dreemport voting power go farther! ❤️

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