I just watched the move THE HELP.  WOW, what a great movie.  At first I didn't think I would be very interested in it.  I thought THE HELP was another story on the segregated South.  Now, while that is part of the basis, it is not the story.  This movie was more about personal relationships; the way people were treated (what goes around comes around); and the beginning of healing.

The time is 1950's when African Americans or Blacks, as the movie referred to them as, had to sit at the back of the bus, had different laws than white people, could be fired from their jobs and virtually black-balled from ever working again just because of a suspicion that even if it was unsubstantiated, it didn't matter.

You've seen and heard many movie trailers that declare "You'll Laugh, You'll Cry..."  And you will, among other emotions.

If you haven't already seen it, do yourself a favor and watch it.  Right now it is avaiable at Blockbuster Express (BBE) kiosks (in Safeway stores) and I saw it on RedBox too.  At BBE, it was only a dollar.

After you watch it and you find you enjoyed it, send me a dollar...If you didn't like it, send me a dollar.  I am just starting another one-five-ten dollar collection.

The obvious answer is not the answer to my question...

When does a person's status go from DIVORCED to SINGLE?

More and more I notice applications, registrations, and other similar personal information gathering tools have DIVORCED as one of the options under MARITAL STATUS.  Usually the options are either SINGLE or MARRIED.  Would the label change after one has been divorced for X number of years?  In my opinion, one's marital status is irrelevant unless they are signing up on a dating website or applying for a job involving marriages (Wedding 'R Us)

Okay, I know this is kinda silly, but friends and family members I posed this question to don't really know.  It is obvious if one were to remarry the status would go from DIVORCED to MARRIED...that is unless more options are added like, MARRIED AGAIN, or POST DIVORCED.  If that were to happen, then other options would have to be listed such as NEVER BEEN MARRIED, or SINGLE BUT WILLING, or DIVORCE IS NOT AN OPTION.  If it is a matter of moral character marital status wouldn't be an accurate gauge because married folks don't always have scruples. 

Maybe the options should be ALIVE or DEAD.  Or better yet...NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.

I don't understand all the tax codes, tax breaks, exemptions, yada yada yada...What I do understand is that every dollar I earn someone other than me has their hand(s) in my pocket to take their share*, even if it doesn't seem fair they want their share.  Sometimes there is so much scratching and grabbing, the intensity almost matches wild, unbridled sex (from what I've been told).

An article by Bob Jennings of Fox Business (story is here) listed a bunch of tax benefits that are set to expire within the next couple of years.  One major individual tax benefit expected to expire at the end of 2012 is known as The Marriage Tax Penalty.  Do you know what that is???  I didn't so I looked it up and found a somewhat simple explanation here.  The following paragraph made me scratch my 5 o'clock shadow (that took me 5 days to grow---it's an Asian thing) and go "hmmmm." 

"Prior to 2003, if both spouses earned about the same amount of money, then they ended up in a higher tax bracket and were penalized for being married. Actually, the smaller the difference between what they each earned, the higher the marriage penalty. However, if one spouse earned a good salary, and the other didn't, then they weren't penalized. The marriage penalty could affect couples in all income brackets, though. A couple who married could lose earned income tax credits that they had received as singles."

I don't understand it all, but from what I think I comprehend, this may be another reason to stay single.  If you are a tax savvy person in-the-know about this tax thingy I invite you to 'splain this sucka.  If it is true, the time has come where marriage could take someone to the cleaners more than divorce.

Consider pre-marital counseling with a minister and a CPA.

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(*sidenote, remember the 70s song "My Fair Share" or something like that?  The rhyme of "their share" made me think of that song..."Share (sp?), stay with me if you dare...")