Waiting for a tax refund? Already earmarked the funds to pay bills or do something special? How about booking a last minute vacation, buying a scrumptious new plasma or lcd flat screen TV or upgrading to a wicked fast PC? Just be careful where you open your tax refund envelope. Gnomie Carlos sent a mysterious piece of advice in response to my article on appliance repair (of all things) …

You are missing the whole point.

From someone who has repaired and replaced untold number of appliances, the problem is in the security policies in your house. Most people open their mail in the kitchen, which is surrounded by appliances, and close to utility rooms which have the rest of those beasts. When we happen to open the mail and have good news that we have received a refund, or a tax return, or any other monetary gain, we cannot resist and break all security. We inevitably splurt out the good news, and even read out loud if nobody is there with us.

Beware, the appliances hear too, and if you think back anytime you had to replace them it was just after you announced you had money. We always say “At least it happened when I had gotten such and such money”, but it would have never happened if you had not violated your security on good news.

It’s a conspiracy, I tell ya!

With any luck, I’ll get the chance to ask Agent Mulder about it next week.