Just ask.

MGTM has no affiliation with anything related to the movie that this costume is based on, and claims no ownership of yada yada yada, this chick rocks!

I visited Anime Boston to get this little gem, among an entertaining pile of others (there was one ballsy fellow on the subway who was still in full regalia, purple facepaint and all). If you, reader, ever decide to visit a convention like this, and want photographs of the people who go to such lengths to show their appreciation of their favorite stories, feel free to go up to them and ask. Some will refuse, of course, and I really can't blame them, particularly when they can't move a few steps before another trigger-happy camera wielder begs for a photo. But most will cheerfully oblige a polite request.

This is a roundabout way of getting to something I had to deal with earlier: tax season. I'm used to doing my own, but personal taxes are far simpler than what I've got now, and after hemming and hawing over the matter for far too long, I finally took the plunge and asked for help.

The accounting firm I went to is a little an' local that specializes in small businesses, and the man I spoke to is a very old-school sort of guy. He gave a direct assessment of my situation (which means yes, he saw all the mistakes I made on my paperwork). He and his team not only lightened my load, they assured me that what they did take on is actually not as big as I thought it was. With their small-business focus, they also have know-how beyond simple accounting, with additional services and advice to make the business end of things on my side run more smoothly. Makes them more money, makes their job easier come tax time.

Just ask. Don't be afraid to ask for something, and don't worry about when people say no. And the sooner you ask for help, the smaller the problem will be.