I'll tell you straight upfront.

I'm curious where the line is drawn b/c I can write off a meal when I am leaving my 9-5 job and going straight to a volleyball match to officiate (second job). 

Now I was hooked and instantly my research led me to biggerpockets where it seemed like I listened to Brandon talk for months straight without ever turning off the podcast.

I just want to make sure that I have my head on straight when thinking about how people get "paid" in this business.

Richard has been one of them, he is a very straight to the point person and actually wants to help someone.

If you are a borrower with a w2 income and no other properties only basic liabilities your file should be very straight forward.

The polarized extremist nut jobs on BOTH sides seem to have taken the steering wheel and one is yelling to drive us off a cliff the other yelling to drive straight into it and us sane people are just in the fetal position rocking back and fourth trying to wake up from this damn nightmare that the crazies have broke out the nut-barn and took over......Careful the BP gods will remove your post.  

Get your priorities straight. 

Just so's I understand; say I buy house with all cash, no debt for $300k, and sell some years later for $300k (no gain) but on the way I depreciated $100k in some combo of straight line and accelerated depreciation. 

So to Bob's point, I hope you see that nothing is "straight forward".