International Relations

Due to some unusual staffing circumstances [the details of which are far to boring to discuss], I've spent the last few weeks working with a staff from Canada. Up until until his arrival in the States a couple weeks ago, the extent of my knowledge about the Great White North has come almost exclusively from Robin Scherbatsky [and if you don't know who that is, shame on you and consider us no longer friends]. Seeing this as a learning opportunity, I've decided to make the most of my time with my new Canadian friend by asking him entirely too many ridiculous questions about his homeland. He has graciously answered my never-ending string of inquiries and now I bestow some of my new-found knowledge of our neighbors to the North upon you.

1. Contrary to populer belief, Canadians are not afraid of the dark.
2. There are far more Asians in Canada than one would assume. To my dismay, they do not refer to them as "Canasians".
3. Canada plays the same pop songs on the radio we do here, and unfortunately that includes Ke-dollar sign-ha. [They apparently are no more intelligent than the millions of idiots down here buying the crap that no talent ass-clown puts out].
4. Canadians can drive cars, even in the U.S.
5. For some unknown reason, Canadians pronounce the word "pasta" as pas-ta rather than pah-sta. I find this stranger than the words "eh" and "aboot" [which they do in fact say as regularly as I say "y'all"].

And nowwww you knowwwww that!

Anti-Halloween

For the first year in a very long time, I did not dress up for Halloween. I didn't want to spend the money on overpriced drinks in a crowded bar amongst a see of scantily clad [for lack of a better word] whores that roam the streets on Halloween weekend. I realize that that sentence makes me sound like a cranky old lady, but I'm ok with that. Instead, I celebrated Halloween with a sort of "anti-Halloween" night. I spent this weekend in, watching movies, playing games and hanging out with friends and it was absolutely wonderful. And yeah, there may have been some alcohol involved in those activities too. I'm not that old yet!

The Perfect Friday

It's Friday afternoon and what am I doing? Well, I just so happen to be laying on my couch in my favorite pair of sweatpants with a sweet little weiner pup curled up on my side. Ah, if only I could work from home every afternoon. It is pure bliss!

The Good News

On a much, much happier note, last week I got my last two CPA scores in.  I am proud, and quite relieved, to say I passed.  No more studying for this little girl; I'm alllllllllll done!

See Grandpa, told you you'd need quarters.

The Bad News

When given the option, I will always choose the bad news first because I like to get it out of the way and move on to happier things.  In this particular case, chronologically the bad news technically came second, but I've chosen to overlook that little fact and share it first.

As I mentioned previously, my grandfather went on hospice last week.  To no one's surprise, he peacefully passed on Friday evening.  His impending death weighed heavily on me last week, and it was honestly a bit of relief to get word he had finally moved on from this world.  I went home yesterday for the visitation and the funeral this morning.  Grandpa wanted a graveside service, and today could not have been a more perfect day for that.  The weather was absolutely beautiful, and I don't think that was any coincidence.  Grandpa always was a stubborn man and I have a feeling he had a little talk with God this morning to make sure things were perfect.  But, as lovely as the service was, today has not been easy.

Grandpa was the first person I really knew well and truly loved that I have ever had the unfortunate experience of losing.  Believe me, I know how lucky I am to say that.  I've been blessed to have all four grandparents for the first 23 1/2 years of my life and I am thankful for that opportunity, yet it still pains me to say goodbye to one.  I was the first of only two grandchildren for him, and no one could have loved me more than he did.  Mom was afraid I'd never learn to walk he held me so much as a child.  He was one of the most amazing men I've ever, and will ever, known and I certainly loved him just as much as he loved me.  I miss him dearly, but his memory remains and I will forever cherish all of the time I spent with him.

For as long as I've known him, my Grandpa always gave me a quarter at the end of every visit, and each time I accomplished something big.  It's a silly thing to do really, but it was something I loved about him.  As my final goodbye to Grandpa, I left a quarter in his pocket to take with him to the afterlife.  I guess it's my silly little way of letting him know how I much I loved him.  Moving on with life will not be easy, but I will persevere and continue to make my Grandpa proud in all that I do.  Grandpa, I hope you brought a bag full of quarters with you to heaven, because you're going to need them when I get there.

Good News and Bad News

So...

I've got good news and I've got bad news.  Each is important in it's own right and as such, I've decided to give each its own post.  So scroll on up, dear readers :)

When It Rains, It Pours

 Rough week is an understatement. 

 My wait continues for my CPA score, and as each day passes, the anticipation builds and the fear of failing gets even more terrifying.  My days are consumed with reading CPA blogs and forums, trying to determine the exact time my score will be posted.  83 days and counting, and I'm more worried about it than ever.

As an unpleasant distraction from my CPA concerns, I am in the process of moving this week. Every evening I load up my car with an assortments of boxes, bags and small furniture items and make the short drive over to my new place. My pathetic little arms are sore and tired from the numerous trips back and forth from my car and apartment. Needless to say, I am quite physically exhausted.

On top of it all, my grandpa went on hospice Sunday. The man is 94 and has been in a nursing home for the past 4 years, so it's not a huge surprise, but that certainly doesn't mean I am prepared for it. There have been a lot of tears this week, and as his impending death creeps closer, I imagine the crying will only increase. Coping with the loss of a loved one is never easy, but this particular week it's especially difficult.

 With all this on my plate, the only thing in the world I want to do is curl up in the boyfriend's arms and listen to him tell me everything will be ok. Alas, he is off in Oklahoma this week for work, so here I am all by my lonesome.

 

Like I said, it's a rough week, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger right?  Here's to hoping that's true and that the future brings much happier things.



Sitting. Waiting. Wishing.

As you may or may not know, I work in the world of public accounting, more specifically as an external auditor.  Along with long hours and the need to constantly explain to people that I have nothing to do with taxes, one of the joys of my job is taking and passing the CPA exam [i.e. a series of four 4-hour tests to become a certified public accountant]. 

As you can imagine, this is not a fun process.  On top of my full time job [which at times, has me working 55-60 hours a week], I have spent countless hours studying for these exams the past 6 months.  I've passed up more opportunites to play with friends than I want to count because I was too busy memorizing methods of depreciation, components of a personal income statement, the different types of opinions rendered in an audit and other mind-numbing topics I won't bore you with.  It's been rough, but I have now taken all 4 parts of the exam.  While you may think this means I'm done and officially can have a life again, you are sadly mistaken.  For reasons I don't fully understand, it takes weeks upon weeks to get your score back for each exam.  I am pleased to say I have officially passed 2 parts [REG-92 and BEC-86], however I am currently still waiting for the last 2 scores to roll in. 

I have never been a patient person, and all this waiting is killing me.  I took FAR on July 1 and still have not received my score.  Yes, you read that correctly, I took it July 1, which means it has now been 73 days and I still do not have a score back.  I am terribly nervous about this test in particular [it was brutal] and it's getting so hard to keep waiting [I'm fairly certain I passed AUD, so waiting on that one isn't as bad].  I'm expecting scores within the next 2 weeks, so keep your fingers crossed for me!  Until then, it looks like I just need to keep myself busy [with isn't hard when I work so much].


I just want to know if I'm a CPA or not!  Is that so much to ask?

Flashback to High School.

My life is starting to slow down a bit and as it does, I intend on posting much more frequently. One day I'll take the time to give a little recap of my life the past few months, but today is not that day.

I do not have the energy to put my own thoughts into writing, so instead I'm going to do this silly list I stole from the beautiful Alex. 

Here's 100 things.  Bold for the ones I've done, [] for comments.  Enjoy [and feel free to judge me for a post that is probably eerily similar to one from my high school livejournal.  Ha.]

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band [does 5th grade orchestra count?]
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain [how about a hill?]
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo [not even in karoake]
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill [not a whole day, but a couple hours]
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Went skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon [nor will I ever]
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice [I took a picture of one]
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community [I've seen an Amish group of people...that's a community right?]
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling [granted, it was only in a swimming pool]
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen [I've fed the homeless, but it was under a bridge]
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone [fingers crossed I never do!]
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle [No thank you]
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous [Chelsea Handler, what what!]
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person [I'm from San Antonio...and it's overrated]
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Cross My Heart.

It's no secret,

I am a TERRIBLE Blogger.

I've been a busy little bee the past few months with working all day, studying all night and traveling a lot on the weekends. My life is a constant juggling act and unfortunately, my poor blog was one of the balls that fell to the ground somewhere along the way.

I'm so sorry Blog,
You didn't deserve this neglect and I truly apologize for the lack of attention I've shown you lately. I promise to make it up to you in the very near future. Please forgive me.
Sincerely,
Emily

A Subtle Revelation

Ever since I moved to a new city, I feel like I've become much more adventerous.  Living in a large metroplex with so many things to see and do makes me want to get out there and experience them all.  Nearly every weekend since I moved here I've gone and done something out of the ordinary, something I've never done before, something fun and exciting. 

In the past six months I've gone to my first casino [and left a winner I might add], got my first lap dance, tried my first alcoholic milkshake, spent my first weekend in Kansas, and had many first meals at little local restaurants I've stumbled upon.  In the next six months I plan on seeing my first musical in Dallas, making my first trip to Vegas, jumping out of my first airplane and taking my first walk through the beautiful Dallas arboretum.  That's a lot of firsts for just one year.

The thing is, as much as I love these little weekend adventures, I realized the other day that what I love doing the most in this city is sitting at home in pajamas watching television while the boy sits next to me reading a comic book.  It may not be exciting, but to me its pure bliss.

The Daily Grind

Sometimes in my job I feel like a vagabond. I drift from client to client, never in the same place for very long. I do not have an office, or even a cube, to call my own. No place to hang my pretty diplomas or put pictures of my loved ones. My dress code varies from place to place, along with the hours I work and the people I work with. Few things are constant in the world of public accounting. And while I [typically] love my ever changing life, there's always a part of me that craves some routine. Thus I have found myself, not surprisingly, falling into my own version of the daily grind.

7:00 The alarm goes off. I hit snooze.
7:09 The alarm goes off a second time. I let the radio play, but lie in bed, trying to muster up the strength to get up.
7:15 I slip out of bed, let the little one out and do a round of sit ups
7:30 I eat cereal intended for children whilst perusing the intellectual internet sites such as CollegeHumor and TextsFromLastNight.
7:50 I put on my [insert business dress code for the day here].
8:00 A quick brush of the teeth, a little floss, mouthwash and the most basic of makeup and I'm ready for the day
8:15 I put the little one in his kennel and I'm out the door.
8:45 I stroll into the office (wherever that may be)
...
[insert quitting time here] I pack up my computer and every office supply known to man, and head home
7:00[ish] The little one and I go for a walk (or a run if I'm feeling ambitious)
7:30 I make a salami sandwich and bust out my laptop
7:40 Study time for the next several hours (hey, a CPA isn't gonna earn itself)
10:00 Time to shut down the laptop and hit the showers
10:30 Wasting way more time than necessary on Facebook and Twitter
11:30 Turn on the TV, hit the sleep timer and it's bedtime for this little girl

Lather, rinse, repeat.

It's definitely not a glamorous life, but it's my life and for the time being, it's just the way I like it.

Happy Award

 The lovely Miss Caroline Henley gave me this sweet little award.

Per Caroline's instructions, in order to accept the award I must make a list of 10 things that make me happy. So here goes:

1. Singing in the car.
2. Snuggling with my adorable puppy, PT.
3. Late night talks in bed with Ben.
4. Phone calls with old friends I haven't seen in a while.
5. Ice cream for dinner.
6. Afternoon naps on the weekends.
7. Daydreaming at work.
8. Blue jean Fridays.
9. Running barefoot in the grass.
10.Kisses on the forehead.

Here's to happiness

Love Is...

.friendship set on fire.the master key that opens the gates of happiness.the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.a temporary madness.watching someone die.a symbol of eternity.an act of endless forgiveness.the magician that pulls man out of his own hat.being stupid together.the greatest refreshment in life.what makes the ride worthwhile.a promise.a condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. taking that dive, then getting really comfortable and peeing in the pool.kisses in a bean bag chair.a many splendid thing.just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.

One little word, so many definitions. How do you define love?

Wake Up Call

Death is not something I think about often. It's not a pleasant thought, and for your typical 22 year old, it's not really something you need to worry about.

...Or so I thought.

I found out today that a fellow public accountant collapsed in her office and died suddenly, without warning. She was a first year staff, just like myself [albeit at a rival firm] with no history of medical problems. Healthy as a horse, and yet that one little incident took her out of this world. I didn't know her well. I'd only met her a few times, but we'd shared a few beers and pleasant conversations in our brief time together. She was smart and funny and it's hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that she's gone.

Gone.

Sometimes I forget just how precious life is. I get bogged down in details, wrapped up in drama and stressed over the little things far more often than I'd like to admit. With so many distractions, it's easy to take life for granted. I don't want to take it for granted anymore. I want to live every day as if it were my last. And goddamit, from here on out, I'm going to do just that.

Little Life Lessons

[a little list of lessons life has taught me recently] 

Busy season is upon us, and those 12 hour days are not a myth. New friends are fine and dandy, but nothing beats an old one [especially when they're an Aggie].  Keeping a secret is harder than you would think, especially when it's such a damn good one. Phone calls, texts and instant messages are the glue of my relationships these days (thank God for technology). Happiness is sometimes just a glance across the table and a shared smile.  Studying for the CPA is awesome awful.  Puppies need attention, otherwise they chew your pillows.  Apparently I'm easy to trust [and I'm pretty proud of that quality].  A night good conversation is just as much fun as one of drinking.  Growing up isn't as scary as I thought it would be. 

Oh, and what's that?
Why yes, I am a terrible blogger.My sincerest apologies for that.

A Look Back on 2009

In one word, 2009 was a rollercoaster

I started the year in Dallas with a boy, a job and some of the best friends a girl could ever ask for.

In January, I moved in with my aunt and these two handsome fellows and began working as a lowly intern in the world of public accounting.



In March, as I rapped up my internship life took a sudden change for the worse. My year and a half relationship came to a somewhat abrupt end and things were hard for me. Luckily, this girl was always around to talk some sense into me. I am forever thankful for her.



By May things were going wonderfully, and after the semester ended, I skipped off to Europe with 3 of the most amazing ladies I've ever met. The two week trip was not only a highlight of the year, but quite possibly the best vacation I've ever had. I wouldn't trade the memories made over seas for anything.



I spent the summer drinking copious amounts of alcohol and making new friends. I may not remember many of the nights, but I will never forget the people I met and fell in love with.



August 14, 2009 I officially became a former student. At the time, I thought the day had come too soon. But ready or not, I walked the stage and received my diploma, one of the biggest achievements of my 22 years.



At the end of August I moved away from beautiful College Station and in doing so, somehow lost one of the best friends I made in my four years at A&M. I'm still unclear on exactly what happened, but for whatever reasons unbeknownst to me, I no longer count this crazy girl amongst my friends.



Towards the end of September, I left the comfort of home and made the big move to Dallas, where I now live all by my lonesome (with the exception of the Prince of course).



In October I started my career as an accountant and made some wonderful new friends. People may think accountants are nerdy and lame, but I promise you, we're a lot more fun than you think.



Finally, I sent the year out with a bang with Sookie, 24 and new friends. Per usual, New Year's Eve was filled with liquer, jokes and a few kisses, a great night all around.



And now here I am, ending the year in Dallas, with a boy, a job and some of the best friends a girl could ever ask for.

2010, what do you have in store for me?