The End . . . for now . . .

Well, let’s just say that after a Subway maize that landed us from the DC Metro to Alexandria, Virgina we ended up riding back into the Regan Int’l airport to rent a car to drive back to Portsmouth, where our original car was located.  Then, after returning the car (in Norfolk), we started our journey back to North Carolina.  Seven hours I tell ya!  Everyone was exhausted the following day.  We rested, then we shopped some more, (finally, I get to see the inside of the JCPenney!) and on the 22nd, we returned home to Nassau.

(Did I mention that I drove from North Carolina to Morrisville, NC because one of my couz wanted to see his fmr. college buddy? Didn’t think so.  They drove all of the other times, so it was only fair that I drove that once.  I was hesitant, i.e. scared out of my mind, since I don’t drive the highways, but once you get the hang of it, it’s really cool, that is, really easy).  It isn’t something I’d do normally, but it’s gratifying to know that I could if I needed to.  Also, his pal is from Accra, Ghana and now we’re making plans to head there next year.  The saving starts now!)

A great time was had by all.  My only regret was that I didn’t get enough souvenirs for everyone back home.  (When I saw what I wanted to buy, some NC sauces, it was time to board).  Anyways, just an excuse for another trip!

Just as a side note: I didn’t bother doing any new year resolutions this year.  I’m just forwarding my old ones into this new year.  We’ll see how that goes . . .

LATA!

Inauguration Post (Pt. 3)

Finally around 7.20am, we pull up in front of the place where we would be eating breakfast, ($26 for breakfast, by the way – highway robbery for eggs and hash browns, but I digress).  The inauguration started at 12pm, but there were tons of people out already, trying to get their spot for the festivities.  I had on three shirts, a scarf, leather gloves, a heavy coat jacket and waterproof boots, and I was FREEZING!!!  Yes, freezing my butt off in 19 degree weather with a wind chill to boot.  My nose was running like a tap and I didn’t think that I was going to make it.   Thankfully, one of my couzs felt my pain, himself a UWI grad, and not used to these cold temps.  We hung out and drank in the moment around us.

This was the first time that I had seen everyone so happy, and I mean EVERYONE.  There were absolutely NO haters in sight.  There were people there from all races; black, white, asian, latino and everything in between.  People from all nations and all ages, (I don’t know how young kids stood the weather, some didn’t even have on gloves!), were smiling and laughing, waiting for this momentous occassion.  Believe me when I tell you that Hotties Handwarmers = Life Savers.  (I can’t thank that vendor enough.)  We watched the musical selections, etc. on the jumbotrons and when it was time for the oaths, everyone cheered, (even though there was tons of booing when they flashed on GBush).  There were so many faces and chests bursting with pride, it was truly joyous.

Unfortunately, since they had to do the swearing in again, everyone missed the “true” oath/swearing in moment, but for what we caught, it was enough.  We didn’t have tickets for the parade, but I headed back to warmth and shelter.  I didn’t see Washington the way I would have liked, but I promised myself that I will return, in warmer weather to catch all the stuff that I missed! (pics haven’t come up yet, but I’ll try to add when I do) I didn’t take much any/many pics, so I’ll have to collaborate with my peeps to get some of their images.

The drive back to NC was another story . . .

Inauguration Post (Pt. 2)

Back to the trip;

On the 17th, I boarded the plane for North Carolina, where my cousin lives, to meet up with my other cousins so that we could drive up to Washington, DC.  The flight on Delta was good, (I didn’t have to pay for any bags), and when I arrived there, the airport was laid out quite well.  The temperature was a “brisk” twenty-something degrees.  Now, being someone who had never experienced anything lower than 54 degrees; that was quite a shock.  I could ’smoke’ coming out of my mouth!!!

And we had to go outside of the airport to catch the car-rental shuttle.  I was never so happy to see the bus.   Always, my cousins from Nassau and I proceeded to North Carolina in a pretty sweet ride, with our Mapquest directions.  It took about an hour or so to get to his town Winston-Salem, where he greeted us and showed us his place; where we would be staying for the next few days.  That night, we went to dinner at a posh restuarant and I went to bed satisfied.

The following day (Sunday), we went to couz’s church and relaxed a bit.  I don’t really remember what all we did, but I remembe driving around quite a bit, and being impressed with the layout of the town.  WS has about 500,000 people, but traffic never seems to be an issue; everything flows along just as smoothly as if there are no cars at all.  Everything is clean, and the people are friendly and cool.  Oh yeah, and my Nassau Couzs shopping for Vid Cams to document the ‘event of the year’.

Don’t really remember the 19th either really.  I do remember that it was a holiday and that we shopped for a bit more (obviously, I didn’t get anything or else I would have remembered alot more), before we started the drive up to Portsmouth to meet some other group to travel with into DC.  We took a tour bus, as the cars/vans were being scrutinized (security detail), which left at 2am the following morning.  The drive there to meet them was three hours and boy were we beat!  Thank goodness for the  four hour drive on the bus.  We all slept soundly.

Finally, Inaguaration day . . .

Inauguaration Post

Last week was fantastic!!!  Well, let me flash back.

Unfortunately, I was not able to complete NanoWriMo.  A colleague of mine ended up taking her maternity leave on Oct. 31, and I had to assume her duties, so I definitely had no time for anything else.  In addition, I had to post-phone my exams from November to January 2009.

Fast forward to January 2009; I was scheduled to take my exams on the 15th and 16th, where I went into Miami and was supposed to drvie up to FLL with my directions from Mapquest.  The drive was actully really good, and I enjoyed it.  It took about an hour, (since I avoided the tolls/highways), but I got there just in time for audit.  Audit was the one I studied the least for and I was quite nervous, but when I got in there the answers started flowing, and I didn’t get anything that I was vague on.  That being the case, I’m relatively confident that I did ok on that one.

The business exam was a different story.  I studied business the hardest/longest, the last bit of studying coming just an hour before the exam.  But dang, was that exam hard!  However, the last thing I studied was the first thing on the exam, so hopefully, that translated into points that will get my over the top in that exam.  That way, I’ll only have financial in February (got the notice changed), and regulation in April.  Pray for me.  I enjoyed fort lauderdale, as this was the most time I ever spent there.  Can you imagine, lived in the dorms in Miami for two years and never been to fort lauderdale?!  Anyways, I plan to change that and spend more time in the FLL.

Anyways, onto the more important part of the trip . . .

NanoWriMo or Bust . . . .

It’s been a while since I’ve been here, jotting down what’s been going on in my life thus far.  I can’t believe it’s October already, last quarter of the year.  Only three more months to try and make all of those resolutions of old realities.  I was accpeted into the Master’s Program; however, doe to money contraints, yes I had the collecteral, and the bank was still giving me the run-around, I opted to try for next sitting, which is in 2010.  I was hurt, since I decided that I wanted my MBA by the age of 30, but such is life.  I received my land papers 3 days before the classes are supposed to start, on Oct. 03, when my best friend calls and says that due to low response/sign-up, the program has been postphoned til further notice!  Either way, it wasn’t going to work out, so I’m glad that I placed my focus elsewhere for the meantime.  I’m hoping that they decide to offer it next year, hopefully, by then, I’ll have my mess together, and the funds outright.  That way, I don’t have to fool with any banks at all.  CPA first, MBA later.

I’m taking the CPA mean at the end of the month, finally, (or the beginning of next month, as Nov 01 is a Saturday, and I can’t miss too much work.  I’ve been studying quite a bit, and I think this may really be my time to get through.  After that, it’s NanoWriMo full speed ahead!!!  I decided that I couldn’t miss this for a 3rd year in a row.  Not this time around.  I am so psyched.  I have a title, now to get an outline together, but I have a little less than 3 weeks do so, so I should be okay.  I haven’t specified a genre, but either way, I intend to make my 50,000 goal, and have the story making sense at the same time.  (I’ll let you know how I do.)

Finally, I’ve been ferocious about paying off all my bills.  I’ve gotten a few credit cards off of my back, and I’m down to three; one local and two int’l ones.  Why won’t those college balances ever go away?  By my calculations, if all goes well, I’ll only owe one card by Christmas.  Then I can start re-paying my savings.  My accounts right now are pretty dry, but in these hard economic times, I don’t think anyone wants their money in any bank.  I know I don’t.  I’m just fending off interest payments at this point.  But, it feels good, getting out of debt, seeing the balances whittling down, (somewhat).  The exam cost a pretty penny, but that was my last major purchase for the year, and for quite some time.  Thankfully, it’s an investment and not just an expenditure.  I even wanted to purchase another piece of land, but due to the lack of contact between me and the realtor, that doesn’t look like that’s going to happen either.  Might be just as well though, as things are worrying all around.

Personally, I’ve been so busy paying bills and studying for this exam, that I gat nothing going on.  Tons of stuff I want to do, and no time in which to do them.  Hopefully that will change next year, but for now, nose to the grindstone . . .

Things are moving so quickly . . .

. . .  and yet not quickly enough.

My interview went well, and I got accepted (yay, I’m going to Grad. School!), but the loan money hasn’t come through as yet.  I did the interview for that, and that too went well, but one never knows.  The call should come by end of today, but I’m nervous that it’s going to be in the negative.  Fingers crossed that it all works out.

I am sick and tired of this cash crunch!!!  I knew that when I left my job, that things would be tight, but this is ridiculous.  Even more of an incentive to pass these exams and get back in the game to make some real money.  Since returning to the family business however, I have realized that there is an opening to make some real money provided that the initial cash is available to start the project.  I’m currenly analyzing costs, (and praying that I win the lottery).

The “break” has been a nice semi-relaxing one, especially since I didn’t know what I wanted to do after my stint in auditing, however, since I now have a direction in which I would like to go, I realize that now is the time to get it all sorted out.  I feel as if I’m behind at least two or three years where I should be in life, and am desperately trying to catch up.  My 28th birthday is in two weeks, which means that I’m closer to thirty than ever!  So many of my friends are married, with children, and I’m still living home with my folks!  I understand that I put my career first and most of them did not, but it’s still a struggle seeing everyone so settled.  Sadly, all roads point to passing this exam, and I was having such a great time relaxing, so I guess I’d better get to it.  Later.

One more day . . . (drafted 29May08)

It’s unbelieveable now fast time flies.  Tomorrow will be the last day at my first official job since college.  Like I said before, it was good while it lasted and I’m ready for a change.  I know where I want to go next and why, however, I must get through some exams and a few other things before I make any significant changes to accomodate my journey ahead.  My interview for college is tonight as well, and I’m nervous.  (I shouldn’t be really, but I don’t want to say the wrong thing)!  I just pray that all goes well.

I have so many things on my ‘to do’ list, and I want them to happen so fast, as I feel that time is catching up and taking over my life.  However, when I try to sit down and complete something, either I get bored, distracted or caught up by something else entirely, but I guess that’s life for ya.  I’m one salary payment away from owing the land that I purchased a few years ago; so that’s really thrilling for me.  (YAY me!), and they say that it takes ‘about’ 30 days to get my documents, etc. so I should have everything wrapped up by my birthday!

One accomplishment down.  Now, to pay on my other debts.  If all goes well, I’ll only have two card balances oustanding, and I’m reducing spending like crazy to make this new budget work.  Working on a reduced salary is a pain, but hey, no pain, no gain!

The countdown is on . . .

Yep, that’s it.  One more week; i.e. five more busienss days, until I become unemployed.  (Edit – Hey, I posted this on May 03, so I had a little less than a month left).  You’d think I’d be sad and depressed, however, it’s just the opposite.  Three years was enough, and now it’s time to move on.  I know that I want to work in audit again, at a later date, but I’m done with my current workplace.  It was fun (and stress) while it lasted, but now it’s time for the new blood to experience what I have gone through.

It wasn’t all bad though.  These three years have opened up so many new experiences and opportunities for me, that I am grateful.  I know what I want to do with my life, beacuse now it narrows down the audit portion quite a bit, (along with a few other accounting fields that I don’t want to deal with).  Financially, now that I’m more aware of how much things cost, (why does everything have to be so expensive!!!), I know how much money I want to make, (as much as I can . . . ha ha), and what I need to prioritize for now in life.  Socially, I’ve met great people, who I hope will remain my friends for a very long time.

I haven’t told my Dad yet, the only three people being my mum and sis and a close friend.  The former carried on like it was the end of the world, so I can just imagine my Dad.  Anyways, the job officially ends May 30, cause that’s when my vacation would be up, so I have a little under a month.  Once I pass my exams though, I hope I won’t be unemployed for too long.  We’ll see how everything goes from hereonin.  Anyways, I’m not the only one leaving this week.  It’s a group of three for the moment, and I wish us all well.

It’s been a while . . .

Yes, it’s been a long time.  Seems  as if between work and studying, the little time I thought I had for myself, has now disappeared.  Not much has happened since the last time I wrote, except that now that I’m putting in the time, I’m understanding these concepts more and it’s all making a bit more sense.

 As usual, I’m just waiting around for payday.  That can never come around soon enough.  I’m devoted to getting this land paid off by June.  At way, if I leave the firm, I wouldv’e left with something.  Actully, quite a bit had happened, since I last wrote.  I’ve made the decision to leave my current workplace.  I want to move to another firm for a different experience.  I found out that a company I’m interested in learning about is being consulted by a rival firm, so since my contract ends in June, I’m going to send in a resume and hope for the best.

Pretty big decision based on my list of goals.  I’m gonna need to add it to my list.

UPdate

I am seriously making strides towards achieving my goals this year.  I re-signed up for my CPA classes, and have my schedule set up accordingly.  Next week, I intend to push hard at work, and complete some projects that I have been avoiding for some time.  Now, the real work begins . . .

 Personally, I am seriously tempted to bite my nails.  I hae painted them with clear nail polish, in an attempt to stop, but I am more enticed than ever.  I fear that in a studying binge, that I’m going to bite them all off unknowingly.  It shouldn’t be an issue, however, to me the nails signify my commitment to making changes this year.  If I cut the nails, it represents a step back on my goals.  Yep, the nails are the symbol that represent my stickability to all of my projects this year.

 Wish me luck.