Posted on by Karissa

Goals for 2020

So we are six weeks into 2020, but I am still trying to figure out what my main goals for the year are. I am trying to have at least one for what I believe to be the important parts of my life. As soon as I share them, you guys can help hold me accountable. But, here are the couple I have so far:

My reading goal for the year is 50 books. That’s a little less than a book a week, and I think I can pull it off. Heck, I have 12 done already which will be good if I get into a reading slump later in the year.

Health goals are going to be non-scale based. I think that is part of the reason why I have such a hard time with it- numbers get into my head. I want to complete a 5k by the end of the year and move from power walking to jogging on the treads at my Orange Theory class. I just started jogging on the all outs without inclines, and man, that makes me super winded. Cardio is not my thing, y’all.

I want to finish writing my NaNoWriMo 2019 novel before NaNoWriMo 2020 starts. My plot decided to not follow my outline so I have been stuck with how to get things going again.

Make the most out of my annual passes. I am paying for Universal and SeaWorld, and I don’t want that money to be wasted. I don’t see it happening because I just love theme parks and roller coasters, but my life isn’t 24/7 Disney (it basically is, but we keep getting blocked out thanks to Star Wars).

Career wise I don’t have any specific goals yet. Last year was huge for my job, so I feel like this year will be honing my knowledge on skills I need for industry accounting. The change from public was a welcome one, but a lot of my every day smarts are not used here as they were tax related. It’s a different brain and I am enjoying it very much.

I plan on keeping you updated on these goals and more as they come up. I also plan on bragging about all the fun theme park stuff I get up to, so if you have any questions about Orlando theme parks, let me know and I will do my best to answer!

Posted on by Karissa

There’s a light…

At the end of the tax season tunnel. While Friday is business return deadline and everyone is stressed, we have just over a month until freedom.

And for me, that freedom means actual weekends and Disney World.

Things have gotten to a slightly more manageable than they were. I’m settling into this senior role with all it’s weird management like responsibilities. It’s getting easier every day, but that does not mean I am less overwhelmed by it all at times.

What has really helped has been going to the gym before work. That’s right. My husband and I are getting up at 5 and going to the gym most mornings now- except on the one day a week I see my personal trainer. My mood has been a lot better and I don’t have an excuse to not go to the gym.

Also, I rock the wet braid look at work.

This week will be a challenge thanks to deadline PLUS daylight savings time. I’m already sleep deprived so let’s take away an hour on top of long days.

Good luck fellow accountants. Five weeks until the end and we can sleep until extended deadline.

Posted on by Karissa

Long Time, No Write

Hello everyone! I know I haven’t said much at all this year (I’m not counting my birthday announcement. That was like five words), but it’s officially half-way through tax season. I figured it was past time to check in.

This season is kicking my butt. The new tax laws are tough to figure out, and a lot of things have changed. My work load is probably the same as last year, but the added responsibilities I have as a senior accountant have my stress levels really high. I feel over anxious about everything- especially the little things that I can’t control. I’m exhausted. Let me put it this way: Shrek the Musical made me cry when Shrek bursts from the outhouse in the opening song. I cried because of Shrek.

But, I had a fantastic birthday. My family and husband surprised me by taking me to Agatha’s dinner theater in downtown Atlanta. The 2019 winter show is Hamilton based, and it was fantastic. Best part was they threw in some Schoolhouse Rock. I could not have asked for a better celebration.

Oh, that jacket I’m wearing? That was a gift from my brother. He MADE that. It is gorgeous and I am so sad the weather has not been nice enough to wear it. Here’s the back:

IT’S A BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JACKET. Y’all, my brother is super talented. He’s made himself a music themed leather jacket, and I think he’s making Mom a Marvel one. Dude has all the creativity I wish I had. I’m jealous.

Anyway, we are three weeks from business tax deadline and then the big tax deadline is only a month after that. I can see the Disney glow at the end of the tunnel (I get to book fastpasses Wednesday. The homesickness is real). It’s only going to get busier and crazier from here, so I would not be surprised if the next time I post is April 16th. I’ll try not to wait that long.

How’s your 2019 going? Any other accountants feel the crunch yet?

Posted on by Karissa · 1 Comment

Near… FAR…

Tomorrow is the big day. The day I take the FAR portion of the C.P.A. exam for the fourth time. My previous scores has ranged from the mid 50s to the mid 60s, so I think it is safe to say that this test is my doom.

I really started to study hard the past month or so, and I felt pretty good leading up to last weekend when I planned to take time off to have a no-distraction study palooza. Well, life happened and there was a death in the family, so I did not get the amount of studying done that I probably needed to. So, right now I feel kind of apprehensive, and I did make a “worst case senario” plan, but I can still totally pass this.

I did make use of those word documents I posted about a while ago. Here they are for all my transparent glory:

June 25- July 22
July 23- Aug 19
This week (Aug 20-26)
Re-Write of Notes
Color Coded Notes
Re-writing notes took up almost half my notebook

Yes, I color coded my notes. I have three or four sets of colored pens. They are not just for my planner.

You can also see that There are a lot of “none” spaces on my tracker. Yeah, I should have started getting serious sooner. I also went on vacation and ignored everything for a couple of those weeks. Slight regret because I am not where I want to me on the practice tests, but I needed my vacation.

My test is at 8 am tomorrow morning. It is a four hour test that will probably take me two hours if I go by past exams. Hopefully, it will take me a tad longer than that because my speed is not a good thing when the questions are made to trick you. I need to slow down and make sure I read and reread everything.

I plan on taking today as a major review day on the areas I still have issues in. Work has been crazy busy this week, so I do not know if I will get much time, but I have also worked my butt off the past few days to get all my assignments to a point where I may get time to review at my desk this afternoon. We’ll see.

Wish me luck and good luck to everyone else taking the exam!