Today is a new day

My resolution is to post more... starting now.

I have many pictures... of the house, the restored car (that we FINALLY got back last week), and of the trip to the Grand Canyon we took a few weeks ago. Those will follow shortly... hopefully.

While I intend to post more, it's sort of hard to do so. My CPA class finished a week or so ago and now I'm busy cramming for the test that's quickly approaching. I'm pretty busy at work, too. But, such is life.

Although I'm not a great back poster, I'll try to make more effort to keep this updated as to the current happenings in my life. We'll see how it goes...

Back into school mode

I started my CPA review course about 3 weeks ago. I go to class for 4 hours a night, 2 nights a week. There are 4 parts to the exam. You study for one part at a time, take the exam for that section and then move on to another section. The section I'm studying for right now is the financial section. It's huge and incredibly hard. I've found that I'm glad I've waited (IE: procrastinated) for 2 years to start studying. It seems like I know some things now just from experience that I may not have known before. I'll take this part of the test probably right around October 15. The exact date is to be determined.

So, I have spent all day today trying to cram the information I should have learned in the past 3 weeks into my head. It's going well... I'm just so out of the school mode that it's been hard to get back into the swing of things, to develop a 'study schedule' per se. But, I'm working at it and hopefully something I do works...

My actual job is going well... it's still fairly busy but that's ok. I moved into my own office which is nice and I think I may have mentioned in an earlier post that I got promoted... So, things are going well on that front. Pretty soon I'm going to start a countdown until January 15, the day when things (IE: any life I may pretend to have) start to go down the drain as a result of the craziness of busy season. I can't believe it's already almost that time again... Ugh... Gotta love public accounting!

Out of commission

Both cars, that is.

Our trusty Ford Focus and of course, the mini cooper.

The mini drama is never ending and always infuriating. First of all, insurance companies are dumb. I mean, really, who are these people that we are dealing with? They are just absolute morons. On Tuesday, Tim talked to them and we were 25% liable for the accident, the other lady was 75% liable. When they talked to me on Wednesday, we were 70% liable and she was 30% liable. Did they just determine that they didn't like me after talking to me? Because nothing that happened in the accident changed from Tuesday to Wednesday. They said that ultimately it's my word against hers (so perhaps them just not liking me could be accurate) and that because she was on my right, I'm liable. Dumb. The liability is still to be determined because we learned after further discussion that they have the facts wrong regarding where exactly I was coming from before the accident happened. Apparently that changes everything... it's complicated but I'll suffice it to say that I firmly believe that it was her fault. If nothing else, they should at least say we're both equally liable (50%-50%).

Then, the body shop. Oh, the body shop. They are my new best friends. They called me several days ago to tell me that they are happy to report that they 1) Have all of the parts for my car and 2) Got everything they need from the insurance. I'm thinking, "Fantastic... my car should be done soon!" That bubble burst quickly when my guy said, "I'm happy to report that we'll have your car back to you in FOUR WEEKS!" Oh great, retard, that's just fabulous! You've already had it for four weeks. So the total for fixing my car is 8 weeks? They built the whole thing in England and shipped it to Iowa in 5 weeks. Tell me if that makes sense. Not to mention the fact that if we're 50% liable, we'll have to pay 50% of the rental car costs which are $20 a day. Do the math on that. It's more than I really care to pay for driving around a ghetto Chevy Aveo (what is that, you ask? Just picture the biggest shit box you've ever seen on the roads that is purported to be called a car. But it's a 2006 model! With no CD player! Or tape deck! Or auto locks or windows! And as a bonus it smells like old cigarettes!)

So, on top of this mess, earlier this week the focus deciding to start grinding. And not in a good grinding way. It was the type of grinding that hurt ME to hear it. We realized that it might be the brakes. The car has 106,000 miles on it, we've had it since it was brand spankin new and we've never had the brakes fixed. So we take it in and the brakes need to be fixed in a big $600 type of way... mainly because of the rotors or something (this is the part where I tuned out). Anyway, it's something major... naturally.

Now we're done to the ghetto Chevy Aveo rental car between us... sweet!

Have I mentioned that cars suck?

Poor little Winston

Here are the pictures the adjuster took of our car to give the insurance the estimate (which was approximately $4500, by the way).

It's so sad.

And, yes, the car's name is Winston.

The croc hunter is dead?

I find that absolutely unbelievable.

Steve Irwin just seemed so happy and invincible.

Babies, watermelons, and revelations

So in honor of the traditional labor day festivities, we decided to have a barbeque today since Tim's brother, Aaron, is in town visiting us and he leaves in the middle of the day tomorrow. We went to the grocery store to get the appropriate items, one of which was a watermelon. On the way home, I sat with it on my lap to prevent any rolling that might occur anywhere else in the car.

As I was sitting there with this 10 pound ball on my lap, I had the sudden revelation that it must really be uncomfortable to be pregnant and to be carrying something in your actual body that is similar to this size and shape. I mean... wow. I made the comment to Tim and he basically looked at me like I was crazy. Then I tried to stuff the melon under my shirt to put a realistic spin on it and I think that he freaked a little himself. For whatever reason, because of this ball of melon and its sheer weight, I gained an entirely new respect for all of the mothers out there in the world. I mean, seriously, not only does pregnancy seem highly uncomfortable but after you go through all of that, then you actually have a baby (and everyone KNOWS what comes along with that). I cannot even begin to imagine how, if and when I will ever be prepared for the actuality of this motherhood process... and to think that these thoughts all spawned from a melon... who knew that melons could be so profound?

I'm told I need soap

For what some people may see as a potty mouth? Do I need to refer everyone back to the post I made several months ago stating that I reserve the right to say what I want to say because this is my forum to do so? If it offends anyone, you, in the same manner, have the right to stop reading. I will only be me on this website. The way I am in real life is the way I will be here. I will not conform because of who may or may not be reading this.

Allright. Moving on from that...

Although, I do have one more thing to say about it: if anyone could see my poor little mini car right now, they might have a word of choice to offer, too. It's so sad.

Here are the details: I was going west in a Walgreen's parking lot. This lady in a Dodge Durango was going south. She hit my passenger's side right above the wheel wheel and into the headlight. My hood is all pushed up and out, the light is completely deteriorated. The car cannot be operated at the present time.

Since it happened on private property, the insurance companies fight for whose fault/liability the accident was. So far, the verdict is still out. It's getting towed tomorrow to the body shop recommended by our mini dealer. Then the insurance adjuster will go out at the end of this week to write up an estimate and then the repairs can start to be made. In the meantime, I just have to wait and see who is determined to be liable.

Frankly, I just want my car to be fixed. It kinda blows. I've never been in an accident before and I don't recommend it. It just sucks.

Aside from this, everything else is going well. Just working and playing... the usual. My CPA review course starts next week so I'm trying to enjoy this last week of freedom this week before I lose my life for a while...

By the way, has anyone ever heard of Landon Pigg? I just got his CD and I really like it...

And, again, accidents do happen... aware or not.

Just got into my first one in a Walgreens parking lot just a week after paying $1000 for the accident that I was told I was in but wasn't aware of. Say it with me, people: SHIT. Groan.

It wasn't my fault but of course my car is all jacked up.

Pissed.

Apparently accidents happen without awareness...

Makes no sense, right? I know. I'm with you.

So a week or so ago, I finally decided that the airplane noise that the mini cooper was making every time it was turned off was not normal. I took it into the dealer and because we live in Arizona, something about the water pump was screwed up. Since the car was bought brand new and it's only 1 1/2 years old, it was covered under warranty.

So, I leave it there and get my rental car: a 2006 audi A4 convertible. Sweet. And I go on my way.

I get a call that afternoon in the office that I need two front tires. Price: $900. No way. I'll take it somewhere else. They say fine, the water pump will be fixed in the morning and will be ready by noon. Cool.

The next morning at about 9 a.m., I get a call from the dealer again. They ask if I've been in an accident. Huh? Um, no. Apparently when they were taking the car apart, they found that either 1) I had rear ended someone 2) I had hit something with my front end or 3) someone had hit me. The condenser was bent in so severely that they said it was something I would definitely remember. As a result of the condenser being bent in, if I opted not to fix it immediately, I would then be faced with having to get a new radiator because the condenser was bent to a point where it was making a hole in the radiator. Ugh. So, we went back and forth with the dealer. We didn't feel like we were liable because we hadn't been in an accident. I mean, seriously, how do we know THEY didn't do it? They basically said that if that's the way I felt, we could come get the car. Jackasses. We had no choice but to just suck it up and pay it.

Luckily I was driving a cool, fun rental car... but STILL.

So, the next day I go in and pay approximately $1,000 for a new condenser. And the guy is a complete dick to me (I think Tim had been kind of a jerk to him the prior day when we were going back and forth about whose liability it was... but that was justified!) So that made me mad. And then, this freakshow has the audacity to tell me that he took off $50 from the bill. Oh, thanks a-hole. I mean, seriously. I'm paying $1000... do you really think I give a crap about $50? If the total labor was $100 and he took off $50, that would be a different story.

Anyway, it was frustrating, to say the least. The only thing we can figure is that someone hit us in a parking lot or something.

Last week was an expensive week... that's the moral of the story. We paid $1000 for the car, $2600 for the mortgage, and $3300 for the dumb CPA exam stuff (which I am really NOT looking forward to). Why does grown up stuff have to be so expensive? Sometimes I just want to rewind the clock all the way back to 2nd grade... stuff was so much simpler then... I didn't even know that cars had problems or what mortgages were back then. All I cared about was what clothes my barbies were wearing.

The beginning of a long road...

I just got notification from the Arizona State Board of Accountancy that I have been approved to sit for the CPA exam. On the surface this is good news in that it means that I meet all of the qualifications necessary to be a candidate. But, deep down, it really means that I now begin the long task of studying and actually sitting for the exam. The first step is to enroll in Becker (the most known program of study for the CPA exam). This will require that I give up 4 hours two nights a week OR 8 hours every Saturday for 4 months (1 month per section of the exam). Then, after a month is completed, I take the corresponding section of the exam (and pray upon everything that I pass). So, I'm probably going to opt for the two weeknight classes simply because I refuse to give up a weekend day. Oh, and did I mention how much it costs just to study? It's about $2K. To sit is another $1K. Luckily, the benefits of passing FAR outweigh the cost.

I'm so out of school mode, though. I just don't want to return to that way of life. It sounds just disgusting to me. Study? Ick. Take a test, much less, a HUGE, life-changing test? Bigger ick. And aside from that, I am working full time and trying to cram as much of this process in before my life stops again for busy season in January for 5 solid months. Should be interesting...

More pictures...

I have nothing exciting to post. All I do is work... well, sort of. I do find time to play, as evidenced by these pictures. Hopefully next week will be a little less crazy and I'll have more time to put together some posts...

Last weekend I went to Sedona with a friend- we hiked and enjoyed the cool weather. It was spectacular! Tomorrow we have a happy hour for one of the girls who is leaving and then the rest of the weekend I plan to sit by the pool and lounge around...

By the way before anyone jumps to STUPID conclusions, Tim has been in California... which would be why he hasn't been making the headlines of this blog. So switch the rumor mill position to OFF.

The group... 7-13-06

Jaimi and I at Sandbar after Sushi 7-14-06

Um, yeah, don't ask. 7-14-06

Jaimi and I laughing our asses off... (probably because we were TRYING to dance... Carmen Electra booty shake- who wants to see it?!) 7-14-06

The cool chicks I work with-6-26-06

Who is that nerd? 6-26-06

Kim & I-6-26-06