Kinda hard to get up my usual enthusiasm for the annual recounting of the year's adventures, since the highlights are routinely posted on FB, but not all of you follow me religiously, for better or worse, so I'll try to summarize.
After being on the Masters Degree Fast Track in 2010, I hopped off altogether in 2011. Continual scanning of the job market revealed little improvement, and cost-benefit analysis led to a conclusion that a Masters Degree wasn't going to pay off when competing for entry level accounting jobs in this market. Better to conserve cash, enjoy life and gain some experience. And I have succeeded in doing all three!
Keeping up my fun with Safe Harbor Lab Rescue and adding Pawsitive Works to the mix, I spent Feb-May leisurely preparing for the biggest of the 4 CPA exams and was ecstatic to score an 89 on that 4 hour test. I passed the 2nd part in July, and after a road trip to visit Canine Angels Service Teams in Oregon, I registered with an accounting temp agency and immediately was placed at a well-respected local hospital. The original 6 week position was extended again and again, and will be up to 5 months when I wave good-bye at the end of this week.
The hospital gave me just exactly the experience that I felt I needed to get started in this field, so in 2012 I will go back to school part time and simultaneously prepare for the 4th part of the CPA exam, tax, which I dread. In case you were counting and wonder what happened to #3 - preparing as we speak and taking that baby on Jan 3, just about 2 weeks from now.
The dogs have been a source of entertainment, joy and pride this year, but you can read all about that, and even watch cool video, in the blog post prior to this one, in the archives over there on the right side of this page.
Under the topic of Reflected Glory, my brother was published twice this year. Timothy Braatz is his name. Disproportionates is his game. One book is a very clever comedy, the other a tough dose of reality. Available for Kindle and on paper.
I continue to enjoy the benefits of apartment living, and 'cept for not having a fenced yard for the pups, I don't miss having a house to take care of. If a lightbulb should burn out, or I should toss an earring down the sink, I just call the friendly maintenance man. And if the snow should fall overnight, my drive is plowed by morn. I even have a connected garage so I can carry my groceries right from the car into the kitchen, and I have a view out my big picture window that rivals that of most neighborhood houses.
Being close to my parents for the first time in 20 years paid off as hoped during a recent health scare, as did working at the right hospital, but they are still young and continue to be very independent and generally healthy. When they aren't flying south on the MedStar Leer Jet or helicopter, or driving south to CA or AZ for the winter, I make the 100 mile trek north about once a month to visit them where my dogs-in-lieu-of-grandchildren provide them with entertainment while I study or work and enjoy their very incredible views (see photo below).
Ok, here comes the last advertisement:
In addition to 3 non-profits, 2 turtle doves and a W-2 type job, I also keep busy with a 1099-type job, consulting in a former colleague's start-up 3 time zones away. I do a variety of tasks for RVNN.TV, and for the third consecutive year, I'll be Chief Cat Herder for the TPN.TV coverage of the huge Consumer Electronics Show coming up in Las Vegas in 3 weeks. Another project that RVNN is involved in right now is a social media promotion for client PetHub. Christmas gift idea? Follow this link (Click Here) and use the Coupon Code RVNN20, and you'll get a 20% discount and RVNN will get credit, which will help pay my paycheck. So, for the pet lover in your family, check it out and pass it on.
And on that note,
Happy Holidays to You and Yours
and All Your Furry Friends Too, and
Best Wishes for a Wonderful 2012!
