Thursday, September 22, 2016

Viva Las Vegas!

By this time tomorrow, I'll be in LAS VEGAS baby! It's time to celebrate a good friend's last few days as a bachelor and cheers to his upcoming wedding!

Here's to our friend and Adam Levine's doppelgänger... Jordan Migglesworth.

You're right, that's still just Adam Levine. Just wanted to see if you were still reading. 

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

The Power of Time Off

It's OFFICIAL! We are departing on DECEMBER 1, 2016 to start our 6 month sabbatical from work!

The road that lead us to this point was long and curvy with plenty of u-turns and detours, but we're finally here. This is the right point in our careers to take this break. We will recharge and come back rejuvenated.

We took many steps and planned every move we made at our jobs. We've been completely calculated. But now we look forward to breaking away from the disciplined lifestyle we've been leading to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

We are excited to break bread with the locals and tourists alike. We want to sip the local libation, partake in the common fare, explore the side streets, and experience the major attractions that define a city or village or town or geographic coordinate. Doesn't that sound enticing?

Join us! Come travel with us be it for a few days or weeks. We're looking for company along the way. These new experiences are all the more valuable when you have friends to enjoy it with.

If I can't convince you, then maybe this guy can. So pay attention because his idea is captivating. 



Friday, September 16, 2016

Pageantry? Philanthropy? Just ask them a question they can answer or don't ask at all.

Two nights ago, I DVR'd the Miss America competition for my wife so that we could watch it together. So tonight, we got the chance. 

To this day, it still baffles me as to why judges still find the need to ask lengthy questions about topics which the women may not find interesting or be able to respond to appropriately or honestly. Why put them through such agony? And it's not just them, why put us, the audience, through the pain of listening to answers that make no sense, that don't even respond to the original question at hand? Why must we listen to responses that lack actual opinion and are formulated on political correctness? Or why allow us to hear false positive replies just because they fear the backlash of their true opinions? I just don't get it.

If you want to have a pageant and showcase women, their philanthropy, their ability to empower, their charitable contributions, or community service endeavours,  then do that.

But leave the questions and answers to the contestants on Jeopardy! (7PM Weeknights on ABC).


Thursday, September 15, 2016

Another Deadline in the Books

It's been years since I've been in public accounting with the Big 4 at PricewaterhouseCoopers. And I certainly don't miss all the long hours working on corporate tax returns for multiple clients at a time. But I completely understand what you tax accountants have been going through even though I'm on the private side now. Believe me, my wife is still in the business, and I can feel her pain. 

The careers we chose is not easy. We battle time, constant change, different personalities, a variety of demands, little rewards, limited sleep, unhealthy eating. We find little time for our spouses, pets, families, or socializing. And in the end, we only have the end goal of "pushing a button" (on 9/15 and 10/15) to satisfy the government's requirement to file what clients are unable to do on their own.

It's a thankless job, but someone has to do it. And that's us.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Septembers Never Change

Every September, students return to school and teachers restart their curriculum. Fall weather begins. Pumpkin spice lattes rejoin the menus at Starbucks. And football debuts rookies and veterans alike. 

But since 2001, one of the most historically important and emotionally charged September events in the United States history is the memorial of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center / Twin Towers in NYC. 

And on this 15th anniversary of those events, nothing has changed. Nor has the memory faded. 

#neverforget



PS:
- good luck to all students and teachers! #education #deeperlearning
- Let's go JETS! #NYJets

Monday, September 5, 2016

Laboring Day No More (for me at least)

For the first time in 11 years as a tax accountant, I did not labor on Labor Day.

Unfortunately, my wife (a tax accountant also) in confined to her cubicle until after September 15.

It's ok babe... at least you can be comfortable in the office.