Abreviations and Acronyms

Lately it seems my daily voacaulary has been reduced to abreviations and acronyms.

In accounting there are so many different long and laborious terms that it is easier to use acronyms when you talk about them.

There is IRS, FTB, IFRS, GAAP, GAAS, PCAOB, SAS, or my new favorite, GAGAS (apparently Lady Gaga is a secret CPA...). It is now possible to have an entire conversation without actually saying any substantial words.

In addition to acronyms, I have resorted to excessive abreviations. I abrev all the time in general, but recently I have been studying for my CPA exam and making post-its notes of important information. So in the attempt to condense 500 pages of accounting notes onto a 3x3 post-it note, I have been abreviating. This has led to some accidental words...

For instance, last Monday, I was sitting at Panera, eating my sandwich and making post-it notes, when all of a sudden I realize I have been writing STDs all over my notes. Here I thought I had discovered a clever abreviation for the word standards...guess not.

It brought back the memory of the time I abreviated situational analysis in a text message to a friend...it was as bad as you think...

Needless to say, I need to work on developing my awareness skills and learning vocab like I'm about to take the SAT again.

Where in Orange County is Amanda...

Eating fabulous food

Sitting in traffic

Drinking Tea with the roommates

4 Foolproof Study Methods

For the past month I have been studying for my CPA exam and my habits have gone to a new level...

1. Read the book





2. Take Notes







3. Make Post-it note reminders of key concepts
   
   




4. Discover new uses for mirrors other than fixing your hair

Correlations

I wonder if there is a correlation between days with rain* and an increase in tow truck service in Southern California...

*It was not raining this morning. It was not even drizzling. It was misting. I saw three fender benders and I could never reach over 30 mph on the freeway.

Surprises

I am two months into my job and there have been quite a few surprises

• I am surprised at how frustrating it is to only work 40 hours a week
• I am surprised at how easy it is to work 80 hours
• I am surprised at how much people at work care about my mental health and make me take a day off
• I am surprised at how easy-going many people are in the office
• I am surprised at how many people come in late because they went surfing or leave early to go golfing
• I am surprised at how much laughter can be in an engagement team working around the clock to meet a deadline

These are more or less lifestyle or perspective surprises. The surprises that have really convicted me are:

• I am surprised at how many people bow their heads before they eat a meal
• I am surprised at how many people talk about God making his will clear through provision and open doors
• I am surprised at how many people talk about church groups and bible studies

It's almost like I was expecting and preparing myself to be a lone ranger Christian at work; that I don't think the body of Christ exists outside of church or Biola. Maybe I was used to the lip-service Christianity of high school or I had heard too many horror stories about the debauchery of the business world. But either way, I have realized that I guess I don't expect much from the body of Christ in terms of support outside a church environment.

But even in this convicting realization of how I view my fellow believers, it is evident that God has answered prayers of making his presence known and providing people at work to encourage me and watch out for me.

You know you stay late at work when...

• You get locked IN the building
• You eat more at your desk than you do at your dinner table
• When you leave, the calendar on your phone says a different day than when you got to the office
• The days have blended together
• You have no idea what the weather was actually like that day
• You enjoy the Disneyland fireworks...from the freeway
• You call leaving at 8pm early

Two weeks ago, I was sitting at my desk counting ceiling tiles...now, I am experiencing fall busy season and have not been at my apartment for more than sleeping for the last two weeks. It is nice to have work...but man, this is getting interesting...September 15th can't come fast enough and yet it is coming a little too fast.

The Adventures of a Tax Consultant

Well, after my first full month of working at Deloitte, I am beginning to adjust to life as a working adult. I get up early, I go to bed early, I drink five cups of coffee a day, and I haven't worn jeans in three weeks...I do sometimes have to remind myself to learn to look forward to work and not just getting home from work or the weekends. Living for the times that make up a minority percentage of my life would be a unsatisfying existence.

Work has been a mixed bag so far, but I have learned some useful things:

• I know how to print duplex-sided
• I know how to make text changes in a pdf
• I know how to scan to email
  
• I know how to prepare workpapers
• I know how to process check a 300 page tax return
• I know how to prepare a budget for a potential new client
• I know how to avoid the traffic on the 55 and the 405...
  

Nothing too exciting so far, but I did give myself a small heart attack when I dropped a 500 page tax return on the floor...thank goodness for numbered pages though!

I also have Deloitte paraphernalia spread around my apartment...anyone want a visor?