Hi!

It's been a VERY long time since I've been here. My plate has been FULL. Scratch that, I've had more than one FULL plate in front of me over the last year. So here it is:


I took AUD in April. FAIL. Because of that fail, I had to retake BEC in July. PASS (of course). Then, I retook AUD in August. FAIL. Sigh. At this point I felt like giving up completely. Something in me told me to stick with it. So, I took a week-long vacation to Dubai to clear my head. Yes, Dubai. As in the United Arab Emirates. As in 27+ hour travel time (three different flights) one way. It. Was. AWESOME! I didn't want to come back home.

Anywho, when I returned stateside, I switched studying tactics. This time I ordered an online self study system from CPAexcel. I retook AUD on October 13. A little over one month went by before my score was posted on NASBA.

80!

I passed!!! It's been a loooong time coming. Exactly two years between the time I first passed BEC and the time I finally passed AUD. I am THROUGH with the CPA exam! So what have I been doing since, you ask? Celebrating? I WISH!

Like I said, I've had quite a few full plates in front of me. I began teaching the Basic Income Tax Preparation Course for Liberty Tax Service for the upcoming tax season. I began studying for a real estate license back in October. I've always been interested in real estate and I have plans to become an investor. I was persuaded to take the Special Enrollment Examination (SEE) to become an Enrolled Agent, a professional enrolled to represent taxpayers before the IRS. The SEE is much like the CPA exam except there are only three exams instead of four and it's not *quite* as difficult. I took my first part yesterday and passed. I take the second part next Friday.

Finally, I started my own company (along with my business partner, my mother) to own and operate a number of Liberty Tax Franchises. It's been a week since I decided to go for it and I've been running in five hundred thousand directions ever since. Since my mom is in Iraq I have to do most of the legwork myself. Luckily, I'm fortunate enough to have worked for a great family who already own a few Libertys and who happen to be the Area Developers so they've been helping A LOT! (Thanks and much love to the LINDERS!)

So, anywho, that's what's been going on with me since October. My life's been thrown into high gear and I love it!