tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218329732024-03-07T18:49:47.798-08:00Daphne's AdventuresDaphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.comBlogger178125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-72775422407079963992009-09-01T13:42:00.000-07:002009-09-01T13:45:34.911-07:00Announcement<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighPTFXFlYJyQ76wYl3KiSjCdk6VXiilzFQpVk9bj9VAyLaqdM1jU8ykXDAzBsAIfR4lbvspGbW_pH9eUqwCaclJbMojqSH9AcNIF1h6wt4hly0dHYo3tyv0_1p-EzDSum5Dl5fQ/s1600-h/Proposal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376602929862543538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighPTFXFlYJyQ76wYl3KiSjCdk6VXiilzFQpVk9bj9VAyLaqdM1jU8ykXDAzBsAIfR4lbvspGbW_pH9eUqwCaclJbMojqSH9AcNIF1h6wt4hly0dHYo3tyv0_1p-EzDSum5Dl5fQ/s200/Proposal.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>Hey everyone. Just a quick announcement to say I'm back from Sydney, and I'm engaged. Woohoo! Sorry that the news is coming via blog, I'd love to call each and every one of you, but this is the quickest way. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Much love,</div><br /><div>Daphne</div>Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-90681571750737096862009-04-06T22:02:00.000-07:002009-04-06T22:15:59.654-07:00Off to Sydney Again!Hey everyone. I'm leaving for Sydney again to visit Aussie Man. I'll be gone for about 2 weeks beginning this weekend. Work has been so hectic that I'm more stressed right now than excited. I don't think I'll be able to relax until I'm on the plane or when I land in Sydney. <br /><br />We had some layoffs at work recently. It's been sad to see some of my good friends leave, and there's pretty much only me and two other guys left from my group that started oh, almost five years ago. Crazy. I remember starting with 20 or so people, and although I'm used to seeing many trickle out of the firm, it's never been because of layoffs. These are scary times man, and my thoughts and prayers are with all my friends and family who have lost a job recently. <br /><br />I really hope I have a good time. I can't wait to meet Aussie Man's family and friends. I'm also hoping that I'll be able to stop by my firm's local office in Sydney to get an introduction and get more information on what I need to do to move there. Oh but I don't think I've updated you on the latest. So my dearest friend Natalie was supposed to accompany me on this trip. Well she's going through a tough time at work, and couldn't get the time off needed (even though our tickets are non-refundable, her witch boss wouldn't let her go). So guess who invited herself to go instead of Natalie? My mother.<br /><br />Yes, that's right, my mother. I know I know. Trust me, I did NOT invite her. She sorta invited herself in her usual signature passive aggressive mom-style. Admittedly I was being a brat about it at first. Because umm, hello, how are we supposed to have any alone time while I'm there? Sigh. Well, Aussie Man, being the patient and understanding man that he is, talked it through with me, and he seems to think this is really a blessing in disguise. He said she can meet his family and feel more comfortable with this whole moving to Australia idea I'm determined to pursue. I guess when I put myself in her shoes, I can't be upset anymore. How would I feel if I had a daughter who lived at home all this time, then all of a sudden meets some guy halfway around the world and announces she wants to move there? I'd be pretty sad, which is how my mom must be feeling. So, I've decided that I'm going to make the most out of this situation, and not just think "don't let this ruin your vacation," but see it as a way to make mom happy. <br /><br />Anyway, I hope this blog finds you well, and that you are healthy, happy, and peachy keen. Ciao!Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-24303656192851383692009-03-25T17:30:00.000-07:002009-03-25T18:13:54.525-07:00Should I be Worried?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWI2jDWv_H90vOEsq5luF-5b0HxCLNVwL6gZqDSbYVeKRR3_lLzQZmjFU_C_jS6JHb4c6jOqLPu-c4IgFgK-IsJQKdlvn_ZcRHLqePhSaJo13hyDNl6_XOqz6WHRnABjWA1M7W3w/s1600-h/Job+Security.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317298451827067010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 178px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWI2jDWv_H90vOEsq5luF-5b0HxCLNVwL6gZqDSbYVeKRR3_lLzQZmjFU_C_jS6JHb4c6jOqLPu-c4IgFgK-IsJQKdlvn_ZcRHLqePhSaJo13hyDNl6_XOqz6WHRnABjWA1M7W3w/s320/Job+Security.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTyZ0fWUSQDk_70LGM1tXIk-p5lhx44RyR-aP7B6OMOAF2oBkNK_UMbDOV9lW-l-5jXvp6jS83tqQXoouM3yjWgNlKhtJDbsR5-p0W80xA6fE9s8M-SspMs5g68XjH6_l6aUxIHQ/s1600-h/Job+Security.jpg"></a><br /><br /><div>I'm unassigned for a few days this week. I can't recall ever being unassigned at work since my staff year four years ago. I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise, given the economic turmoil, but honestly, it IS a surprise to me. And it's frustrating. I hope this isn't sounding like complaining, because I thank God every day I still have a job. I just dislike that everyone is on pins and needles right now, wondering who is going to get cut soon. If the firm is smart, they will cut people based on performance, not recent chargeable hours. Because believe me, I've been begging for work to do. Yes, begging. Even begging people in the LA office for work. And apparently I'm not the only one. We have so many people wandering around the office unassigned, trying to beat their high score on minesweeper. So basically I have to get in line. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Then there was that talk I had this morning with HR re: my possible transfer to Sydney. This is the response I got. "I contacted someone from that office and she said they're going through the same thing as we are, so I'm not too optimistic about getting a transfer soon." </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Well spit. Now what do I do? I really really don't want to have to move to a new country AND get a new job outside the firm. That's too much change for me to handle. I'm not ready to leave, not when I'm this close to making manager. And I'm not a risk taker. My cousin recently moved to another state without having secured a job first. Thankfully she did find a job within a month, but man, talk about being ballsy. I can't see myself doing that. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>So here I am, sitting in the office, doing my ethics exam. Another disappointing and frustrating task. It's a freakin take home exam, 50 multiple choice and I needed a 90% to pass. I just got an 82%. How lame is that? The worst part is that the results don't tell you which ones you got wrong, so what if I go back and change answers to questions that were already correct? Oh man. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>That's it. Screw this worrying. I'm going to yoga. </div></div>Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-50549058155828388332009-03-17T13:02:00.000-07:002009-03-17T13:37:47.528-07:00Book Review: Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning<a href="http://ebooks-imgs.connect.com/ebooks/product/400/000/000/000/000/068/350/400000000000000068350_s4.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 331px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 500px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://ebooks-imgs.connect.com/ebooks/product/400/000/000/000/000/068/350/400000000000000068350_s4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n44/n221551.jpg"></a><br /><br /><div>Maybe it's been awhile since I've read Darkfever or the fact that I haven't read paranormal in awhile. Maybe I haven't read any reviews on this so I'm out of the loop. Because I just read Bloodfever and I'm so lost. Lost and confused and frustrated. What the heck is going on here? </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>I'm too lazy to look up the summaries on Darfever, but from my recollection, MacKayla went to Ireland to find clues about her sister's death. She meets some random guy Jericho who owns a bookstore but who also knows a ton about the Fae world. We don't know much about him and the guy barely talks. They're both looking for this Fae book that holds some kind of power. Mac runs into a death-by-sex fae while trying to escape these shadow things. Then she faces the Lord Master or whatever he's called at the end of the book, Jericho saves her, and that's where Darkfever ends. Right? </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>So now Bloodfever picks up right where DF left off. As far as I'm concerned, there wasn't much progress made since the last book. MacKayla is still wandering around looking for clues on her sister's death. Jericho won't tell her anything and she's still running away from shades and creepy Irish men. I'm sorry, I'm trying to get into this series, really I am. I just can't. It's moving so slooooow. I don't even really like Jericho much. Isn't there supposed to be some intense sexual build up between the two? I don't really see it. She's too young for him and he just does whatever he wants with her, making her go with him to shady auctions and tattooing her while she's unconscious. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Bleh, that's all I have to say. I'm not feeling it. Again, maybe it's just me. Does anyone else think I'm totally crazy and this book is super fabulous? I'd love to know.</div></div>Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-19410571482946221642009-03-16T14:55:00.000-07:002009-03-16T15:46:17.294-07:00It's HappeningI've been having some pretty serious conversations with Aussie Man lately. Before I go on, I want you to know that I've been praying a lot about this as well. Not the kind of prayer where I'm saying "God, please make this happen, find a way for us to be together." More like asking God to help me follow what He has planned for me, asking for strength to accept His will if it is not the same as my desires, and praying that I will not be tempted by fantasies and projections in this relationship. <br /><br />So as I was saying, these serious conversations all have to do with who will end up moving where. I know it's a big move for me to go to Australia, considering all my family lives here, but without going into too much detail, I've decided that I want to make this work, I need to be close to him, and I want a change of scenery in my career. So yah, I told my parents about this some time ago, and yes they're a bit sad but I think they support me. Okay, that's fine. Up until today this was all just talk and ideas floating around. <br /><br />Well I spoke with HR this morning. To my surprise, people here are very supportive of me making the move and in a matter of less than an hour, I've been given instructions on what I need to do to get this ball rollin. I need to a) update my resume b) get in touch with someone in the Sydney office who can meet with me while I'm out there in April c) find out what the opportunities are and d) see what my alternatives are if I can't make a transfer with the firm. Obviously I'd like to stick with the firm, so I can get sponsored with a work visa, but who knows with the economy if they even have opportunities there.<br /><br />Anyway, after I got out of that meeting with HR, I felt both excited and scared. Like wow, is this really happening? I could potentially be moving to Sydney within the year, how crazy is that?Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-83313468829633707052009-02-15T22:24:00.000-08:002009-02-15T23:03:56.784-08:00Wedding FeverMy brother got married yesterday. Well, technically he was already married on paper since last August. So what I'm referring to is the actual church ceremony. Which is great news, considering my parents didn't want to acknowledge he and his wife were married until it was by a priest.<br /><br />It's been a roller coaster of emotions in my family for the past several months. First, there was the announcement back in August 2008 that they were getting married. The setting: after dinner in a Chinese restaurant. Normally it wouldn't be a big deal to see my family in a Chinese restaurant. But you see, my brother never takes us out to dinner. So when he and my sister-in-law (hey, I might as well get used to calling her that now) randomly announced that they wanted to take the family out to dinner, we were all very suspicious. Oh, and by "family" I don't mean just the five of us. I mean like.. cousins, grandparents, you know... a small gathering of about 20 people. I remember the week leading up to the dinner my mom made a comment to me along these lines.... "I hope they're not planning to make some crazy announcement like they're getting married, because I'll have a heart attack in public."<br /><br />Yah, not exactly the way I'd want my parents to react if I ever announced I was getting married. Judging from that statement, I advised my brother to tell my parents in private first. Shortly after that, I found out that they had actually eloped and got married in the courthouse, oh about.. a year ago. I won't bore you with more details, but let's just say that I talked my brother into telling my parents the whole truth, and well... I don't think I ever want to see my parents that upset again. To make amends, my brother and SIL decided to go through the marriage course at our church. After a few months of these courses, answering questionnaires about their views on marriage, raising kids, finances, etc. and meeting with the priest, they finally set a date. January 2009 they announced that they wanted the wedding to be February 14th, Valentines day. One month. That's all we had to put together this wedding.<br /><br />I must say, I was expecting it to be a disaster. Let's face it, one month in wedding time is like a blink of an eye. I was a bridesmaid and normally I would've loved to help with wedding preparations, but work is so busy right now. I barely made it to David's Bridal on the weekdays since it closed at 9pm. So really I had only a few assignments. Try on dress, order dress, try on shoes, order shoes with dye to match dress color, show up at wedding. I really didn't get to see the rest of what SIL was planning for the big day. The wedding ended up being really beautiful given the time and budget we had. Friday night, right after the wedding rehearsal and before I went to bed, I had a good cry. I think I was finally able to let go....of.... I dunno. I wouldn't say it's anger, or bitterness. But I'll be honest, there was always something about their relationship that I didn't like. I was really judgmental of her, of their relationship, of their secrets they kept from my parents. It's something I'm not proud of. I mean, who am I to judge? But I think that night as I cried myself to sleep, I think I finally made my peace with all this. Instead of being sad (which of course a part of me was) that my brother was leaving us, that he would never sleep in this house again, I felt this great abundance of joy in my heart. Joy that my brother was happy, that he was able to make peace with God, my parents, himself.<br /><br />So I am happy to report, that the story has a happy ending. It was a great celebration, and I'm blessed to have been a part of it. Now of course the relatives are all taking bets that I'm next (my brother and I are the oldest of the cousins from both mom and dad's side) and since I'm a girl, I can't help but get all excited at the thought of my big day. God willing, I hope that I can have a beautiful wedding with all my loved ones present. When I was younger, or even not that many years ago, I always envisioned my wedding to be this big grand thing. Very fancy, very elegant. Now that I'm older and gaining more perspective in life, I realize that while those things would be nice, more importantly, it's the family and friends, and God's presence that I want most. In the end, nobody really cares about how much you spent on your dress, your hair/makeup, your table centerpieces. I want the focus to be on a <u>marriage</u>, as opposed to a <u>wedding</u>. Still, it doesn't hurt to start putting together pictures for my slide show. :)Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-65944459785682375052008-12-19T11:23:00.000-08:002008-12-19T11:34:25.803-08:00The End of an Era<a href="http://www.getreligion.org/wp-content/photos/celebrate.gif"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 275px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.getreligion.org/wp-content/photos/celebrate.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><div>If any of you subscribe to my blog, you're probably surprised to see me blogging again. That is because I have some very important news to share.<br /><br />The "End of an Era" in the subject line is simply this: After four long years of work and study, work and study, I am happy to announce that I finally PASSED all my CPA exams! Yup, I just checked my last score this morning, and I can't tell you how happy I am that I've passed.<br /><br />Actually, I can tell you. I was shocked. Completely speechless. I thought I had majorly bombed this last exam. It was with a shaky hand that I scrolled down the webpage to check my score. I probably stared at the number for a good 10 seconds before it sunk in. Then of course I did the only thing I could do to express how I was feeling. I cried. Simply balled my eyes out with tears of happiness.<br /><br />Do you realize what this means? It means I can blog again, read again, play games again, see my friends again, have a freakin LIFE! And of course, I need to say THANK YOU to all my friends and family who have supported me, put up with not seeing me, given me emotional support, etc. So yes, this is an end of an era... the era of Daphne being a hermit and studying her ass off. And the beginning of a new era.... Daphne gets her life back!<br /><br />It's great to be back!<br /><br />-Daph </div></div>Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-60088128747445773442008-08-03T11:12:00.000-07:002008-08-03T11:28:08.441-07:00IronicSo after weeks/months of not seeing him... guess who finally makes an appearance at church the week after coming back from Australia? Yup, the infamous Greek Boy. Funny, for once I didn't get the butterflies in my stomach, or the same giddy feeling of knowing he sat right behind me. Nope, nothing.<br /><br />My how things change. I guess that's a sign that I'm totally head over heels for my Aussie Man. I'm sorry that I've been MIA since I got back, but rest assured, I am alive, well, and very happy. AM and I have been emailing almost every day, some days more or less depending on how busy we are with work. I'm finally used to the time difference, and I think it's good that we're limited in our chatting times. We both said we didn't want to let our relationship to get in the way of our commitments (e.g. family, work, friends). We decided to do a weekly call on the weekends and so far we've had two phone calls.. the first about 2 hours long, and last night which was about 3 hours. I can't tell you how happy I am before, during, and after these phone calls. It just never seems long enough, I swear I could talk to him for days.<br /><br />Anyway, we had a lengthy conversation about us and decided that we both want to give this "thing" our best shot (Thing meaning relationship... it took us awhile to even say the word relationship). Despite the long-distance we both feel strongly about each other and I really feel that it's rare I connect so well with someone like I do AM. So I'm following my heart on this one and just going with the flow. I'm so excited he's visiting in Dec/Jan. I can't wait!<br /><br />So again, I apologize for being MIA these days.. and I apologize in advance if I start getting too sappy about AM. I just can't help it... I didn't think I could be this happy again.Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-52696603890106165162008-07-21T20:04:00.000-07:002008-07-21T21:00:03.371-07:00Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!<a href="http://www.metrotransport.com.au/Artwork/MetroSydneyMap-Web.gif"></a><div><div>G'day mates! I'm back from Sydney. Wow. That's all I can say. Even better than my last trip in 2006. Partly because I had already done the typical touristy things in '06, hence no pressure to do/see everything, and partly because World Youth Day (WYD) was AMAZING. I can't even fully describe in words how much the experience meant to me. It was a combination of fun, excitement, energy, deep spirituality, and the best chance to meet people from over 140 countries. Yes, that's right... 140 countries. I can't even name 50 countries in my head. I'd say the event had about 250,000 - 300,000 people, and the closing mass with Pope Benedict had about 500,000.</div><br /><div></div><div>Here's a breakdown of my trip:</div><br /><div></div><div>Thursday night (LA): Got upgraded to business class, so I actually enjoyed the flight to Sydney. </div><br /><div></div><div>Saturday morning (Sydney): Arrived about 6am. Took the train directly to Circular Quay, and my hotel was about a block away from the train station. After checking in our bags, we (my friend L and I) walked around Sydney and ate breakfast at a local cafe. Then we met up with Kat from Blogland, at the Temple of Love, an interesting but tasty chinese restaurant near Darling Harbour. Kat is a sweetheart, and her children are adorable. We then went to the Lindt chocolate cafe for hot cocoa and then took the bus to an area south of Sydney. We parted ways and L and I went to register for WYD. After registering we checked in our hotel, freshened up, took a nap, then met up with Grace and her friends. We had tapas at a Spanish restaurant, followed by clubbing at the Ivy till about 2:30am (a big feat for me to stay up that late). Met some random Aussie at the club and don't ask me how it happened, but I let him kiss me goodbye. These aussies sure like to kiss.</div><br /><div></div><div>Sunday: Slept in, had lunch with L and Grace on a small cruise ship that took us from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay. Great view of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. Then went to mass at St. Patrick's followed by a nap, and then dinner with a friend of my dad's. </div><div></div><br /><div>Monday: Went to the Wildlife Park, followed by lunch with an aunt. Then we toured the Opera House, and Hyde park/St. Mary's Cathedral. Bought a bunch of WYD gear. Went to see Mamma Mia! the movie that night. </div><div></div><br /><div>Tuesday: Opening mass for WYD. I have never seen so many flags from so many countries in my entire life. The crowd was amazing. The energy, neverending. It was freezing cold the entire time, but well worth it. </div><div></div><br /><div>Wednesday: Morning, watched The Dark Knight. Followed by more WYD events, including workshops, outdoor concerts, and conferences. I really enjoyed Christopher West's session on Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body. Excellent talk. </div><div></div><br /><div>Thursday: Papal arrival. I got a glimpse of the Pope in his "Pope mobile." It was such a blessing to see him and I truly felt his holy presence. </div><div></div><br /><div>Friday: Stations of the cross (basically, a reenactment of Jesus' suffering and death on the cross). Followed by more outdoor concerts.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Saturday: The Pilgrimage walk. We walked for about 5 miles or so to the Randwick Racecourse, where thousands of pilgrims would camp out for the night in anticipation of Sunday's closing mass. Unfortunately, L and I had to leave Sat night since our flight was early Sunday morning. It took us about 2 hours to walk there and 2 hours back. Crazy huh? But sooo worth it. I think about 500,000 attended the closing mass. </div><div></div><br /><div>So to sum up WYD... I highly recommend it to those young people who want to make a deeper connection to God and to Catholics around the world. There is NO experience like it. I think there were more people there than the Sydney Olympics. </div><div></div><br /><div>Now for the news I'm sure you're all dying to know. I met someone. </div><div></div><br /><div>Let me start by saying, that it was totally unexpected and my feelings for him are strong. I don't know what's going to happen with us, but I'm pretty sure he likes me too. Physically, he's NOT my type. At all. He's not someone I would've seen down the street and thought, oh hey he's cute. So the fact that I miss him so much seems to be an indication of how much I like him. </div><div></div><br /><div>So the basics. I met him at registration on Saturday while waiting in line. He's 3 years older, he's a lawyer, and he works for a rival Big Four firm. When I first met him, I wasn't attracted to him or anything, we just made small talk, joking about how long the line was taking. We ended up exchanging business cards and mobile numbers. I stashed his card somewhere in my purse, not even thinking that we would meet again. But he ended up inviting L and I to meet up with his group, since he knew we had no big group to hang out with. </div><div></div><br /><div>L and I ended up meeting up with him every day for the rest of WYD, and I guess with each day, the friendship grew. He makes me laugh, he jokes with me, and he's also very spiritual. We had many discussions about our Catholic faith, and it made me realize how important that is to me. My ex, Benny, was not Catholic, which didn't bother me much. But now that I've been to WYD, I can honestly say that in my heart, I want a good Catholic man in my life. </div><div></div><br /><div>I don't know how it happened, but things started getting flirty between us. Just little things, like giving me hugs, warming up my hands when it got cold, text messages to me saying "Good morning gorgeous." Stuff like that. During our final night, when we were attending the evening vigil we traded beanies. He said he liked my beanie, and I said it was from my brother, who gave it to me after visiting Japan years ago. He said his was from his visit to Japan also, and so we traded. The next day he texted me saying he was glad we swapped beanies because it was like I was still there with him. </div><div></div><br /><div>So the only bad part, is that he lives in Sydney. I miss him already. We're already exchanging emails and I'm already thinking of doing a rotation to Sydney. Talk about a new motivation to pass my CPA exam. I will keep you all updated as things progress, but I just wanted to share with you guys that I'm so happy right now. I haven't felt this way in a long time (what, 6 years maybe?) and it feels wonderful. </div><div></div></div>Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-87084600743561738852008-07-10T09:50:00.000-07:002008-07-10T09:59:11.540-07:00Australia!<a href="http://www.destination360.com/australia-south-pacific/australia/images/s/australia-sydney-opera-house.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.destination360.com/australia-south-pacific/australia/images/s/australia-sydney-opera-house.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>So I know I've been a lazy blogger, and haven't posted a thing in ages, but it's not going to get any better.... because I'm leaving for Australia today! Awwwwww jyyyyeeaaahh, later suckas! I'm not bringing my computer either so I'll have to tell you all about it when I get back. Or come back, and be too lazy to type up everything that happened, in which case you'll just have to call me or visit me to find out details.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I'm meeting up with my dearest pal Grace, and Kat O+... should be tons of fun. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Bye all, I'll miss ya!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>-Daphne</div>Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-30559044967178463402008-07-02T09:33:00.001-07:002008-07-02T11:29:20.998-07:00Back from D.C.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.grahambunn.com/photo/index.php?showimage=16"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.grahambunn.com/photo/index.php?showimage=16" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.grahambunn.com/photo/index.php?showimage=16"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.grahambunn.com/photo/index.php?showimage=16" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.grahambunn.com/photo/index.php?showimage=16"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.grahambunn.com/photo/index.php?showimage=16" alt="" border="0" /></a>I'm back from my much needed time off in D.C. (don't get too excited over there). Went to visit an old friend of mine, Nicole, who I've known since I was probably 11 or 12. Never went to school with her, but we used to go to the same church growing up. Anyway, since I lost my camera on my last business trip, I have NO pictures. Sorry! I do have a few salsa dancing pics, but nothing to get excited about. Here's a brief summary of my trip.<br /><br />Friday night: Flight was supposed to leave at 10:55pm. Got delayed until 12:20am. Changed departing gates about 3 times. Finally left LAX around... oh I dunno... 1am. Grrr<br /><br />Saturday morning: 10:30am. Nicole picked me up from the airport and we met up with her friends at the nearest IHOP. Mmmmmm breakfast. Went back to Nicole's place and took a shower/changed. Left around 4pm to stop by Safeway and pick up chicken and beer for our tailgate. Drove to the Nissan Pavilion to see Dave Matthews! Traffic was horrible, had to cut in line since our lane was merging. Gave two bottles of beer to the jeep next to us in exchange for cutting-in-line privileges.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://beatswamp.com/mp3/dave_matthews_band_10_-_vote_for_ch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://beatswamp.com/mp3/dave_matthews_band_10_-_vote_for_ch.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />At the Dave concert: Tail gated with cold chicken and beer. Yum. Watched the hotties in army shorts toss the football around. Once inside, bought a margarita. The show was awesome! This is like my 4th Dave Matthews concert and by far my favorite. The venue was great. Except all three rows in front of us, nobody was dancing or even standing up. Bunch of lame-os.<br /><br />Sunday: Slept in. Went to church with Nicole and her friends. Had Thai food afterwards. Drove out to the boonies of Virginia (or was it Maryland?) to visit another friend of Nicole's from her little Catholic college days. This girl literally lives on a farm. We played some bocchi (sp?) ball on the grass (since what else do you do on a farm?) and ate some fajitas.<br /><br />Monday: Slept in. Stupid senior manager calls me asking why I'm not online. <span style="font-style: italic;">Because this is the first time I didn't bring my computer on vacation you bastard. Now leave me alone!</span> Took the metro to downtown, ate at Rosa Mexicana (very good guacamole), then walked around to do<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.american-architecture.info/USA/USA-Washington/Washington_Monument_Dusk_Jan_2006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.american-architecture.info/USA/USA-Washington/Washington_Monument_Dusk_Jan_2006.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> some sightseeing (e.g. Washington monument, capitol, etc.) 8-10pm - had a Bachelorette party. No not the real kind, as in, watched the TV show. Graham Bunn is a hottie.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.grahambunn.com/photo/images/20080516184706_work7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.grahambunn.com/photo/images/20080516184706_work7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />11pm - went salsa dancing for the first time. My favorite dance partner was James the cop. Hot. You can see my arm in this pic.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZw2oKZ87GpsU8uPzEBPpbmJZu1R0RvlaSaeoIUp9j0V-x_dLXYWDBrCZIsq6LtqT36MrIu-NIRAXsZWp5QexUv_TJ_wAd_ZZi8APoApRzpmNSFhyN1Tu1UnXrOWQdMiov8aQYQ/s1600-h/Salsa+Dancing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZw2oKZ87GpsU8uPzEBPpbmJZu1R0RvlaSaeoIUp9j0V-x_dLXYWDBrCZIsq6LtqT36MrIu-NIRAXsZWp5QexUv_TJ_wAd_ZZi8APoApRzpmNSFhyN1Tu1UnXrOWQdMiov8aQYQ/s320/Salsa+Dancing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218482014271015522" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Tuesday: Had coffee/breakfast with Nicole then went to the airport.<br /><br />That's about it, if you want to see a few salsa dancing pics, send me an email :)Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-33593009167000824742008-06-24T21:17:00.000-07:002008-06-24T21:31:31.612-07:00Thank you all....For the birthday wishes! I couldn't have asked for a greater group of friends. I was honestly very bleh about turning 26, so I wanted things to be low key this year. Surprising, I know, considering how much of a ham I am. Hey, I'll admit it, I'm an attention whore. In the past I've always wanted to make a big production out of my birthday. Not this year. <br /><br />Friday night I spent the evening dining at Roy's with my parents, my friend Natalie, and my brother Doug and his gf Janice. I was given a special menu that said Happy Birthday Daphne! and my brother brought me flowers (nevermind that that was probably Janice's doing). <br /><br />Then Saturday I spent the day with Rowena and Holly. We went out to lunch, had margaritas (I only got through half of mine before getting loopy), then went to the naughty toy shop. If you're wondering whether or not I bought anything, shame on you! You know I wouldn't do that *gives innocent look* Let's see...oh yes! Then we went back to Holly's where I passed out and took a four hour nap (not exaggerating). Holly made me meatloaf for dinner at my request (don't laugh, I'm asian, I never get to eat that at home) and we watched 27 dresses before going to bed.<br />I seriously had an awesome weekend. Yesterday my wonderful boss hosted a happy hour at his favorite "cougar bar" near the office. Bitter Bro couldn't make it, which really bummed me out. So basically it was four girls, plus my boss.. the one tall white dude in the group. I bet anyone looking at our table thought he was big pimpin. Actually, I KNOW that was the case because when he had to go, the two guys on the other end of the table were asking us where "that one dude" went off to and if they could join us. I would've said yes had they not been old and no where near cute. That's basically how I could tell we were in a cougar bar, I swear we were the youngest ones there.<br /><br />So that about sums up my birthday, again thank you all for your wonderful words and wishes. Mwah!<br /><br />-DaphneDaphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-74569481467525836542008-06-18T23:33:00.001-07:002008-06-19T00:13:13.026-07:00Ups and DownsToday was like a giant rollercoaster for me. I'll spare you the details behind the mini fires I had to put out for work related problems, but the one DOWN I'd like to share is that I got my exam score back. Keep in mind that I needed a 75 to pass. And of course my score was a 74.<br /><br />Oy. That's painful. Like someone ripped my heart out... with a dull spoon. For those of you who know the history behind my now four-year battle to pass the CPA, you know that my previous "failing" scores haven't been that painful, mainly because I walked into those tests knowing I was unprepared. This time, the failed score really hurts. Yes, a little more study time might've helped, but that's not the point. The difference is that I truly felt that I was prepared. Failing this time did not make me think "I know I could pass it if I had more time," but rather "Wow, I am dumb. Let's face it, I just really suck at accounting." Really guys, I have nothing left to give. I feel like my motivational spirit has just floated out of my body.<br /><br />Anyway, let's not talk about that anymore. In other news, I just finished my last day of training staff. I have to say, I love training! It's so fun and gives me the opportunity to teach others. I know it sounds weird, but I actually like presenting in front of the class. Here are a few highlights from the training:<br /><br /><u>The Business Card</u><br />One of our case studies involved me playing the role of a client, while the trainees had to interview me in groups and ask accounting questions. At the end of one of the interviews, a staff thanked me for my time and handed me his "business card," using the back of a Banana Republic advertisement with his own writing on the front. It had his name, and below it "Call me :)" I didn't see it until after the group left, but when I looked down at the card in my hand, it just really made me laugh and brought a big smile to my face. Very cute.<br /><br /><u>The Pick Up Line</u><br />Similar to "The Business Card" described above. My role playing fake name for the case study was Philippa Schaefer. At the end of the interview, one of the staff got up, shook my hand, and said, "So... is there a <span style="font-style: italic;">Mister</span> Schaefer?"<br /><br /><u>The Night Out</u><br />So last night I hung out with a few of the staff from my office, Denver, Honolulu, LA, etc. They wanted to go out drinking with me since it would be my last night of training and also because they knew my birthday was Friday. We met at the lobby of the hotel, where I had my first drink. Walked over to a restaurant nearby and I had two more drinks (not my choice, they kept ordering for me). They brought out a dessert and sang for my birthday, which I thought was super thoughtful of them. By then I was in a super happy Daphne drinking mood. Conversations from that point went like this:<br /><br />Staff: I just bought a house<br /><br />Me: Wow, congratulations that's awesome. So who'd you buy a house with? Friends from work? Current roommates?<br /><br />Staff: Umm, my wife<br /><br />Me: Oh, yes, that's a logical choice. She would make a good roommate.<br /><br />Then we all ended the evening by heading back to the hotel, where I finished up my fourth and final drink, along with a few sips of Jack and Coke, which I'd never drank before. If anyone knows me well, you know that that's 3.5 drinks too many. But I survived, and man, that was good times baby.Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-71816933442103956132008-06-16T21:49:00.001-07:002008-06-16T22:03:34.596-07:00OMG I'm a LoserI just spilled white out on my leg! OMG, who does that? I'm so annoyed. I <span style="font-style: italic;">just</span> got out of the shower, changed to jammies, and rubbed lotion on my legs. Being the loser that I am, I decided to work a little bit, and ten minutes later, ack! White out accident! Ugh, that's what I get for having the cheap-o brush kind, instead of the fancy white out pens. ::Side note:: I remember in junior high you were "cool" if you had the white out pens instead of the bottle. Sad huh? ::End Side note::<br /><br />So of course by the time I run to the bathroom the white out is 90% dried up. But nooo, I had to make it worse by trying to rub it off, thus spreading it further along my legs. Do you remember that Friends episode when Ross is trying to remove his leather pants, but keeps making it worse by adding lotion, baby powder, etc.? Well, that's me right now. I can't get this stuff off me! Help!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/149/341404819_e740e571f7.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/149/341404819_e740e571f7.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />DaphneDaphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-4545565163527299692008-06-10T14:47:00.001-07:002008-06-10T14:54:57.968-07:00BirthdayToday is Benny's birthday. Wonder if I should send him a text or email or something. Would that be weird considering the last time I talked to him was June 20, 2007... before he was dating someone new? I guess it doesn't have to be weird unless I make it that way.<br /><br />And speaking of birthdays.. mine is coming up too... June 20. I'm getting so old. Why couldn't time just stop when I was 24? That was a great age. I'm one more year closer to 30. Cripes. I don't even want to do anything this year. Last year I threw myself a pirate party, which was really fun... but too much work. So this year, I am going to do nothing. And you know what? I'm totally fine with that.Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-28180868581062441102008-06-02T23:59:00.001-07:002008-06-03T00:04:05.080-07:00A few updatesHey all. Just an FYI.. I'm in training all week for work and I have no internet connection all day. So I'll be MIA for a bit in blogland.<br /><br />In other news... I'm going to DC at the end of June to visit a friend and see Dave Matthews. Pretty excited about that.<br /><br />And in even more exciting news... I'm going to world youth day 2008 in Sydney Australia! I'm soooo excited because this is a once in a life time opportunity. The event only takes place every 4 years and by then I'll no longer be a "youth." Although, I heard next one is in Madrid, so I'll probably try to pass off as a youth anyway. I just booked my plane ticket, registered and booked lodging. <br /><br />Then on Sunday after mass I found out from talking to Greek Boy's parents that he is going to WYD as well. Hah, go figure. For once I can plead the 5th and say I had no idea he was going and no, that's not the reason I decided to go.<br /><br />So we'll see if I even run into him among the hundred thousand attendees. If I do, I swear, it's a sign. =)Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-58370053936737419092008-05-27T10:46:00.000-07:002008-05-27T10:54:36.214-07:00Reason #14 Why My Job SucksYou'd think nothing would come out of asking fraud inquiries from your client right?<br /><br />Wrong.<br /><br />Me: Have you been pressured to record a transaction which was not proper, or record a journal entry which did not reflect the actual nature of the transaction?<br /><br />Client response: Yes, but nothing material and more conservative if not precise.<br /><br />*headdesk*<br /><br />Me: Do you understand the Company's policy with respect to reporting a potential fraudulent or illegal act?<br /><br />Client response: I'd have to say no, I'm not sure exactly. We might have an ethics hotline?<br /><br />*headdesk*Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-56891279699547696362008-05-26T16:49:00.000-07:002008-05-26T16:57:12.605-07:00Colters' Woman on Book Binge and New Reviews Soon!Hey all. <a href="http://cranberrytarts.blogspot.com/">Holly</a> and I did a joint review of Colters' Woman by <a href="http://www.mayabanks.com/">Maya Banks</a> on <a href="http://thebookbinge.blogspot.com/">Book Binge</a>. Go check it out.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/17170000/17170913.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/17170000/17170913.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Also stay tuned for my next guest blogger appearance on BB as I review all four books in the Psy/Changeling series by <a href="http://www.nalinisingh.com/">Nalini Singh</a> (my new favorite series). Probably next weekend after my exam. I'm very excited since I'm absolutely addicted to this series.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.nalinisingh.com/images/behindthescenes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.nalinisingh.com/images/behindthescenes.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-66091735376066154832008-05-21T22:53:00.000-07:002008-05-21T23:53:30.814-07:00A worse crime than gas prices<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://thirtyvoices.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/pinkberry_01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://thirtyvoices.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/pinkberry_01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />So I tried <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinkberry">Pinkberry</a> for the first time this month and have already been back about three more times in less than two weeks. Not because I love it, but because I seem to be hanging out with different people who have each suggested going there. If you're wondering what Pinkberry is-think trendy Golden Spoon that serves tart yogurt, in a store with bright colored plastic chairs and modern decor, and shelves of useless asian household items that look like toys. For inexplicable reasons, I am drawn to this place, and it's driving me nuts that I'm contributing to the growing success of this chain, when I can think of several reasons why this place is sorta lame.<br /><br />Let me start off by saying that I actually like the yogurt. It's a unique taste- sorta tart, but cool<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6fXI5QQ-ym6Z-4IOedklFu_O8EAgpRQJcFPGgDqBGrYLHQCWzNrS4uGLb8NJox40NJbONMzE3V2tJN26ZdHCH6dYUk4Io_Ov3quxJ4uyubb3IEdiEJLhh4PiRnb_q1rui7f80Q/s400/Pinkberry2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6fXI5QQ-ym6Z-4IOedklFu_O8EAgpRQJcFPGgDqBGrYLHQCWzNrS4uGLb8NJox40NJbONMzE3V2tJN26ZdHCH6dYUk4Io_Ov3quxJ4uyubb3IEdiEJLhh4PiRnb_q1rui7f80Q/s400/Pinkberry2.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a> and refreshing. Or if you wanna go by the description on their website... it's "soft swirls of chilly bliss with a distinct pouty peak." It's also light for a dessert (half a cup is about 70 calories). You can eat a large and not feel like you've just consumed a double fudge chocolate cheesecake. Plus the toppings are pleasing to the eye- kiwis, strawberries, bananas, etc. They make it look fresh, but who knows, they can be out of a frozen bag. You can also put captain crunch, granola, fruity pebbles, and almonds. And it's simple- three flavors of yogurt to choose from: original, coffee, and green tea. But here's where it starts to score negative points. You'd think coffee flavored yogurt would taste like it sounds right? Not at Pinkberry. It's still <span style="font-style: italic;">tart</span>. Wtf? Tart coffee? I'm sorry, but that just goes against nature.<br /><br />Try some coffee Pinkberry. I'm telling you, it's fun. It's like at first you reject it because the concept is so freakin nasty. Then you keep tasting it, as if you want to reconfirm your original assessment, that yes it's freakin nasty. By the third lick, you're half laughing half cringing because the taste is so freakin nasty but not as bad anymore.<br /><br />Anyway, let's talk about the price. How much does a cup of "chilly bliss" served by a smart-mouthed teenager cost you? I'd say $5/$6 easily. Here's why. A small size is (off the top of my head) $2.50, but each topping is $0.95. Jump to a medium and it's $3.50. The best deal would be the $4.95 medium size which includes three toppings. I went there after lunch today with two coworkers, and we spent $16. Isn't that sad? When I was given the total I did my normal Daphne thing and joked to the cashier saying they were criminals. "Yet people like you keep coming back all the time and we keep growing." Umm okay, apparently homie didn't want to reciprocate the humor in that. I can't believe I got owned by a Pinkberry loser.<br /><br />My staff is already suggesting we repeat today's Pinkberry adventure tomorrow. He's so obsessed that he even looked 'em up to see if they are franchising. In case you're wondering, no they're not. But I've been thinking.... is this just another fad? Like boba? I think boba died around the time that it was no longer just an "asian thing to do." And remember Krispy Kreme? I swear, once that was brought over to Southern California, we just butchered it. Leave it to Southern Californians to make foods like smoothies (Jamba Juice), donuts (Krispy Kreme), and yogurt trendy. Oh and FYI, Pinkberry is currently only in California and New York. Again, two trendy locations, where you not only have to be trendy in what clothes you wear, car you drive, or music you listen to, but also food. Because God forbid you're caught walking around the shopping district drinking a Juice it Up instead of Jamba Juice.Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-45098768061999793362008-05-21T08:28:00.000-07:002008-05-21T08:44:17.491-07:00Bowling Fun<a href="http://lambeg.connor.anglican.org/images/Bowling.gif"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://lambeg.connor.anglican.org/images/Bowling.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Our office had the annual bowling event for charity yesterday. Once again I've proven myself to be a horrible bowler, as evidenced by my newest nickname - Morse Code. Basically that means my scoreboard consists of mostly dashes (i.e. gutter balls). But despite my lack of bowling skills, I had a fabulous time. Even Bitter Bro showed up; the equivalent of a "celebrity guest appearance" in our office. He almost never goes to firm events. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I don't know how often you guys go bowling (I rarely do), but do you ever notice how funny it is to see guys who you'd think would be good but end up sucking at bowling? One of my office crushes, who I like to call Zack Morris, was in the lane next to me. I was pretty excited to have a good view of him during the event, but let me tell you, his bowling style is hilarious. It's like he'd throw the ball, and upon releasing, his body would sorta stagger forward, like he's about to fall. Every single time. Totally cracks me up. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I'm not sure whether to feel like it's cute, or it's scoring him less points on the masculinity scale. Maybe it's the romance reader in me, but even though I don't expect all men to be athletic or good at sports, they have to at least look like they can be good at it. Or am I being too picky? As Bro would always say, "Daphne, three words. Lower. Your. Standards." </div>Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-27299051288947719302008-05-15T13:50:00.000-07:002008-05-15T13:53:54.794-07:00Of course they're scissors!<div>QUOTE FROM THE MOM:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This is my kindergartner's artistic rendering of a pair of scissors. I wonder what his teacher thought. I allowed myself just a small smirk when I saw it. I waited until he was out of the room until I started crying from laughing so hard. WELL, OF COURSE THEY'RE SCISSORS!</div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200710664931230466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CbU-RXfAcwvhkFBq31DVJ7dIc61glsFY3Peou2CUSixVsE5d0IlBxA0FdeywT0zrsMfH3oMGftS9sBWab3vQM07me_iufz49hlYXJK4OHI20BWn1RtMVu2mUMKYYYrzh7PwAlQ/s200/scissors.jpg" border="0" /></div>Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-13449689258531124802008-05-12T21:14:00.000-07:002008-05-13T22:25:43.150-07:00Only My Mother<a href="http://www.yardsbyjason.com/Moving.gif/Moving-full.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 200px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://www.yardsbyjason.com/Moving.gif/Moving-full.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Would suggest I move out... next door. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I know I say this every year, but I really think this is the year that I'm going to be a homeowner. A few weeks ago my dad and I started house hunting and I almost ended up buying a unit for a newly built condo. I didn't go through with it only because the 2br 2 ba unit I wanted was the last one available and already sold to a couple signing the paperwork (they ended up getting the financing approval too). </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Probably a good thing though for it woulda been crazy had I bought something on my first day of house hunting. Anyway, the reason I think this is the year, is not so much that I'm dying to move out, but I just feel that it's time. The market seems to be in a place where it's a good time to buy, I've saved up enough since working the last four years, and my parents want to make another investment for tax benefit purposes. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>But only my mother would suggest this bogus idea, to live next door. I guess my neighbors are moving out, and have had an open house sign for quite some time. We initially knew their selling price was over half a million, and well, that's just too darn much. I stopped seeing the open house sign and apparently the decision is now in the hands of the bank who will choose the highest bidder. The highest bid right now is $440k. So here comes my mom rushing in the house to inform me she just spoke to the neighbor...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Mom: Daphne. I think we should buy our neighbor's house.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Me: What? I'm not living next door.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Mom: Why not? You already live in the next room.<br /></div><br /><div>Me: Mom, that's different. I'm not going to move out only to live next door.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Mom: Why? It's a good place to raise your kids and start a family. Plus when you have kids it will be easier for us to help babysit.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Me: Dude, I'm not going to have kids any time soon. I'm not even dating.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>And so on it went. I mean, I kind of get what she's saying in the <em>long run</em>... but dude. It's Next. Door. You know I'll end up having no privacy, so what's the point in moving out then? N. O. Not going to happen. They can buy the place if they want, but I'd rather rent it out and continue living here than tell everyone that "I'm moving out" and later confess it's next door. </div>Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-29277292590018843422008-05-09T17:57:00.000-07:002008-05-09T18:24:58.959-07:00Feeling GuiltyToday is my dad's birthday, and it's mother's day weekend. But right now I'm totally annoyed with both of them. Horrible, I know.<br /><br />Let's start with dad. Okay I've been on "vacation" all week, but I'm not really out of town. This week was supposed to be my study week, but I ended up working all day Monday/Tuesday and a little Wednesday morning. Wednesday I was pretty tired mid afternoon so I took a nap. Dad comes home at 5, sees that I'm asleep and goes "Oh you're on vacation? Why aren't you studying? When's your test again?"<br /><br />Oh you did not just say that to me. What, you think that I've been bumming around all day sleeping? I'll have you know that at 7:30am I was already studying, watching 4 hour lecture videos about pensions and leases and other boring crap. You think I LIKE having to use my vacation time to study? Why would I waste my vacation time like that and then not do anything all day. <br /><br />Then there's mom. So she and dad decided to take today off so they could hang out in LA for dad's birthday. Mom asks if I want to go. No thanks, I need to study, and besides, I wasn't aware of these plans. I know we're supposed to do dinner for dad's birthday, but that's it. And she proceeds to give me that "oh okay" look (but inside she's all upset that I'm not going). Hello! Would you have been upset if I was at work like a normal work Friday? I don't think so. Geez. Then she asks if I can coordinate dinner plans with my brother and his gf. I ask her if she and dad have ideas. She says the restaurants in the shopping area they are at in LA. I said okay so we'll meet you there for dinner then? She says no, they'll go home first by midafternoon.<br /><br />I told her that seemed kind of a hassle to drive down then back up to LA again. So she said fine we'll just eat around our neighborhood. Okay fine by me. I relay the message to brother and gf. Dinner 7:30 not LA. Mom and dad get home in the afternoon and ask what the plan for dinner is. I said, well pick a place, I have no preference, what does dad want? Now here's typical mom response: Well whatever you kids want. Okay fine then, I'm picking Bucca Di Beppo. Mom: Oh but isn't that in Orange County? Me: Yah so? Mom: I thought you didn't want to drive far that's why you rejected my idea of dinner in LA. Me: No, I just didn't think it made sense for you to come home when we could've driven up there to meet you for dinner. Mom: Oh well, ummm Bucca? How about Woodranch? Me: Okay fine.<br /><br />Then I take her to the eyebrow lady because she wants to try threading. The lady threads her eyebrows and hands her the mirror afterwards. Mom looks at it, doesn't say anything, and I pay, we leave. In the car...<br /><br />Mom: So how come she didn't remove some of the hair here so it would be shaped more like this?<br /><br />Me: Well if you wanted it shaped that way why didn't you say something?<br /><br />Mom: Well I don't know what shape I want, I just want it to look good.<br /><br />Me: Well why are you complaining about it now when we already left?<br /><br />Mom: I dunno. I just assumed it's fine since you didn't say it looked bad.<br /><br />Me: Yah but mom if you know what you want, just say it. That's why we pay them to do it. Like cutting your hair. You can't just say "make it look good" then complain later when she didn't layer it like you wanted.<br /><br />I swear I hate her passive aggressive crap. It's like I make a decision and without having to explicity reject it, she implies that she doesn't agree with my idea. I know her game now. She says one thing, and basically she's not asking "well what do you want?" She's really saying "I need your confirmation that you agree with my idea."<br /><br />Okay that's all. I'm done venting.Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-23153371585611123402008-05-07T20:40:00.000-07:002008-05-07T20:51:19.007-07:00Auditor AngstSince I've been studying like crazy all week, my blogging has taken a backseat. I did however, come across this article that I found quite entertaining and since I can just copy and paste, here it is (<em><strong>with my comments on the side</strong></em>)<br /><br />Want faster, cheaper audits? Your auditor humbly suggests you avoid last-minute data dumps and other less-than-helpful practices.<br /><br /><a href="http://cfo.com/index.cfm/l_emailauthor/11078678/c_11322340/2985000">Alix Stuart</a>CFO Magazine<br />May 1, 2008<br /><br />Want to drive your auditors crazy? Try this: First, meet with them ahead of the annual audit and agree on a date when your work papers will be ready. Then, when they arrive for the audit, tell them you're "almost ready" and hand over just enough material to keep them busy until lunch. Repeat as necessary. Later, suddenly remember a contract or revenue-recognition problem that you haven't previously discussed (the more complex, the better). Finally, as the deadline nears, demand a 24-hour turnaround for the 10-K draft and complain loudly when the auditors tell you it can't be done. (<em><strong>So true. story of my life</strong></em>)<br /><br />This scenario may sound like a joke, but in fact auditors say it's exactly what many CFOs do every year. Michael Deutchman, managing director at Los Angeles–based accounting firm Kabani & Co., says he dreams of walking into a client company where "we can test the records and see right away that they are what they're supposed to be."<br /><br />But in reality, he laments, "there aren't a lot of CFOs who run companies that way." More often, says Ben Neuhausen, national director of accounting for BDO Seidman, "the client takes forever to pull together documentation, and then they present it three days before audited financials are due to their lender, or a week before the 10-K has to be written. Somehow they think the auditor will work a miracle." (<strong><em>Hmm, it's good to know I'm a miracle worker. Move over Helen Keller</em></strong>)<br />The miracle is that despite the chronic unreadiness of auditees, the relationship between auditors and their clients is actually improving. Most auditors — more than 60 percent of those recently surveyed by CFO — say they have a better relationship with clients today compared with three years ago, when the pain of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance was still raw. (<strong><em>Yah three years ago, exactly when I first started. If I could go back I woulda done grad school right away to avoid that junk</em></strong>) In part that's due to new interpretations from the Securities and Exchange Commission that loosen the strictures of Sarbox, leading most auditors to feel they can offer more guidance — "the fun stuff," in the words of one senior manager. New guidance about how internal controls must be audited, in the form of Auditing Standard No. 5 (AS5) from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), has also made things better.<br /><br />Still, ask auditors what keeps them awake at night (<strong><em>actually don't ask me</em></strong>) and client-related issues will top their replies. More than half the nearly 100 auditors surveyed by CFO said that unprepared clients create high levels of stress. One-third said the same of clients who are difficult to work with. The hassle from clients, in fact, far outranked other strains, such as the pressure to generate more revenue. (<strong><em>also known as working 60 hour work weeks but only charging 40 to stay in budget</em></strong>)<br /><br />No one expects a return to the cozy pre-Sarbox days, when auditors were practically an extension of the finance team. But, auditors wouldn't mind a little more cooperation and appreciation. "The ideal situation would be clients who understand their own accounting (<strong><em>sigh, if only</em></strong>) and make the time to get us what we need," says Bruce Rosen, partner-in-charge of assurance services at New York–based auditing firm Eisner. How often does that happen? By way of reply, Rosen laughs — and laughs some more.<br /><br />If you're interested to read the rest, click <a href="http://cfo.com/article.cfm/11078678/c_11322340">here</a>, though I don't see why anyone would be as nuts as me and would actually want to read more.Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21832973.post-20871250791660742942008-05-04T18:36:00.000-07:002008-05-04T18:54:25.196-07:00Wolfen by Madelaine Montague<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica;font-size:-1;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">As engrossed as Danika generally is in her work, even she notices the underlying hostility with which the locals in the small northwestern town regard her and her research. She notices the biker gang that arrives shortly behind her even more. With their long hair, tattoos, and piercings, the rough group of bikers aren't the sort of men she's ever had contact with-and shouldn't want to have contact with-but they don't seem to grasp that they're not her type and she isn't theirs.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica;font-size:100%;">Being in the erotica category, I guess you can say this was a long but interesting read. Danika is sent to a small town to research the unusual behaviors of wolves terrorizing the residents. Her first day in town and she is confronted by five hunky and intimidating bikers, who she assumes are gang members. She makes her escape to her cabin out by the woods, only to discover that the bikers are taking up residence next door. <br /><br />What she doesn't know is that all five bikers are actually wolfen, a species of sorta half-human/half-wolf. Not werewolves, mind you. Apparently wolfen are different. Anyway, they too have their reasons for being in a small nowhere town; for they are all alpha males from their own packs, sent by the Council to uncover the rogue wolfen terrorizing the town. Half the town has been infected, but Danika is still safe, and the men intend to keep it that way by guarding her.<br /><br />The only problem is, each one is attracted to Danika and despite their wolfen laws of no mating with humans, each try to claim Danika as his own. The part that entertained me the most was the fact that you have these tough biker men constantly fighting with each other in the woods to establish who is the best alpha and can therefore claim Danika. Then one by one each of them manage to break the rules and sleep with Danika. Each time too she would suggest a condom and the wolfen would just toss it aside. Ummm yah. I don't think Danika was a prude, but she's described as being kind of a geeky researcher, just a plain Jane. I thought it was hilarious that she would just easily sleep with five different guys.<br /><br />Now the best part is the ending of the book when surprise, surprise, Danika finds out she's pregnant. The wolfen doctor who examines her says he hears at least three heartbeats, meaning she's carrying a litter of pups. Hah! Who is the father of each pup? No idea. Oh and by pup I mean she's gonna have half-wolfens, so they don't really come out looking like wolves, but when they get older I guess they can go through the transformation like their fathers. So here's the funny part, she gives birth to all three, and each one that pops out, the men would sniff the pup and that's how they know which baby they fathered. So she had three different pups by three different biker men. Hah!<br /><br />Anyway, this was just a random read, and if I were to rate it on its erotica-ness, not very high actually. It was pretty tame. Storywise it was pretty out there and far fetched, but you know? I sorta enjoyed it. Not sure if you would too, but I'm giving it a 3 out of 5.<br /></span>Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731131007522758703noreply@blogger.com1