WHEN I GROW UP > > >
When I grow up I think I won't be an accountant. As much as I love the work - as much as I love the people I have worked with - as much as I know that my work led me to all the other great experiences I have had (including being a Mayor), I hate that the month of January and part of December are pretty grueseome. For many, may years (40+) I have had people ask me why I have to work so much during the "holidays".
For some ironic reason, the time when most people are taking a little extra time to be with family, shop, decorate, prepare is the same time I am going through the LONG checklist of things that must be completed before December 31 at midnight if I want them "on the books" this year. Then, the new year is full of W-2's, tax reports. manufacturing census forms, setting up new files, reconciling the assets and depreciation, etc. etc. etc.
The moral of the story is ever so simple. If you truly want to have extra time off at Christmas time, or if you want to start the new year with plenty of time to clean the old stuff from your closets and drawers to make room for the new stuff, or if you want to be able to stay at home when the weather is crummy, don't be an accountant when you grow up.
Of course, that might also mean that you won't love your work, or the people, or the experiences. The salary hasn't been too bad either. I have been told that it is one career where there is no "gender gap." OK by me.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, September 12, 2011
A 30-YEAR MEMORY -- BACK IN A FLASH
Over 30 years ago my mother was killed in an auto accident. It was during a violent rainstorm and she lost control of her car. It was traumatic and unbelievable. We need our moms. We aren't meant to be orphans (even if we are 30 or 40). Her children were "young marrieds" or "young adults" and most of her grandchildren had not been born. Even now, many of those grandchildren only know Grandma Jenkins from photos or by hearing stories told by one of her children (that would be me and my siblings). It took a long time to speak of hear without tearing up.
Over time, I recall thinking of her less often with sadness and more often with respect and admiration. I recalled her talents and all she had accomplished. I wished I had paid a little more attention to how she "put on a quilt" or how she made dill pickles.
In more recent years, I rarely get tears in my eyes when I think of her or speak of her.
Until today . . . . You see, today is the day I learned that Sherri Winder was killed in an auto accident. Apparently it was also in a violent rainstorm. Today, I cried for Sherri and for her family and for my mother. The memory was too vivid - at least today. You see, I know how Aimee and Mike and their siblings are feeling. I can imagine how Kent is feeling, because I spent so much time with my father when he was feeling the same way.
There isn't much to say. Everything I know about losing someone and everything I know about where Sherri is and everything I know about forever families is something that the Winder family already knows.
The only thing I can add . . . they will acquire perspective and time will help. I know that because I have 30 years between my traumatic experience and today.
Over time, I recall thinking of her less often with sadness and more often with respect and admiration. I recalled her talents and all she had accomplished. I wished I had paid a little more attention to how she "put on a quilt" or how she made dill pickles.
In more recent years, I rarely get tears in my eyes when I think of her or speak of her.
Until today . . . . You see, today is the day I learned that Sherri Winder was killed in an auto accident. Apparently it was also in a violent rainstorm. Today, I cried for Sherri and for her family and for my mother. The memory was too vivid - at least today. You see, I know how Aimee and Mike and their siblings are feeling. I can imagine how Kent is feeling, because I spent so much time with my father when he was feeling the same way.
There isn't much to say. Everything I know about losing someone and everything I know about where Sherri is and everything I know about forever families is something that the Winder family already knows.
The only thing I can add . . . they will acquire perspective and time will help. I know that because I have 30 years between my traumatic experience and today.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
AM I NOW A TWIT?
For many years I have heard people refer to someone as a "Twit". It is not a complimentary term. I believe it means "lame" or "ditsy" or whatever is the colloquialism of the day. Well, this morning, I finally caught "Twitter Fever" and set up an account so that I can follow the Tweets (quick, short text messages) of about 10 people who I am interested in. That means I can Tweet as well, although if or when I do, I have now idea where those Tweets go -- because I have no "followers".
But, that leads me to the question, "Am I now a Twit?"
But, that leads me to the question, "Am I now a Twit?"
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
NEW NAME, NEW HUSBAND, NEW HOUSE
 |
| At the temple |
 |
| Just married |
Saturday, February 13, 2010
WISDOM TO ACCEPT . . . . . .
For the better part of six months, I have thought seriously and quite favorably about running for office again. MANY people have suggested it. MANY people have offered support and encouragement. It is something I want to do.
BUT > > > > It's something I will not do. Why?
It's not the right time. I have lived much of my life. Perhaps most of my life. I realize on a regular basis that I have lived more years than either of my parents and more years than any of my grandparents. I have not checked my great-grandparents, but I have probably lived more years then most of them.
SO > > > > I must accept (reluctantly and with a shiver) that it is time for me to hang up a few hats, including the "elected official" hat. Politics interest me. The process interests me. The hard work energizes me. And the people fascinate me.
BUT > > > > It is time for me to be a passionate observer. I will still be involved at some level. I may be a delegate to a convention or two. I may lend a hand and a few bucks to my favorite candidates. I will certainly express my opinion to those who represent me at any level.
AND > > > > I'll feel a little sad at 5:00 p.m. on the last day of the filing period, when my declaration is not in the County Clerk's office. I'll feel a little sad on the day of the convention, when I can't give a speech and shake some hands. I'll feel a little sad on election night when I'm watching the results and my name isn't on the screen. I'll feel a little sad when I read the newspapers next year and see the issues that I'd like to help decide.
It has been said that accepting what we cannot change takes wisdom. I'm accepting what can't be changed, and I hope that I can show enough wisdom to figure out what I'm going to do instead!
BUT > > > > It's something I will not do. Why?
It's not the right time. I have lived much of my life. Perhaps most of my life. I realize on a regular basis that I have lived more years than either of my parents and more years than any of my grandparents. I have not checked my great-grandparents, but I have probably lived more years then most of them.
SO > > > > I must accept (reluctantly and with a shiver) that it is time for me to hang up a few hats, including the "elected official" hat. Politics interest me. The process interests me. The hard work energizes me. And the people fascinate me.
BUT > > > > It is time for me to be a passionate observer. I will still be involved at some level. I may be a delegate to a convention or two. I may lend a hand and a few bucks to my favorite candidates. I will certainly express my opinion to those who represent me at any level.
AND > > > > I'll feel a little sad at 5:00 p.m. on the last day of the filing period, when my declaration is not in the County Clerk's office. I'll feel a little sad on the day of the convention, when I can't give a speech and shake some hands. I'll feel a little sad on election night when I'm watching the results and my name isn't on the screen. I'll feel a little sad when I read the newspapers next year and see the issues that I'd like to help decide.
It has been said that accepting what we cannot change takes wisdom. I'm accepting what can't be changed, and I hope that I can show enough wisdom to figure out what I'm going to do instead!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
January, New Year, Again!
January is a cold month. It is an anti-climactic month (follows the business of the holidays). For an accountant (that would be me) it is a month when one year is "closed" and another is "opened". All the work that is done by all the employees for all the customers is reduced to a few sheets of paper with numbers on them. We use that document as a management tool to evaluate the year, to make improvements, and to plan ahead.
I guess the 35 years I have been a "bean counter" in one way or another have given me some patterns for me own life. So . . . .
In January I "close" the year. I try to put away negative feelings -- grudges, self-pity, whatever might be weighing me down. That can be easy or hard depending on the nature of the year, and the answer for the biggest ones is a spiritual process. I reduce everything that has happened into a summary (for my history) or into a scrapbook. I send things to the D.I. I straighten drawers, closets, and cupboards.
Then, I "open" the new year. I decide what I will do better. Some people call that making resolutions. I remind myself of the general areas where I need to improve and when I settle on one or two that seem the most imperative, I write down a goal-setting plan. This consists of a long-term goal with interim steps that will get me there.
This sounds pretty great! The reality is that I have done this MANY, MANY years -- only some of the goal-setting plans have worked really well. Some of them have been successful -- sort of. Some have fallen by the wayside. Some have reappeared in subsequent years, and may yet appear again.
I also review my "affairs". My kids don't like me to tell them about the stuff they need to know if I die. They think I never will. Well, they are wrong, so every year (in January) I remind them of that stuff. While they don't want to hear it, they will find that I do it out of my love for them. When I do leave this world, they will have some emotional feelings to deal with -- but the "stuff" will all be prepared.
This week I reviewed the affairs. I updated my estate book and reminded the kids where to find it. I put copies of my health care directive in all the places that someone might look if I'm in a coma. I checked phone numbers for my attorney, my estate planner, my insurance guy, etc. etc. -- to be sure they are current. I inventoried my safety deposit box and brought it up to date.
AND JUST NOW, I cleaned my desk off really well. I'M READY FOR 2010!
I guess the 35 years I have been a "bean counter" in one way or another have given me some patterns for me own life. So . . . .
In January I "close" the year. I try to put away negative feelings -- grudges, self-pity, whatever might be weighing me down. That can be easy or hard depending on the nature of the year, and the answer for the biggest ones is a spiritual process. I reduce everything that has happened into a summary (for my history) or into a scrapbook. I send things to the D.I. I straighten drawers, closets, and cupboards.
Then, I "open" the new year. I decide what I will do better. Some people call that making resolutions. I remind myself of the general areas where I need to improve and when I settle on one or two that seem the most imperative, I write down a goal-setting plan. This consists of a long-term goal with interim steps that will get me there.
This sounds pretty great! The reality is that I have done this MANY, MANY years -- only some of the goal-setting plans have worked really well. Some of them have been successful -- sort of. Some have fallen by the wayside. Some have reappeared in subsequent years, and may yet appear again.
I also review my "affairs". My kids don't like me to tell them about the stuff they need to know if I die. They think I never will. Well, they are wrong, so every year (in January) I remind them of that stuff. While they don't want to hear it, they will find that I do it out of my love for them. When I do leave this world, they will have some emotional feelings to deal with -- but the "stuff" will all be prepared.
This week I reviewed the affairs. I updated my estate book and reminded the kids where to find it. I put copies of my health care directive in all the places that someone might look if I'm in a coma. I checked phone numbers for my attorney, my estate planner, my insurance guy, etc. etc. -- to be sure they are current. I inventoried my safety deposit box and brought it up to date.
AND JUST NOW, I cleaned my desk off really well. I'M READY FOR 2010!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Thinking about a Trip.
It has been a long time since I posted to my blog. That's partly because I am not totally happy with how the blog looks -- and I can't figure out what to do with it. Another reason I haven't posted is that I have been pretty busy -- work, Church, garden, projects, and a little playing. Oh, and I can't forget the holiday breakfasts and the ANNUAL SWIMMING PARTY. One of the projects I have been working on is trying to catch up on getting photos labeled and put in albums. Bernie and I took so many great trips -- but most of them were during the time I was a mayor, and I would come home to the same huge workload, and the photos would be neatly stored in a box for another time. Recently, I worked on the trip we took to England and also the cruise we took through the Panama Canal. They were both longer trips and we have 500+ photos (literally) from England alone.
This has given me a chance to reminisce. About Bernie. About friends we have traveled with and visited. About the wonderful sights we have seen. About my good fortune to have been able to take these many trips. I ran across an interesting quotation a while ago -- "Travel is more than seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." -- Miriam Beard.
This is so true. I think of the Church history sites we have visited and I realize that my life was changed as I pondered the life of Joseph Smith, early Saints, and the early misionary work. I think of third world countries and the children we saw who had no clothes, no homes, not enough food, and I feel grateful. I realize that even though I live modestly compared to many around me in this area, I live very richly compared to much of the world.
I think of the majesty of cathedrals, castles and the Panama Canal (man-made). I think of the beauty of the rain forest, the mountains, the canyons, and the islands (made by God). These make me grateful for eyes and ears and legs and arms.
I think I'll stop -- I'm starting to wish I could take a trip.
This has given me a chance to reminisce. About Bernie. About friends we have traveled with and visited. About the wonderful sights we have seen. About my good fortune to have been able to take these many trips. I ran across an interesting quotation a while ago -- "Travel is more than seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." -- Miriam Beard.
This is so true. I think of the Church history sites we have visited and I realize that my life was changed as I pondered the life of Joseph Smith, early Saints, and the early misionary work. I think of third world countries and the children we saw who had no clothes, no homes, not enough food, and I feel grateful. I realize that even though I live modestly compared to many around me in this area, I live very richly compared to much of the world.
I think of the majesty of cathedrals, castles and the Panama Canal (man-made). I think of the beauty of the rain forest, the mountains, the canyons, and the islands (made by God). These make me grateful for eyes and ears and legs and arms.
I think I'll stop -- I'm starting to wish I could take a trip.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)