Back in August 2005 I officially started blogging and did a fair job at it for a while, especially since live was a bit more interesting while moving to and living in London. Then Cheryl took over the blogging duties for a while after Caleb was born. I imagine she will get things up and running again soon once Levi arrives, but I make no guarantees.

Most of you know that 2009 has been a very interesting year for us (and it's only April). I don't want to get into all the events and details that have transpired over the last 4 months, but want to take the opportunity to revisit the title of the blog.

As my first post explained, I named this blog after Jack Johnson's song "Better Together". Reflecting on the theme that we are always somewhere in between different stages in our lives, here is where I am at.

I am somewhere in between...

My old job and a new job
Father of 1 to father of 2
Being eligible for the CPA exam and actually being a CPA
Questioning God regarding our current situation and fully trusting/relying on Him

Since the early part of my unemployment I have been wondering what God has in store for me, why this happened, and what action from me is appropriate. I am actively searching for work, but do I need a part-time job?, what does that do to unemployment money?, why am I still not praying enough?...

I know I usually state at the end of posts that I will try to keep up, but I really do want to get back more often and share. Even if its just a lyrics to a song. For a couple of weeks, I really just felt I could best express myself through songs.

More to come...

Labels: Faith, Random, Scott

Well, David tagged me so here I go:

what was i doing 10 years ago?
Getting ready for graduation, high school that is, and working 7 days a week during the summer. Mon - Fri I worked at kids day camp which was a lot of fun. It was my fourth summer working there. Friday, Saturday, & Sunday nights I worked at the local video store which gave me free rentals and the opportunity to tell customers which movies to watch and which to avoid.

5 things on my to-do list today
Take Gizmo to his new home (more on this later
Clean the carpets
Spend time with my very busy Honey
Play with Caleb
Have fun

5 places i have traveled
Egypt
Greece
Austria
Uganda
Hawaii

5 snacks or treats i enjoy
Oreos
Peanuts (regular and honey roasted)
Cheez-Its
Brownies
Ben & Jerry's Half-Baked

What would i do if i were a billionaire?
pay off debt
pay off family's debt
invest/research/develop real solutions in renewble energy.
Donate lots to various children's/poverty charities
buy some cool, but not too extravagant, things

Places i've lived
Lilburn, GA
Searcy, AR
Arlington, TX
Croydon, London, England
Ft. Worth, TX

Jobs I've had
Camp Counselor
Video Sales Associate
Coffee Barista
Internal Auditor
SOX Coordinator

Labels: Info, Random, Scott

So I am completely underwhelmed with any of the choices out there for POTUS (President of the United States). I mean, the Commander in Chief, the most powerful position in the world and this is the best we could come up with?

As the race is shaping up, Texas could become a pretty critical state. I am open to your suggestions (more open than many of you would expect), so please use the comments section, Facebook wall, Facebook messages, or classic old email and tell my why I should vote for your guy (yes, the only one I am ruling out is the lone female in this race so don't waste your time).

Let the lobbying and mud-sligging begin!

Labels: Politics, Scott

So I am a nerd. This is not news to anyone that knows me. However, your thoughts on how big a nerd may change when you find out that I have a (paid by my company) subscription to Internal Auditor magazine.

As its Christmas time, I wanted to post this article by J. Michael Jacka from the most recent issue. (Warning: Its a little long.)

[Note: Please do not let this post influence your decision to continue to check for posts.]

"Every auditor, down in Auditvilee, liked audits a lot...
But the auditee, who lived just north of Auditville, did NOT!
The auditee hatedaudits! The whole audit season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be his files weren't documented quite right.

It could be, perhaps, his support was too light.
But I think the most likely reason of all
Was his balances came out two digits too small.

But, whatever the reason,
his files or his bosses,
he stood there on Audit Eve,
hating the process.
For he knew every auditor in Auditville
was busy now, working with
paper and quill.

And he growled,, with his auditee
finger all drumming,
“I MUST find some way to stop
audits from coming!”
For tomorrow…
all auditor women and men
would walk bright and early.
They’d rush for a pen!

And THEN they’d do something
he liked least of all!
Every auditor down there,
the tall and the small,
would stand close together,
explaining, supporting.
They’d stand hand-in-hand,
then star their reporting.

And the more that he thought
of these audit reports,
the auditee thought, “I must
stop them all short!”
Then he got an idea! An awful idea!
An auditee wonderful, awful idea!
And the auditee took off
and headed on down
to the auditor’s building
set deep in the town.

The office was dark.
there was nary a soul,
the auditors off dreaming
dreams of controls,
when he came to the first little
desk in the row.
“This is stop number one, “
the old auditee hissed
and he walked to the desk,
empty bags in his fist.

Then he slithered and slunk, with
a smile that was grinding,
digging deep in the desk, he
snatched all their findings.
Worksheets! And test work!
Support! Every paper!
Audit plans! Charters! Even a stapler!

Then while he was grabbing
the Red Books they had,
he heard a small sound like
an issue gone bad.
He turned around fast,
and he saw a strange sight!
Little Cindy-Lou Intern who
worked late at night.

He knew he was caught by
this audit intern
working hard at her desk
some credits to earn.

“Why co-worker dear,” the
fake manager lied,
“there’s so much to be done,
so much to be tied,
So I’m taking it home to
work late on, my dear.
I’ll catch us up there. Then
I’ll bring it back here.”

And the auditee slithered
away down the aisle,
At the desk he left nothing
but dust and his smile.

Then he did the same thing
at each auditor’s desk
with so little remaining
it seemed quite grotesque!
At quarter past dawn…
his car filled with findings.
With worksheets! With plans!
With three rings of bindings!
He drove his packed car up the
side of Mt. Crumpit,
He drove his car up to the
tiptop to dump it!

“Pooh-pooh to the audit!” he
was strutting and humming.
“They’re finding out now
that no audit is coming!”
“They’re just waking up! I know
just what they’ll do!
Their mouths will hang open
a minute or two. Then all of the
auditors will cry BOO-HOO!

“That’s a noise,’ grinned the auditee,
“I must hear!”
So he paused. And the
auditee tilted his ear.

And he did hear a sound rising
up to the mount.
It started out low. Then it
grew like a fount…

But the sound wasn’t sad!
Why, it sounded exciting!
It sounded like auditors
talking and writing!

Every person in Auditville,
average and bright
was reporting! Without
any findings in sight!
He’s NOT stopped the audit
from coming!
IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the auditee, with all
that paperwork flappin’,
stood puzzling and puzzling:
“How could this happen?
It came without spreadsheets!
It came without tests!
It came without analysis,
risks, and the rest!”
And he puzzled three hours,
till his puzzler was sore,
then he thought of a thing
he’d not thought of before!
“Maybe audits, “ he thought,
“don’t from paperwork start.
Maybe audits…perhaps…
really start with the heart!”

And what happened then?
Well…in Auditville they say
that the auditee’s figures
balanced that day!
And the minute his numbers
fit perfectly right,
he whizzed with his load through
the bright morning light
and he brought back the tests,
the worksheets, the binding!

And he…
…HE HIMSELF…
wrote up all of the findings!

Labels: Christmas, Nerdity, Random, Scott

So, immediately after Cheryl completed her personality test results (with frightening precision), she wanted me to take the test. I feel I should explain why my results have not been posted. I took the test and failed. Twice.

The first time through I was identified as ENTP - The Originator.
ENTPs are logical, innovative, curious and downright inventive. They see possibilities for improvement everywhere and possess the ability to understand complex concepts. ENTPs are introspective and carefree nonconformists. They often neglect the more common areas of life while pursuing new solutions. ENTPs can be good conversationalists and exciting company.

Not completely accurate.

Cheryl wanted to help me answer the questions the second time and we got: ISTP - The Craftsman.
ISTPs are adventurous and independent. They like to figure out how things work. They have great mechanical and technical skills. They live in the "here and now" which makes them adaptable and spontaneous. They like to keep busy and are action-oriented. ISTPs thrive on new and exciting situations.

I think the only thing that got more accurate was the introverted part.

Finally, we just read the descriptions and decided that I best fit INTP - The Engineer.
INTPs are logical, individualistic, reserved, and very curious individuals. They focus on ideas, theories and the explanation of how things work. They are especially adept at discussions and debate. They have the ability to focus intently on a subject. They appreciate and respect intelligence in others.

I think the additional descriptions provide more support for this personality type.

Labels: Random, Scott

Well, my very first Father's Day has come and gone. What a day! Apparently Caleb couldn't wait for Father's Day to start (about 5:30 AM), however his Mama was kind enough take him downstairs and let me sleep in a little more. I made it downstairs to the smell of French toast, that "Caleb" was making with Cheryl's "help". It was a nice breakfast treat to start my morning!

I then was given my first Father's Day present. Caleb got all 3 of us tickets to a Rangers game in September!! I am very excited about taking Caleb to his first baseball game. It would have been great to be a Braves vs. Rangers game, but once we return we will all be getting Texas Rangers hats.

While I will always be a Braves fan and I will always remember the '91 Miracle Season and the '95 World Series, I have decided that I can't live in a place and go to baseball games and not "root, root root for the home team" (unless of course its the Yankees, but I don't plan on moving to The Bronx).

Labels: Fun, Scott

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Labels: Scott, Surveys