Discovering the Focal Point

Changing of the Banners

2013-08-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

This will be the last post that I will be writing on Discovering the Focal Point. But don't worry. I'm not quitting the blogging world; I'm merely switching my blog to a new banner.

When I started Discovering the Focal Point, I meant for it to be primarily about photography. I hoped it would be a venue for me to display my photography and for me to give photographic tips and tricks. However, I feel that my blog naturally progressed somewhat away from that original goal. Although it has been a way for me to share photographs, it strayed away from photographic tips, tricks, and assignments and became more of a way to simply document life. And you know what? I am perfectly fine with that. As such, I no longer feel that the banner of Discovering the Focal Point fits the current and future direction I intend for this blog.

So going forward, I will be blogging under a new banner: Life on the Peninsulas. You can go to it now by going to http://mipeninsulas.blogspot.com/. For those who have been following this current blog, you will find this new blog will be very similar. I will continue to write about my adventures and display the photographs I take along the way. However, I do have a few new things in mind for this next blog, and I also think that this new banner is more consistent with a few other things I've got in the mix. You'll have to check in on the new blog in the next month to find out what.

I hope you all continue to follow along as I share about Life on the Peninsulas.

North Carolina Vacation: Topsail Island

2013-07-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a week long vacation to Topsail Island in North Carolina, and it was a great week.
You can read my wife's re-cap of the vacation here.

We left on a Saturday morning, leaving my in-laws place a little after 6 in the morning. We had a big 12 passenger van, so everybody had lots of room, with everyone basically having their own row. Which was good, because we had a ton of stuff. It always amazes me how much more stuff we have to take because of Jonah. Anyways we had a very long drive ahead. By mid-afternoon, I had already taken two naps. So far, it was shaping up to be a good vacation. About 12:30 am, we arived at our beach house for the week unloaded what we needed and crashed into bed.

We got up fairly early the next morning, thanks to Jonah, and explored the house we would be staying at for the week. It was sweet. Lots of rooms, huge windows with amazing views.

The first two days we were down there were kind of rainy and gloomy.

But the gloomy weather didn't stop us from having a good time. We went to the movies and watched Monsters University. We also took a deceptively long walk to the pier.

Thankfully, the rained moved on by Monday afternoon. By Tuesday morning, we had beautiful sunny weather.

One thing I learned is that my camera did not like the humidity. I had to wait about 20 minutes everytime I went outside for it to un-fog.

Every morning, Jonah was waking up a little after 5 am. So needless to say, we caught the sun rise on most days. This gave us plenty of time to take pictures. Get ready for a photo explosion.

Here's the beachside view of the house we stayed in.

We were taking pictures one morning, with Jonah sitting on a blanket. The next thing we know, Jonah is booking it towards the ocean.

No fear, he just crawled right into the surf.

Hanging with Mommy,

Hanging with Daddy,

Obviously, we spent a lot of time at the beach.

We rented a pair of surfboards, which was an epic failure.

We went and watched some fireworks at a park on July 3rd.

Waiting in the parking lot to leave the fireworks.

We also toured the USS North Carolina, a battleship from World War 2.

We had dinner at this nice restaurant in Wilmington.

Then walked Wilmington's boardwalk while enjoying some ice cream.

Before we knew it, the week was over and we were enjoying our last Atlantic Sunrise.

On the way home, we spent about 20 hours in the car, getting back at 3:30 in the morning. The car ride un-did some of the relaxation of the week. But still, it was a great vacation and an amazing week.

Good Bye Momo

2013-06-26T09:36:00.002-07:00

Yesterday was a very rough day in our house. We had to put down our cat Momo. Jamie and I got him shortly after we got married. He was saved by my brother in law, who found him with the umbilical cord still attached. Needless to say, we weren't the only ones who were attached to this cat.

Those who met Momo knew he was a little bi-polar. One second he would be cuddling and purring; the next he would flip out and attack. We were really concerned when we had Jonah, thinking that Jonah would get bitten. But Momo did really well with Jonah, so we decided not to worry about. That was the way of it really, Momo would attack someone, but then he would do really well for a long time.

About a week ago, he didn't do so well again. We were having some people over for a bonfire. One of our friends went inside to use te restroom, when Momo seriously attacked her. I mean SERIOUS. She was bleeding through her pants. That was the last straw. We knew it was only a matter of time before Jonah was attacked. We knew right then that we had to get rid of Momo, and that no one was willing to take him. So we had to put him down. It was hard. It really sucked. But it needed to be done.

Despite how wild he could be, I'm really going to miss Momo. I'm going to miss how he had to follow me into the bathroom. I'm going to miss how he'd lead me to his food bowl to tell me he was hungry. I'm going to miss how he'd basically sit on Jamie's head so he could lay on my chest.

So this is goodbye Momo.

The coolest kid I know.

2013-06-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

This is how Jonah rolls, with his foot in the air like he just don't care. Making his cool guy face.

He'll also imitate almost anything you do, which is pretty fun but also a little scary.

We took Jonah to the park last night for the first time. He loved it.

Also, Jonah got a sweet new dump truck. I'm a little jealous. It's awesome.

Yep, pretty much the coolest kid I know.

May Photo Dump

2013-06-01T09:52:00.001-07:00

I realized that I haven't been sharing as many photos on here lately. Taking and sharing photos was one of the main reasons why I started this blog. I was out of the photo taking mood for a while, but I'm starting to get the itch again.

I have quite a few photos to share from random things through out the month of May.

Playing with some HDR software Jamie downloaded. Crazy.

Tulip Time, and all the things downtown Holland has to offer.

Grand Haven

Memorial Day Weekend

That's it for now. Though keep an eye out. I have some very exciting photography related things I hope to be sharing soon.

Officially a CPA

2013-05-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

It's official. I got my license in the mail yesterday.

And that is that. Done.

First 10K: FifthThird River Bank Run

2013-05-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

On Saturday May 11, 2013, I ran my first 10K race: The Fifth Third RiverBank Run.

I've been running for a while now. I really starting to get into it last fall. I had done a few 5K's and was ready to try something a little longer. Though, there was a running hiatus because of winter's fury and time needed for studying. So this spring, I basically had to start from scratch.

Anyways, I had spent about the last 8 weeks training for the race, slowly building up my miles. Things were on track, and I was confident I would be able to finish the 10K strong. Then two weeks ago, during a training run, I hurt my knee. I'm not exactly sure what caused it. I think it was a combination of a couple factors. One: that was the farthest I had ever run; Two: the first mile of that run was on a fairly uneven rutted up dirt road. I think the stress and extra twisting from uneven footfalls followed by another 4 miles was too much for me left knee. By the time I finished, I was hobbling. I should have stopped much sooner, but I was stupidly determined to finish that days quota. Then to top it off, I went for about a 3 mile hike that afternoon. Pretty dumb, probably made it much worse than it needed to be.

So I spent the two weeks before the race on the couch. About a week after I hurt my knee, I went on a quick test run. I made it about a half mile before it started to hurt again. Crap! A few days after that (it had started feeling better by this point) I went for another test run. I made it about three quarters of a mile this time. It wasn't hurting, but it didn't exactly feel right either. I decided to not test it at all again before the race, just resting and icing my knee. So needless to say, I was pretty nervous about being able to even finish the race.

The day of the race arrived, and I made our way to the starting line.

This was much larger race than I had been in before. There was a ton of people running. It was definitely a cool experience. I had to wait for about 20 minutes, but finally the start horn sounded. And we were off, sort of. The start of the race was such a bottle neck. It took almost a minute to even get to the official starting line. But eventually, the mob started moving and everybody spaced out. The start and end were really cool because you were running through downtown GR.

The first two miles felt like some of the longest of my life. It wasn't because I was going any slower than normal (please note I am not a fast runner). It just felt like time was dragging on. But eventually, I hit the two mile mark near John Ball Zoo. So far my knee had held up. I was being much more aware of my form, which I think helped.

Keeping on, I hit the halfway point. A little bit later, right before the four mile mark, there was the second aid station of the race. I decided to get some water at this point. Hadn't ever tried running and drinking from a cup at the same time before. It was more difficult than anticipated. I probably got about 1 sip from a cup full of water. Oh well, about 2/3rd done, and my knee was still holding on. We ran past Grand Valley and past the Grand Rapids Museum. Then past the Bridgewater place, there was a long hill. I made it up it fine, actually passed a few people, but going down was rough on the knee. Everybody I passed going up, passed me going down. At the bottom there was another aid station, where I grabbed some gatorade on the go.

We crossed the river and made the turn onto Division to head back into downtown Grand Rapids. This section too was a long gradual hill. At this point, I was getting pretty tired. I could tell I was slowing down, and my form was going to crap. On the slow grade down the hill, my knee started to give out.

But I only had about a half mile to go. No matter what ( or how slow) I was going to make it. I made the last two turns toward the finish line. I felt like I was limping, but I was still moving. The pregnant lady who was behind me the whole race made her move and passed me. (No Joke).

With a little hitch in my giddyup, I made it across the finish line. My goal was to finish in less than an hour. My time: 1 hour and 33 seconds. Soooooo close.

On the picture below, the look on my face is pretty much how I felt.

To all those in or preparing to enter the medical profession ( I know there are at least two who read this blog), I'm wondering if you could point me to what it could be. As I mentioned, it started hurting on a longer run for me after I had run on a rough/uneven surface. It is my left knee, and only hurts on the outside of the knee. It doesn't hurt at all in the joint or around the knee cap. It doesn't hurt to put weight on it, but it would hurt to bend the knee. Going up stairs is bad, going down stairs is really bad. I've got a hunch at what it is, but wondering if it could be something else.

Two Idiots in a Rain Storm

2013-05-05T17:30:00.002-07:00

A few weeks back, one of my best friends, Daniel, was in town. He lives in Seattle and travels all over the world flying for the air force. So needless to say, I don't get to hang out with him very often. I ended up taking a half day off of work so we could get together with him and his wife and also celebrate my wife's birthday.

Whenever Daniel and I get together, it seems like we end up doing things that are a little crazy. Whether it is mountain biking, white water rafting, rock climbing, or just being two goofballs out in public, we always seem to have a good time. This time was no different.

We decided to go hiking. Now if don't know or recall, at that time, West Michigan was getting some crazy rainstorms. Rivers were flooding; roads were washing away. In general, it was some gnarly weather. This is the weather that we decided to go hiking in. Hey, that's why they invented rain jackets right?

Anyways, it started off ok. It was raining, but nothing awful. Then about 45minutes in, we started to hear thunder. A little bit later, the lightning strikes kept getting closer and closer. There was one flash of lightning that was especially close. At that point, Daniel and I looked at each other and were like "do you want to turn around?" We gave in, admitting defeat to mother nature. We made it back to the car without getting fried. Though about tens minutes into the drive back home, it started to hail. The rain got so intense that people were stopping their cars on the side of the road. That would have been insane to have been hiking in. I guess we made the right decision in turning around.

Anyways, Thanks Daniel for always being awesome.

Also, Happy Birthday on this cinco de mayo.

What it takes to pass the CPA Exam

2013-04-07T13:50:00.003-07:00

Now that I've found out that I've passed the last section of the CPA exam, I thought I'd take a moment to re-cap the process. If anybody who is preparing for the CPA exam stumbles across this, I hope you find it helpful. For those non-accountant's (friends/family), this will give you more of a glimpse into what I went through. At the very least, this will help me remember everything later on down the road.

Alright, first thing you need to know about the CPA exam is that it is expensive. To get scheduled for the exam, you need to pay both an application fee and an examination fee with you first application. The fees break down as follows:

Application fee (non-refundable): $147.00

Examination Fee:
Auditing and Attestation(AUD) $195.35
Business Environment and Concepts(BEC) $176.25
Financial Accounting and Reporting(FAR) $195.35
Regulation(REG) $176.25

You can apply for more than one section at a time, but your application window is only open for six months. When that application window closes, you have to re-apply and send in another application fee (though slightly less than the first application fee).

Usually within two weeks or so, you will get a response back. If found eligible, they will send you a Notice to Schedule, which has the information needed to schedule your testing dates with the testing center.

Anyways, the first time around, I signed up for three sections (FAR,REG, and AUD). I was trying to keep the fees to a minimum by signing up for the most exams that I thought I could pass with in six months. I ended up paying $713.95. The second time, I only had to sign up for BEC, which cost $234.25. So in total, I spent $948.20 on the actual exam.

But that isn't the only cost related to the exam. In order to pass, you need to purchase study materials. Now there are a lot of options out their in terms of CPA review material (self-study, classes, books, software, audio CD's, DVD's). There are some more well known materials, such as Becker and Gleim, but these tend to be more expensive (up to $3,000). I had discussed with some of my co-workers at the time what they had used. Most of them had used the BISK CPA review material and had success. BISK is more on the affordable side. For text books and review software for all four sections, I paid $702.45.

So in total, the CPA exam and review materials ended up costing me $1,650.65. Like I said, depending on what review software you use and how many application fees you end up paying, it could cost you much more.

Ok, the second thing you need to know is that studying for the CPA exam is very time consuming. Inevitably, there are people who think they can just study a little bit and be fine. They typically end up contributing to the low passing rates that the CPA exam is known for.

First thing I did was start by reading through all four books. This in itself was time consuming. At this point, I hadn't signed up for any particular exam. I was only trying to get a feel for the topics, the sections, and which I thought I would need to spend the most time on.

After reading through the books, I determined that I first wanted to take FAR. Based on what other people had said and based on the number and variety of topics covered, I knew this would be one of the more difficult sections, and I wanted to get it out of the way first.

My study pattern per section was basically this: I would go through every question on the review software for a section once, then I would go through them again (at least every other question). Monday through Fridays, I would try to study about 1-2 hours a night. On Saturdays, I would try to study about 3-5 hours. For FAR, I took probably about 4-5 months of focused studying. For REG I studied about three months. For Auditing, I only took about a month and a half. For Reg, I took about 2 months.

For the review software, each section had the following number of review questions.

AUD 830
BEC 1046
FAR 1749
REG 1339
Total 4964

Assuming conservatively that I went through every question once my first time through and every other question my second time through (often I did more), I reviewed questions 7,446 times. Very, very time consuming. Not saying everyone needs to study that much. This was simply my approach.

But it all paid off. My scores for the sections ended up being (note: 75 needed to pass)....

FAR 91
REG 82
AUD 89
BEC 92

Passing any one of the sections is a big accomplishment. If you don't believe me, below are the pass rates for each section for 2012.

UNIFORM CPA EXAMINATION PASSING RATES 2012

Section	First Quarter	Second Quarter	Third Quarter	Fourth Quarter	Cumulative

AUD	44.90%	47.81%	50.08%	44.15%	46.89%
BEC	48.63%	53.17%	57.63%	50.57%	52.83%
FAR	43.84%	46.49%	53.91%	45.53%	47.97%
REG	45.00%	49.62%	51.26%	46.02%	48.15%

So yeah, passing any given section is an accomplishment. Passing all four on your first try is an even bigger deal. Upon a quick search, I found statistics from anywhere to 3-30% of test takers accomplish this. The actual number is probably in the middle somewhere, probably around 20%. Not trying to brag (ok, maybe just a little). I'm just still really excited to be done.

That's it for now.

The Test That Could Decide It ALL

2013-03-11T17:21:00.002-07:00

On Saturday February 16th, 2013, I once again drove to the testing center in GR to take yet another section of the CPA exam. Up to that point, I had taken and passed three out of the four sections. That meant that if I passed this fourth test, I would be FINISHED with the CPA exam. It is safe to say that I was very nervous and stressed.

I once again arrived early to the center and was able to start my test ahead of schedule. Once through the ridiculously strong security process, I was led to my computer, where I entered my launch code and began taking what could potentially have been my last test. This section was BEC (Business Environment and Concepts). It is basically a hodge podge of whatever wasn't covered on the other three sections. Some of the topics covered on the test included cost accounting, economics, finance, and information technology.

The first few questions seemed to be easy enough, and I was fairly certain that I was on track to pass by the end of the first testlet. That feeling quickly changed when I began the second testlet. The questions I received from that point on were absolutely insane. Unlike the questions on my review software, these questions expected me to have an in depth working knowledge of every minuscule detail and an ability to manipulate complex formulas. For all my test prep questions, a basic understanding of the formulas covered was more than enough to get a question correct. Once again, there were many many topics that I studied for that weren't tested at all, and things that I thought were unimportant were tested hard. In addition, I received several questions on topics that my test prep material did not discuss at all.

By this point in the test, I felt as if I had been beaten. I just wanted to give up. I really didn't think I was going to pass this one. I had the urge to stand up, throw the computer, and scream at the top of my lungs that "THIS ISN'T FAIR!" The test was definitely messing with my mind. I stuck with it and stuck with what worked for me in the past on the other tests. I went with my first instinct, and wouldn't second guess myself. I have been burned time and time again by second guessing myself out of a right answer in college. I made sure I moved at a steady pace, not letting myself get bogged down on any particular question. I probably could have stared at any one of those questions for an hour and not been any more confident about my answers.

In a fog of frustration and confusion, I made it through the three multiple choice testlets and through the three written simulation questions. I signed out, gathered my things, and walked to the parking walk with my head hanging low. There was NO chance that I had passed that torture they had the audacity of calling an exam.

Then to add insult to injury, I found out that I had left the lights on in my car. So my battery was dead. So I shamefully had to wait at the place of my defeat until road side assistance could come and give me a jump.

It was a rough day.

That was about three weeks. I spent those three weeks enjoying what little freedom I had. I knew that at the end of those three weeks I would once again have to give up that freedom to study once more.

Last night, I was all anxious. I knew that I would get my results the next day. While we were driving to church, Jamie asked if I had checked the website. Sometimes the results get posted before they officially release the scores. I didn't know if I wanted to check. I wanted to live in blissful ignorance a little while longer.

But once that thought got put in my head, it slowly ate at my sanity. Once that thought was put in my head, there was no way I could wait. As we started small group, I discretely took out my phone and went to the nasba website. I entered my section number and birth date. I held my breath, said a quick prayer, and waited to be dolled out my fate.

The members of my small group said that the look on my face was a look of pure joy and utter relief.

I PASSED!!!!!!

I had passed, and I had passed by a fair margin. I really didn't understand. There was no way that was my score. I was so excited I was literally shaking.

I had managed to pass all four sections on my first attempt. This is a HUGE accomplishment (I'll do a post later on passed rates and the estimated percentages of people who accomplish this).

To be honest, I'm not sure it has really sunk in yet. I've basically been working towards this for the last 5 years of my life, and I've finally made it. I've finally reached the end of my academic career. To become a CPA was probably one of the most difficult things I have ever done, and I am extremely proud to have finally made it.

Here is to moving on and finally getting to live my life.

Enjoying my New Found Freedom

2013-03-04T16:44:00.000-08:00

Usually about this time of year, I would be neck deep in audit planning and corporate tax returns. I would be going into work early, staying late, and working Saturdays.

BUT NOT ANY MORE!!!!!

HALLELUJAH!

With my new job, I can go to and leave work at a normal time. And working a Saturday would be very unusual.

So what am I doing with this new found freedom?

Enjoying every minute of it.

I've been able to take time to do things that I haven't been able to do much of in the last few years.

For example.... Snowmobiling.

Last Saturday, My dad and I went up to Reed City to get one last snowmobile trip in before spring hits. I met my dad a little after 5:30 am so we could get on the road and get up there decent on time. By 8:15, after a quick McDonalds dollar menu breakfast, we were unloading the sleds and getting bundled up, though apparently not bundled enough.

It was definitely cold. As we took off down the long straight stretch of trail which follows US 131 North towards Cadillac, I slowly began to loose feeling in my fingers. By the time we reached Cadillac, I could no longer feel my fingers. Thankfully, Dad couldn't feel his fingers either, so we stopped to warm them in the exhaust of the snowmobile. After a few minutes, I slowly regained movement of my fingers.

Besides the cold digits, it was a great day snowmobiling. We got an early enough start that the trails weren't very busy. As well, the trails were nice and smooth. There was only one brief section which wasn't groomed. For lunch, we stopped at the Wellston Inn. Unfortunately, it has become more and more run down over the years. Too bad. I used to enjoy that restaurant.

We kept a good pace, and by the end of the day we put on about 175 miles. Not too bad of a day in the lower peninsula.

Breaking the Air Wave Silence

2013-01-26T14:08:00.000-08:00

So, It's been too long since I've written any thing on here. But now it's time to break the air wave silence.

So what have I been doing all this time. Basically working and studying. Since the New Year, work has been a little crazy, and I've spent most nights getting ready for my next and final test. Although there are much fewer chapters in this study book, it seems like there are many many more questions in every chapter. Sometimes, it has taken me almost an entire week to finish one chapter.

As of now, I've gone through every review question for this section once. And I plan to go through them at least once more before I actually take the test. But for now, I'm taking a break. Not going to touch the study materials at all this week end.

So far, I have spent this weekend relaxing, reading a good book, watching some netflix, and playing in the snow with Jonah and Jamie. Here are some pics from the afternoon. The light was amazing outside today.

Being bundled to the point of not being able to move has got to be frustrating.

One big happy family...

Now its time to enjoy some of my favorite pizza from the Trestle Stop.

I leave you with a random picture of an ice sculpture. Can you tell what it is?

75 Needed to Pass

2012-12-15T14:33:00.001-08:00

A few weeks after you take a section of the CPA exam, you will receive a score release notification that reads something like this....

"You will receive separate score notices for each section of the examination you have taken. Each notice includes: examination identifying information (section name, section ID, and date); your score for teat examination section; and the result (Pass/Fail).

"Each notice also show credit status for the other examination sections you have taken... You will receive a separate notice for that section of the examination.

"The score represents your overall performance on the identified examination section. Scores are reported on a numeric scale of 0-99, with 75 as the passing score. This scale does NOT represent 'percent correct.' A score of 75 indicates examination performance reflecting a level of knowledge and skills that is sufficient for the protection of the public."

Well public, you can sleep easy. The Michigan Board of Accountancy has determined that I am no danger to you in regards to my auditing knowledge.

That's right, I have taken and passed (received a score of 75 or better) my third section of the CPA exam. This test section was Auditing. As usual, the test questions were very difficult. As I got further into the test, the test questions kept getting harder and harder. Now actually this was a good sign, since the CPA exam is a progressive test. Basically, if you do well on the first section, they will give you more difficult questions on the second section. I needed to keep reminding myself this, because by the end of the test, the questions were ridiculously difficult.

With this exam completed, I am 75 percent of the way through the entire testing process. I have completed and passed Financial Accounting and Reporting, Regulation, and Auditing. I only have one section left to complete: Business Environment and Concepts.

At this point, I am fairly confident in my study method for the exams. I am certain that I will be able to pass this last section if I put the same level of time and effort into studying for it as I did for the first three.

That being said, I am definitely losing motivation to study. After this last test, I took a week break. I didn't pick up the study material once. Let me tell you, it was glorious. So now, I am finding it harder and harder to come home after work and spend a couple hours going cross eyed reading about Keynesian Economic theory, marginal cost curves, and CVP charts.

Oh well, the end is in sight.

And the Winner is

2012-12-05T11:11:00.002-08:00

ME !!

Every month, Eagle Nest Outfitters Inc. has a photo contest. As mentioned in another post, I love my ENO. I decided that I would enter the photo below into the contest.

And surprisingly, I won. You can see the announcement on ENO's blog here.

Better yet, as the winner, I was able to get $215 of ENO gear of my choosing. I decided to get a one-link sleep system (basically a hammock and tent combined).

So yeah, I'm pretty excited. I've never really won much in my life, especially not $215 worth of stuff. Big day for me, that's for sure.

A Very Thankful Video Friday

2012-11-23T09:57:00.002-08:00

As I sit hear on the day after Thanksgiving, I find myself reflecting on the holiday which has just past. Truly, I have a very blessed life. I have a beautiful wife and a happy healthy growing boy. Even though I am one of the few people who had to show up to the office to day, I am very grateful for this job. It defnitely has been an answer to prayer. I am healthy and able to get out and enjoy being active. Whether its going out for a short run or hiking with the family, there are so many reasons to be thankful for being able to enjoy getting outside.

I came across a short blog post this morning, and I enjoyed it. So I'm going to share it. I grabbed it from here, just to give credit where credit is due.

Being Thankful

by Annie Leonard

"If you ask people what they’re most thankful for in life, three things nearly always come out on top. Not their car (even if it’s a hybrid), their shiny new ultrathin laptop or a 700-fill-power goose down ski jacket. Surveys consistently find we’re most thankful for friends and loved ones, good health and the wonders of nature. What’s more, clinical studies show that gratitude is good for us. Grateful people are happier, less depressed, less stressed, more satisfied with their lives and better able to cope with problems. Being thankful even helps us sleep better.

It’s a good time, then, to ask: Why don’t we walk the talk?

The main reason, of course, is the blitzkreig of commercial advertising and marketing we’re bombarded with 24/7, which peaks at this time each year. Many of us respond by spending too much time and energy chasing more Stuff and not enough on the things we say we’re most thankful for. To put it in marketplace terms, we’re underinvesting in the things that pay the most dividends, while we overinvest in Stuff that actually threatens the things we profess to value. We have more and cooler Stuff than our grandparents ever imagined, but we pay the price – more time spent working and shopping and maintaining our stuff, much less time spent in leisure, recreation, community service and with friends.

As a nation, this imbalance is not making us happy campers. In the latest Happy Planet Index, the United States ranks 14th out of 143 countries. Costa Rica, where the Gross Domestic Product per person is about a fourth of the U.S., ranked first. (In a group of 20 rich countries, however, we are number one in poverty, income inequality, spending on health care and people who can’t afford health care, infant mortality, obesity and climate change pollution.)

What can we do to reset the balance? Here’s a start: this holiday season, choose family over frenzy. The day after Thanksgiving – so called Black Friday – is a perfect time to opt out of the consumer frenzy and focus on those things we’re really thankful for.

Revisionist history aside, Thanksgiving is a great holiday. Two full days when most Americans are liberated from work and school to gather around a table, break bread and share conversation with those we love. We get the chance to spend two days pausing, recharging, looking into the faces of loved ones rather than into our computer screens.

Instead, the day after Thanksgiving, many Americans will rise at dawn, drive to a mall and spend the day searching for sales on products we don’t really need and which don’t ultimately make us happy. This year, let’s instead focus on the things that make us most thankful. Stay home, unplug the computer and the TV, bring out the board games, play touch football, walk the dog, take a hike – do anything but join the shopping frenzy. You’ll be thankful you did."

I would suggest taking some time today and thinking about what the Thanksgiving holiday is truly about, because you weren't likely very thankful yesterday watching the Lions lose. Come up with a list of things you are REALLY thankful for. Most likely, the new flatscreen that you waited in line for days to get probably won't make the list.

So I'm going to share something that I am truly thankful for: Michigan Winters. Now for all you complainers, you can just move to a different state. Because if you live in Michigan, you should really learn to love snow, otherwise you are just missing out. And the best part about this year is that I should actually be able to get out and enjoy it. There are so many fun and exciting things to do in winter in this great state of ours. And here are just a few.

Now look at that, I start writing about snow, and a few flakes start falling.

Carrying the Kid

2012-11-20T12:53:00.001-08:00

The first "kid related" item that Jamie and I bought when we found out that she was pregnant was a Kelty Kid Carrier. We bought this because one it was a really good deal on The Clymb and two because I knew I wanted my kid to grow up hiking and spending time in the woods.

But once we got the kid carrier, it just ended sitting in the basement because Jonah hadn't even been born yet. Even after Jonah was born, it still sat in the basement because a kid has to be so big to be able to ride in it.

Though finally, after sitting in the basement for about a year, we were finally able to put it to some good use and take Jonah on a hike.

On Saturday, I got up decent on time to get my daily quota of studying out of the way. I finished the review questions for a chapter by about 10, went for a quick two and a half mile run, and got everything ready to go.

We went to a local state park that has some decent trails and put the Kelty to work.

**I am going to go through a quick product plug for the Kelty FC 2.0 Kid Carrier here. This is a great product. It is built extremely well, very high quality. The shoulder and waste straps fit very comfortably, with lots of adjustment possibilities. It has a ton of storage compartments, so you can bring everything that goes along with toting a kid around. And as you can see, it even has a kick stand, which proves very handy. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to hike with young children.

Some times I wonder what Jonah thinks about all the things we put him through.

Here he looks like he isn't too sure about riding in this thing. Anyways, once we got him snuggly strapped in, we were off.

I couldn't really see him, but Jamie said his head was bobbing up and down alot. Though, from the picture below, it looks like Jonah enjoyed himself.

I guess having Dad carry you around is tiring, because it didn't take long for Jonah to fall asleep.

That doesn't look very comfortable to me. Ha.

Overall, it was a great day. And to finish it off, we ended the day with a large pizza from the Trestle Stop. That definitely hit the spot.

That's all for now. Have a great Thanksgiving everybody.

Half Way There; Living on a Prayer

2012-11-09T12:52:00.001-08:00

So back on Saturday October 13, around 3 in the afternoon, I stepped into a testing center once again to take a section of the CPA exam. This was the 2nd of 4 sections that I need to pass to get those 3 letters behind my name. This time, I was slated to take Regulation. For those of you who don't speak accountant, this test basically boiled down to two main areas, business law and taxes, with the majority of the points based on taxes.

Now anyone who has ever asked me about my profession probably has heard this, "I really don't like taxes." Because I really don't like taxes. Honestly I find the entire tax system arbitrary. At least with Auditing and Financial Reporting, you can reason out an answer. In the world of taxes, the logical answer is most likely the wrong answer. At least that's the way I see it. Anyways, I had a "fun" three months cramming tax rules, business structures, etc into my head.

So back to the test. I got to the testing center about a half hour early. This time though, there was no wait. I was immediately ushered into the "staging" area. Here they fingerprint you, photograph you, verify your two forms of identification, wand you with a metal detector, and make you turn your pockets inside out. Yep, these testing centers make you go through about as much security as an international flight. They obviously take the potential of cheating very very seriously.

After "clearing security", I was led to my chair. Now for some reason, I thought I was going to have four hours for the test. So I was thrown slightly for a loop when I found out I was going to only have three hours. But what can you do, so I just started plunking away one question at a time.

Despite the shorter time limit, I had plenty of time. I finished the multiple choice section in under two hours, leaving over an hour for the simulations. Which was good, because I needed about 45 minutes to come up with a respectible solution to an AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax) Question. That's right, our tax system is that lame where basically if you aren't paying enough tax under the regular tax code you could have to pay more under AMT. If they don't get you one way, they'll get you another.

Now people always asked me how I felt I did after I was finished with the test. Now most tests you take in your life, you can usually tell how you did. But the CPA is a different animal. They word the questions in such a backwards way that sometimes it is hard to read it as discernible English. After you muddle your way through to determine what you think they are asking, you try to narrow your answers down. Now some answers are obviously wrong. But others are technically right. But one is "more right" than the other. So you have to try to pick between to perfectly valid answers. The whole thing just messes with your mind. After walking out of the building, you feel like you were just mentally abused.

Once done with the test, I had an enjoyable 1 day break from studying. My open window for testing ends at the end of November. So I have to study like mad before my 3rd test, which I have about half as much time to prepare for as my first two.

A week or two after the test, I received an email telling me that I should get my results on the 5th of November (Remember Remember the 5th of November). Then the weekend before, I got an email saying the the score release date was pushed back due to Hurricane Sandy (stinking hurricane). Later, I was told that I would get my score on Monday the 13th. So I was more than surprised when I came back from a meeting today with an email saying "Score Release." I got immediately nervous, almost to the point of shaking. I held my breath as the file downloaded.

Result: PASS

I kind of freaked out for a second there when I saw that it said PASS. I could hardly believe it. I am so stinking relieved. I can now move forward and completely focus on the next section without worrying that I might have to go back and restudy a section that I already studied for.

So that is what I get to do. Move forward and study for the next section. Study till it all oozes out of my head. Or at least that's how it feels sometimes.

Video Friday: The Gimp Monkeys

2012-10-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

After a few week hiatus, Video Friday is back.

And it is back with an amazingly inspirational video. All I'm going to say is that this video shows what truly dedicated people can accomplish.

No Excuses

Senior Portraits: Kalie

2012-10-20T14:10:00.002-07:00

Back in August, when the sun was shining and it was hotter than any day really should be, Jamie and I had another senior portrait session. This time, it was for Jamie's cousin Kalie. As usual, it was a fun day, and I think we got some good ones.

Not feeling very verbose today, so here's the photos. (Be warned: there are a lot of them)

We started at one of my favorite places to take photos, the Hamilton Trestle Bridge.

Hope you enjoy them, Kalie.

ENO: Eagle Nest Outfitters Doublenest

2012-10-04T15:09:00.002-07:00

There are lots of pieces of gear I own that I love. I love my Osprey Aether 70 Backpack (extremely light and comforatble). I love my Big Agnes Lost Ranger Sleeping Bag with the sleeve for the air mattress (no more rolling off the air mattress in the middle of the night). I love my Jet Boil Stove (quick and efficient).

But of all the gear that I own, there is one piece that I love far beyond all others. That piece of gear is my ENO (Eagles Nest Outfitters) Double Nest Hammock.

I seriously cannot over emphasize how much I love my ENO. When the weather is nice, I try to keep it with me at all times. You never know when you'll come across a great hammocking spot and get the urge to RELAX...

The main reasons that I think the ENO is such a thing to own ARE...

IT IS FUN FOR ALL...

It really doesn't matter what you are into or what you are doing, the ENO is always nice to have along. Whether you are on a multiday backpacking trip, a picnic to the beach, or just in your backyard, the ENO doesn't care. Unlike most of the other gear I own, which are designed for one particular sport, the ENO can be used in a variety of situations. Now who doesn't love that. I find that it is great to toss in the backpack on day hikes so you have a comfortable place to rest and have lunch. This leads me to the next point of the ENO's greatness.

IT IS SUPER COMPACT AND PORTABLE...

The ENO is really light, weighing in just over a pound. And it packs down small enough to fit in your hand.

Being that it is so light and compact, it makes it so it is easy to bring your ENO on every adventure. You don't have to worry about it taking up too much space or getting tired by carrying it.

IT IS SUPER COMFORTABLE....

I mean seriously, who doesn't love to lay in a hammock. Jonah defnitely loves it. It just feels good to get up off the ground and let the slight sway of the hammock rock you to sleep.

IT IS SUPER EASY TO PUT UP.

When you get your buy your ENO (which you all had better), you buy the hammock and the straps separately.

You take the straps out of their pouch.

You wrap the two straps around two trees between 10 and 20 feet apart.

You take the hammock out of its pouch.

You hook the hammock to the straps with the attached caribeners.

And you're ready to go, in less than two minutes.

When you are done, you stuff the hammock back into the little pouch that is attached to the hammock.

It's really that simple. After all that, who wouldn't want one.

So go get an ENO. And then...

Video Friday: Reveal the Path Trailer

2012-09-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

It's Friday, and I sit alone in my little corner of the office. My boss took the day off, and most of my coworkers have taken a half day. The weekly staff meeting has been canceled because so few people are here. So let's stop pretending. I'm not going to get anything accomplished this afternoon. My eyes have glossed over, and my mind is in the pre-weekend haze. Although my body is still in the office; my mind is defnintely already gone. So at this point, I'm really just biding my time till the clock hits five. To help the afternoon go a little bit faster, I think I'll distract myself with another Video Friday.

This weeks installment is a trailer for Reveal the Path, another movie that I hope shows up on netflix. I have hope that it will, since as mentioned in the trailer, the makers of this movie also made Ride the Divide, which was on Netflix. So without further ado, here it is.

Reveal the Path Trailer from Mike Dion on Vimeo.

Oh five o;clock. Please hurry up and get here.

PS. I'm starting to run out of cool/unique/interesting/thought provoking videos to post here. So if you know of any that you think should be shared, let me know. PLEASE....

Farm Fresh Photos

2012-09-22T16:51:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while, I'll get this strong urge that I have to go out and take some photos. This usually happens when it has been a while since I've picked up my camera. A few weeks back, I had such an urge. So, I quick ran out and snapped a few shots of the fields around our house. Here's a few of what I got.

So yeah, that's pretty much it.

Video Friday: Industrial Revolutions - Danny MacAskill

2012-09-21T09:23:00.003-07:00

Excited for Friday and the Weekend!

So I'm slacking off with another Video Friday. I've shared this video on my facebook before, but I still find it amazing. So I thought I'd share it here.

Video Friday: DamNation Trailer

2012-09-14T09:20:00.002-07:00

It's another Video Friday here at the Focal Point. This weeks video is a trailer for a movie that is being put out by Patagonia: DamNation. It looks pretty interesting.

I'm not exactly sure what my stance on the whole subject is. I've always believed that hydro power was "clean" energy, since there is no air pollutants released by hydroelectic dams. However, as I've learned a little more, dams probably have some of the largest impacts on the environment in comparison to other electical generating facilities. From the the acres upon acres that are flooded, to the changing of water temperatures, to the siltation of the reservoirs, to the increased evaporation related to the reservoirs, to the blocking of fish migration, and destruction of habitat, to causing rivers to run dry before they reach their terminus, dams have a huge impact. Yet we need energy, and dams are a source of cheap energy. At the very least, I am in support of removing nonfunctional dams and trying to restore those rivers to their original state.

So what do you all think? Leave a comment after you see the trailer.

Jonah sees the world

2012-09-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but I get a strange satisfaction from taking my son Jonah along on little adventures. I know he has no idea where he is getting dragged to. Nevertheless, I still get a kick out of it. So far, Jonah has....

Gone to the trestle bridge

Gone to the beach

Gone on a hike

Gone to Big Red

And hung out in the hammock with Dad (hammock review coming soon)

And as you can tell, he has pretty much been a sleep for all of these adventures. Definitely exicted for all the adventures I have to look forward to with this little guy, especially the adventures that he'll be awake for.