I'm here!!

I just remembered that I used to post to my blog!!  Actually, last summer I took a short vacation break from studying for my CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) to follow Bill around Wisconsin for his bike races.  I had passed the first two parts before vacation so had only the one part left to go.  It was much more involved and required a lot more studying than the first two parts.  I decided early on that something was going to have to give if I was going to survive.

After thinking about blogging but not having time and then feeling guilty about it, I finally decided to pause the blog until after my exam.  My exam was originally scheduled for mid-November but at the end of October, I felt like I still wasn't ready so I postponed it.  I was already studying almost daily but it was obvious that I still didn't have enough time so I gave up something much more serious that blogging - exercising.  That sounds terrible, I know, and goes against everything we all know.  Exercise should be scheduled into your day just like work and eating because it is so important.  I often had pangs of guilt but unfortunately didn't have much time to think about it.  Plus, right before my daughter's cross country season started, I fell and really messed up my ankle.  It was impossible for me not to run at the meets so once they were over, I decided to let the ankle rest and see if it would heal.  It feels much better now but I should point out, I haven't tried to run on it yet!

So, back to the CIA, I took my exam yesterday and I passed!  I am now officially a CIA.  I was so shocked because even with all my studying, I still didn't feel prepared.  The exam was 100 questions and by #70 I was ready to immediately e-mail the study guide company I was using and tell them how they didn't prepare me at all.  But then I finished, found out I passed (thank goodness we get the results immediately) and seriously almost started crying in the lobby of the testing facility!  I was horrified but so completely relieved and happy to been done with this process.

So basically this is a big excuse about why my life came to a screeching halt last year but a promise that starting today I am going to:

1. Exercise
2. Blog
3. Be nice to my family (seriously, they have been at best ignored and at worst screamed at for a year!)

In addition I'm looking forward to spending my spare time doing just about anything other than studying auditing!!