2008, Almost Over?

I can't believe that 2008 is almost over. Where has the time gone?! This year has been such a roller coaster... I guess time really does fly whether you're having fun or not!

• The ups/downs of the CPA exam! Thankfully, that was mostly ups and is now O-V-E-R... Never to be looked upon again. Now, I just need to keep up with the continuing education requirements...but that's a walk in the park compared to studying everyday.
• Dad in the hospital. Super-scary and a nail-biting experience...hopefully, to never have to experience again ever. As it turns out, everything is fine and the test results were all normal. Hooray!
• I discovered my love of beading! Mostly due to me needing an outlet from studying, and probably something that I would not have tried otherwise. I find that sort of weird, but I just kept trying "crafty" things until one stuck...this one is definitely here to stay!
• The terrible stock market. I know this has affected a lot of people, but this year I saw my 401(k) savings drop to about half of what it was worth a year or so ago! I know I still have many, many years until retirement...but still. In the meantime, I just keep telling myself I'm buying low and don't open my quarterly statements!
• My brother's wedding. That was definitely an "up" since he and his new wife are completely adorable together!
• Hermione disappearing. This shouldn't have surprised us in the least bit, since one of her nicknames was Herm-dini. Still haven't seen her again, except for Z's one sighting many months ago... :( Unfortunately, she isn't the only cat that went missing this year, a couple strays that used to come around are both gone and the cat of one of my church friends went missing too. My guess is they went to the Jellicle Ball and maybe one of them was able to be reborn. It's my story and I'm sticking to it!
• We adopted Minny...if Hermz hadn't run away, we probably wouldn't have taken her in, so this is sort of a mixed blessing. Minny is too much fun, and along with that comes kitten naughtiness! She is basically Holly's twin and adores Holly...it reminds me of the big sister being followed around all the time by the little sister. :)
• I made the decision to build a house! Even though technically this will be completed in 2009, I made the decision to build in 2008...
• I have met some great people on the Internet! It's weird to have "friends" you have never met in real life, but it's also nice to know that they're out there in BloggyLand. :)

Sassy/Flirty Apron Swap - 2009

Since I had so much fun with the Winter Sassy Apron Swap, I thought I would join in the fun again with the Sassy/Flirty Apron Swap! :) I love that I'm not studying a bunch these days, so I can have a little fun... I already have some ideas for this one, now I just need to find some goodies to include with the apron. Mmmmmmmm, shopping!

Thanks for hosting Lucy and Shawnee! :)

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!! :)

Did you get what you wanted? And, more importantly, can you beat this??

It's a desk/nightstand lamp...how cool is that?! :)

Merry Grinchmas! :)

I've been feeling Grinchy this holiday season - not entirely out of the ordinary for me, but still! I have only bought gifts for myself (hello DS, I'm looking at you!) and my mom. The only reason that I even have a gift for my mom picked out is because I had a great idea this year! Which is completely out of the ordinary - usually the parents end up with some sort of gift card. This year, since mom is being so diligent about exercise, she is getting some exercise stuff - exercise ball, dumbbells, and exercise bands. Hooray! No, I'm not spoiling the surprise - I let mom pick out her gift(s)...I wanted her to get exactly what she wanted. :)

We haven't put up a tree this year either (probably part of the Grinchy-ness), definitely don't need a kitten trying to climb the tree! Minny is so naughty and tries to climb everything, so we figured it would be better to not even try to have a tree.

Also, since both nieces are non-believers (second year now), it sort of takes away the "magic" of Christmas. :( This makes no sense to me though, since last year I was filled with the Christmas spirit! Totally weird, since this happened...but maybe I just needed a diversion.

p.s. It's really cold and dreary today - not supposed to be like this here! Definitely not helping the attitude/Christmas spirit either... I want my nice weather back, or at least some sunshine.

House - Before and After (take two!)

Now, I guess things will move along rather quickly...take a look at the progress over the weekend!

Before: Notice the piles of lumber in the background (Saturday afternoon)

After: Framing done for the first floor (Sunday afternoon)

Merry Christmas to Me

It's tradtion for me to get myself a little something for Christmas - or a few somethings! Check out this year's present... I already have tried out the Crosswords game (love it), since I couldn't wait and I had a DS at my disposal to use. The rest is still all packaged up waiting for me to open on Christmas. How many more days? :)

p.s. I can officially call myself a CPA! I got my license in the mail last week... HOORAY!!! That is pretty much all I needed to get for Christmas, but I already opened that.

House - Before & After

Well, I haven't done a house recently...mostly because there was nothing to report! Now, there is something to report. I have a slab poured. YAY!! They are due to start framing the house this week sometime, I'll have to stop by this weekend and take pictures. (I get off work after dark, so not much point stopping by then)

Anyway, here is the "before" of my pile of dirt:

And "after" with actual concrete:

p.s. Thanks to KayTee for taking pictures! Otherwise, I would not have them since I'm a loser and don't remember to take my camera...her house is the concrete to the left of mine. The corner you can see is her master bathroom.

The Loot! (sent/received)

Here's the loot I sent to my swap person Amy... Complete with Texas shaped cookie cutter! I also included a Longhorns pez dispenser (purchased before the whining started about the BCS rankings) and a Texas postcard. The items included that actually relate to the swap are cookie mixes, white icing, Christmas sprinkles and a gingerbread man cookie cutter and two cookie recipes - sugar and chocolate chip. Boring, but a couple faves... Hope you enjoy everything! :)

Here's the loot I received from Jenny! She made me a really cute reversible apron in the cutest fabric! Also, she sent me pink sugar sprinkles, multi-color ball sprinkles, three recipes (Key Lime Bars, Chewy Brownie Cookies and Soft Sugar Cookies), and four cookie cutters. I can't wait to try the Key Lime Bars...since I love me some Key Lime pie! They sound delish... Thanks so much for the awesome package Jenny! :)

I Made It Myself - Final Week!

Well, since it's the final week of I Made It Myself, I figured I had to post pictures of my Sassy Apron Swap apron... It turned out very cute, but you can't really tell from the pictures! Thanks Christy for hosting I Made It Myself...since it helped me find some new crafts AND finish them too. :) I can't wait to see what you have in store that is even "more awesome".

Here's a close-up of the pocket and fabric...yes, that is mini rick-rack on the pocket. This picture is pretty true to the colors in the fabric.

Here's the finished product, even though the colors look washed out. The trim on the bottom is bias tape with lace attached and then I trimmed it out with more mini rick-rack. :)

p.s. In case you need another dose of kitten/cat cuteness... They were both asleep, what are the chances?!

Heeeeeeeeeeeeere's Minny!

Here's a picture of Minny...in a rare moment that she is sitting still! She's small, but she is sure a feisty one that can hold her own with Holly.

P.S. Happy Birthday Anne!!! Hope you have a fabulous day and get everything you wish for... :)

House Update

Went by the "house" today...they're getting ready to pour the foundation. It's all plumbed and they're putting the forms in for the foundation. Of course, I forgot my camera (and my cell phone is just a phone - no camera), but there's nothing really exciting to see. Just a bunch of dirt and pieces of wood and some PVC pipe, very decidedly un-exciting! They're on schedule (for now) to finish sometime in March next year. YAY! (...keeping fingers crossed that I still have a job by then...the market needs to not get any worse...for now everything is fine, but a lot can happen in 4 months!)

p.s. Hopefully, the next update will be complete with pictures, but don't hold your breath.

It Arrived!

The letter came in yesterday's mail!!! Hooray! Now, I can send off more $$ to get my "license card" and my actual certificate will be presented to me in a swearing-in ceremony...which is sometime in the spring next year. Regardless, my license fee is going into the mail today so I can officially be licensed. Can I get an amen? :)

Reunited...and it feels so good... :)

I've been somewhat MIA lately because my computer was acting crazy! Everything was working fine except I could not access the Internet...which is basically why I have a computer.... :( So, fast forward a couple of weeks (our IT dept was so gracious and took a look) and they find that nothing is wrong. With my own two eyes, I see that everything looks fine and works perfectly. Anyway, I came home and tried the Internet...lo, and behold, it worked!! What?! I have been Internet-less for over two weeks and everything was fine? Oh well, at least I didn't have to take it someplace and pay perfectly good $$ for them to tell me nothing is wrong. :)

Anyhow, I am still (very) impatiently waiting that letter from TSBPA...maybe tomorrow! I can't believe it has been almost a year since I took part I. If memory serves, it was November 21 last year that I sweated out the FAR section! Right before Thanksgiving...I guess this year I really have much to be thankful for, since I have since passed all four parts on my first try AND have all my requirements met! YIPPEE!!! :) Now, I just need to figure out a new goal for myself...probably should be going to the gym. Probably won't happen though, since I need to find some motivation first!

We got a new kitten...Minny (short for Miniature Weasel). She's pretty much a clone of Holly (aka Weasel or The Weez). It's weird! Minny has some of the same idiosyncrasies of Holly, but is about 1/10 her size. We're all amazed how much they are alike...including their looks. Both are black, Minny is completely black and Holly has a little white star on her neck. I need to post pictures of them both for comparison, but it's hard to get a picture of a kitten that is constantly in motion. Maybe I should try when she's sleeping! :)

Crock-potting must be in the air! SoonerSis just got a crock pot, the parents just got a crock pot and I just got a crock pot too... It's a teeny one though, only 1.5 quarts. Just the perfect size for me. Now, I just need to find some good crock pot recipes that are easy to make and can be cut in half (or quarters). I did find a vegetarian chili recipe, but I haven't tried it out yet. It hasn't quite been cold enough...maybe soon!

I'm working on my apron for the Sassy Apron Swap! It's about half-done. :) I still have a couple weeks to finish...deadline is December 1. I know I need to get sewing, but have a complete lack of motivation when I get home from work. I do have all the "extras" for the swap already though, so I'm that much ahead of the curve. I promise to post pictures when I'm finished. What, another project for I Made It Myself that is NOT beading? It must be due to global warming or something... :)

Sooooooooooo Close! :)

I'm *this* much closer!!! Checked online today and couldn't log in...instead found that I'm "Certified/Registered" and license is "unissued". Sounds good to me...now, I just need my Congratulations letter so I can pay my fee and actually get that piece of paper to hang on my office wall!!! :)

Magnets!

What?! Another I made it myself that is not beading? Amazing! This week I made magnets. I thought they would be cute and easy. The cute part, definitely. Not so much on the easy part...I couldn't seem to figure out how to get them to work without bubbles...I guess I need to keep practicing. :) Thanks Christy, for making me branch out and develop my crafting talents...

7 Random Things

My sister SoonerSis tagged me for this meme...haven't done this one yet so here goes! :)

1. I'm a neat-freak at work and my desk is super-organized, everyone that comes to my office notices. The sad part is at home, totally different story...always a mess and in desperate need of straightening. :(
2. I don't cook. It's not that I can't, I just don't. I guess being an eternal student and then studying for the CPA exam took away my inclination. I'm trying to get better at this and may even get a couple cookbooks for inspiration.
3. I'm semi-vegetarian, technically a lacto-ovo-vegetarian (I think). Not in a crazy sense of vegetarianism, I still will wear leather shoes and carry leather purses. I just abstain from meat, which I just can't touch and pretty much grosses me out!
4. I have a stubborn streak. (Thanks MoM!) I do not like being told what to do and if you tell me to do something I'm likely to do the opposite. OR, I'll just dig my heels in and fight tooth and nail and grudgingly do what I'm told.
5. I started sewing when I was 8 years old. I don't enjoy sewing, unless it's a simple project (curtains, apron, pillow, etc.). I have long since given up trying to sew myself clothes...it's not worth the frustration and possibility of me spontaneously combusting due to high blood pressure. (I wish I were kidding about this, but I'm completely serious!)
6. I'm building a house and literally have nothing to furnish it! Unless you count the tiny bit of bedroom furniture I have...desk, desk chair, bookcase, bed, TV stand. Yep, not quite what you need to furnish a 2-bedroom house. Guess I better get shopping...mmmmm, shopping! :)
7. I'm the oldest of 4 kids...not sure if this is considered "random" or not. As an oldest, I'm very territorial when it comes to my stuff! From what I have observed in the real world, this is something unique to oldest children and they don't grow out of it!! I think this is why KayTee and I were such good roommates. We respected each other's space, and more importantly, each other's stuff. :)

p.s. I'm still anxiously awaiting my CPA license...they're sure slow getting this stuff processed! :(

Happy Halloween!

This week's I Made It Myself is not anything beaded...surprise! I made a decked-out pumpkin instead. :) This pumpkin is for our Activity Days Mother/Daughter activity. We're having a pumpkin-decorating contest and this is my entry. I will not be in the contest to win though, I just had to do something to participate.

It's a fake pumpkin with a ton of jewels glued onto it. Thanks KayTee for the fabulous idea! It turned out better than I could have imagined... YAY!

Farewell to Hermz!

One last post about Hermione... She has been gone for a couple weeks now...we let her out one evening and she never came home. I guess she developed wanderlust and had to go onto bigger/better things or she found a better family to live with. Z thought she saw her a week or so ago at the top of our street, so it sounds like she found a family she loves more than us. :( Bye-bye Hermz, we miss you!

Anyone need an apron pattern?

Well, since I signed up for the apron swap I figured I needed a pattern (or two) so I could actually ya' know make an apron. I got off work early yesterday and made my way to Hancock Fabrics, since I knew I needed to go to Hobby Lobby and they're next-door to each other. Score! Patterns were on sale for $1.99 (since when are patterns $15.95? and how can anyone even afford to sew when patterns cost so much??)...and I ended up with not a couple, but four patterns for aprons. It's not really my fault though (huh?), in each pattern I like only one or two of the designs. AND I must. have. choices. when it comes to the aprons!

• Butterick B4945
• Butterick 6567
• McCall's M5643
• McCall's M5720

THEN after I found my four patterns I made my way to the $1/yard clearance fabric table. I restrained myself and only bought five different fabrics though (regular prices $5.99-$7.99/yard). I had picked out a bunch more, but there's only so much sewing I do at one time...or ever for that matter! Besides, am I ever going to use said fabric? Experience/history tells me the chances are slim to none, but there is a good chance if I do another swap the fabric could be used. :) Oh, and to be all retro I got some rick-rack to go with some of the fabrics! How fun is that?! I haven't even looked in the direction of rick-rack forever and it was even included as the trim for one of the patterns... *squeal*

The best thing I bought was a tailor's ham though. I have wanted one for ages and ages and never remembered when I was at a store that would have one. Every time I ironed something that had some shaping I thought I needed one, and then just as quickly as the thought came to me it left...before I could add it to my shopping list. :( This time the thought entered my head when I could actually purchase said product. Hooray!

I guess now I actually need to buckle down and sew some aprons...hmmmmm, and Christmas is coming up! Sounds like an idea to me...unless I lose my enthusiasm. :)

Winter 2008 - Sassy Apron Swap

Doesn't this sound fun? I signed up since it sounded interesting... It's holiday-themed and sounds like a great way to get into the holiday spirit! :) Go sign up and join the fun!!!

Elevation/Floor Plan

Ummmmmmm, yeah, maybe what the house will look like is a great idea, huh? This is what it will look like, except it will be the mirror image...

How's this??

My Sis (not TexSis - the other one) commented to me I have a lack of new posts...hmmmmmm could be because there's really nothing exciting going on or the fact I have been super-busy lately! :)

***BIG NEWS (maybe even bigger than the almost-CPA news)***

I'm building a house (estimated completion March 2009)! KayTee and I will be next door neighbors. The house is in a nice little garden home community...best part about it is that my homeowner fees cover yard maintenance! HOORAY, since it has been said before, I don't do yardwork. I'm more than willing to pay a little more to have them take care of that...plus it saves me from having to buy a bunch of yard tools...and then having to do it myself.

Anyway, it has been quite a couple weeks with CPA stuff and house stuff going on... I went to pick out stuff for the house last week and finalized everything this week. Makes me nervous, but I know it will be worth it in the long run. I think the nervousness comes into play when the only person I can blame if I hate something is me! So, using my best judgement I made decisions that (hopefully) I can live with... Spent a lot of money on the kitchen (why oh why?), but it is what I want and hopefully will not need to be updated/changed ever! The money in the kitchen was spend on Silestone (Blanco Capri) countertops and cherry wood cabinets. I loved them when I first saw them and picked something different due to the $$, but then decided if I was obsessing over not getting them then I probably should just grit my teeth and do it! So, I did... The pictures are not really that good, but you get the idea...the countertops in real life are more creamy than white... Everything is pretty neutral as far as that goes, but I figure I can always add some color with accessories, paint, furniture, etc. Everything else I got for the house are the standards the builder puts into the house, since it is a spec home I only have limited choices and that was enough for me! :) Right now, the "house" is just a pile of dirt waiting for permits from the city to be issued so they can get started...

Kitchen Tile/Cabinet/Countertops

Carpet (upstairs)/Tan Tile (entire downstairs-kitchen/living room/entry/dining)/Gray Tile (upstairs bathrooms)

In CPA news, I took my ethics class last Friday. :) I'm that much closer to my actual license! YAY! I still have to have one of the bosses do the work experience paperwork and I have to complete my "take home" test on the Rules of Professional Conduct. THEN, I have to send all that and some $$ for processing and then some more $$ to get the license. Sheesh! Oh well, at the end of the day it will be soooooooooooooo worth it! :)

p.s. Go and tell Sis Happy 8th Anniversary! She deserves it...longest marriage so far of all the siblings...not sure what that says about us...

I DID IT!!! Now, what?

I checked the TSBPA website this morning - my REG score was 92!!! I am in total shock right about now and can't believe that the hours and hours and hours of studying have come to an end. I know there's still a few more things to do before everything is "official", but to have 4-up and 4-down is a great feeling...

Now what will I do with myself?

Red Beads!

Surprise! This week's "I Made It Myself" project is more beading! :) These pieces are to wear with the scads of black/white outfits I wear. I wanted to make myself something red for a long time, but hadn't found the beads until I saw these!

I really like the way the bracelet/necklace turned out! And I got to use my new bracelet-measuring device. It is really cool, since figuring out the inside diameter of a bracelet is very tricky - at least for me... :)

Impatiently Waiting... (foot tapping!)

I'm still impatiently awaiting my scores on REG. I'm not expecting them any time soon, but as usual, I'm waiting oh-so impatiently! I'm hoping for the best, but I am still prepared to start studying all over again... I have not started studying again though, I figure I'll just enjoy my time until then and (try to) not think about it!

Tomorrow is Activity Day and we're making honey-wheat muffins from scratch. I found a really cute recipe/lesson at Heavenly HomeMakers as a free download. The lesson is about the gifts given to us by God and basically is teaching the girls that each of us have gifts given to us that help build up His kingdom. It should be fun and the muffins are really good! I had to make some today as a test run...check cooking time, since we're making mini muffins...and to make sure they were good. :) I haven't made muffins from scratch for a loooooooooooong time, but I will keep this recipe handy. Yep, they were *that* good!!! Thanks Laura for the free download and the wonderful recipe...

I have nothing to post for "I Made It Myself" this week. I was lazy all week and didn't do much of anything, let alone beading/crafting (or exercise for that matter)! Sorry Christy... :( I will try and post something next week though. I need to get my crafty mojo going, since Activity Day is up and running again, not that we craft every time. But before we do any crafts, I try a test-run so I know what I'm doing!

Hmmmm, since I obviously haven't been crafting, what have I been up to? I watched some (probably too much) TV and got caught up on some blog-reading... Other than that, I've been one lazy bum! Not quite drooling on myself, staring at the walls...but close.

I went with KayTee to look at some model homes on Labor Day and was there for moral support when she put down her earnest money...on a new house to be built. The neighborhood is a really cute garden home community. If I knew what the future held with respect to my CPA, I probably would have done the same. Unfortunately, I don't need any added stress from building a house right now. I figure if it's meant to be, then I will be able to do it in 6-ish months or so. The best part about the community is that they do the yard work! Sign me up!!! With my allergies, I don't even want to attempt mowing the lawn. The line is drawn for me at my planters. I am proud of my miniature roses, but they are all in terra cotta pots - translation: no weeding!

I am considering trying to do some container gardening (no weeding?) next year though. I think that's about my speed. I think a whole garden would be very over the top for me, but a couple containers might be just right. :) I hear some cherry tomatoes calling to me...and maybe some strawberries? I probably need to do some research...

Lots of Beading! :)

Here's some of the projects I made this weekend... I guess now my brain power is not being used up by CPA stuff, the creative juices can really flow! :)

This bracelet is 8mm amethyst beads with bright daisy spacers, 4mm crystal beads and glass diamond beads.

This bracelet is 8mm antique-looking glass beads in a dark maroon color with 6mm freshwater pearls.

This is a neclace I made for myself which is black and white. I had to make a necklace in just black and white, since I wear a lot of black and white (hence, my two pairs of awesome burgandy shoes...)

This bracelet is 6mm antique-looking pinkish-purplish beads with 4mm freshwater pearls.

This necklace/bracelet set is turquoise (8mm and 6mm) with 4mm bright daisy spacers and 4mm silver beads.

p.s. I figured how to link the "I Made It Myself" picture to Christy's blog...now, I'm proud of myself!! :)

Back to the waiting game! AGAIN!!!

So...I know I've been MIA lately...

I took the last part today and feel crappy, as usual. Maybe that's a good sign? All I know is I was wondering if I had seen the material before. UGH! Then panic set in and who knows what happened next. I have already blocked it out of my memory. The bad part of the whole thing is I felt oh so zen and calm and prepared this morning and now...now it's just time to hurry up and wait! I figure that this year my birthday will be either super-fab or utterly terrible... Yes, I know it's not the end of the world, but in a nutshell I'm sick of studying and just can't bear to do any more. I'm going to expect the worst and hope for the best and in the meantime not study and enjoy a few weeks' break. :) THEN if I have to study for this part over again, at least I'll be rested...and I'll know what to expect!

Anyway, after the exam I had to go to Michael's since their beads were on sale this week. $100+ later, I walk out of there with a bunch of new beads for my bead box, as well as, some beads to replenish my box too. I always have to stock up when Michael's has a sale, since their good sales seem so few and far between... And now I'll have something to do in my "free" time. :)

For the time being (that meaning until I get my test results back)...I will continue to work part time! YAY!!! For this, I am extremely grateful. I have no idea what I will do in my free time (besides beading), but the fact that I will have some free time is already doing wonders for my well-being. Thoughts keep going through my head like...gym? sewing? beading? quilting? reading? scrapbooking? tv? cooking? studying for GMAT? Now I have somewhat broken the TV habit (and the fact there is nothing good on) I really won't know what to do with the hours...but at least I'm thinking about what to do! :)

Turquoise!

I'm so happy that Christy moved "I Made it Myself" to Monday... I kept forgetting to post things on Saturday with all the errands and stuff that need to get done!

This time I am posting a necklace/bracelet set that I made this weekend, since my beads were calling to me. Turquoise won out and I think they turned out great! I learned how to do the beads and chain from my friend Kaytee and this was the third one I did. I'm getting faster and my loops are looking better...especially since the best way to learn is by doing. :) I had to do the matching bracelet, since I'm like that... The bracelet doesn't have any chain, since I didn't think it would hold up well for the wear and tear I would inflict upon it.

Weekly (?!) Update

Not much has been going on lately...just more working and studying and working and studying! :) The countdown continues...just less than three weeks. I'm getting nervous (which is my normal reaction) that I won't remember everything. I know there are tons of minute details to remember, especially when it comes to the tax rules. :( I know the best thing for me to do is just keep plugging along and spend time everyday learning at least one new thing. My study materials just say to add a point or two every time I study. So, that is what I will do. I know that it will all be over soon enough. (but at times it seems like not soon enough!!)

Dad finally was able to start driving again this past week. It seems like it wasn't that long ago that he was in the hospital and gave us all a huge scare! However, six months have passed since he collapsed... They still haven't figured out what caused everything though...even after many, many tests. Scary!

Activity Day starts again at the end of the month! Hooray... We'll finally be divided off into our two groups and I really look forward to the different interests that 8-9 year olds have. Our first activity will be sort of a cop-out, since we will be having them bring three of their favorite things. We haven't decided if we want to just have them talk about them or if we should put everything out and have the girls guess what belongs to who... A "getting to know you" is appropriate for our group though, since we have five girls that turned 8 this summer! And, it gives us a little inside information on their interests so we can plan activities accordingly. :)

Countdown to REG!

I had to add a ticker for the CPA exam...just for fun! I decided I wanted to use a street, since it has been a long road. I used the calculator icon because it was the best representation for CPA that I could find! So, it's sort of symbolic...well, as symbolic as I can be as a left-brainer. :)

I'm not *that* old! Am I?!

Um, yeah, I got this in the mail last week. Talk about a rude awakening! Intellectually, I know I have been out of high school for 20 years and college 15, but still. Especially, since I still feel only 20, how can I be out of high school for 20? It just doesn't compute! It must be some kind of a time warp or something - that's the ticket! :)

My question is, why have a 20-year reunion when JdlO hasn't bothered to put together a 5 or 10? I admit, it would be interesting to see what the people I went to HS with are doing these days, but there's a whole lot of them I don't particularly want to catch up with or see. Besides, I only keep in touch with one person from HS and she wasn't even in my graduating class! I would consider attending, but 1-it's the weekend of my b-day and 2-I haven't done anything impressive in the last 20 years and 3-I should have my exam results by then and will (hopefully) be celebrating my CPA! And that is something I want to be celebrating with people I know and not a bunch of random strangers I went to HS with.