Inspiration

Hello!

It's not that far along from the last time i've blogged but I'm bored and wanted to update. I've decided that I'm going to take the CPA for real this time. I've given it a lot of thought and in order to be able to excel in my career, I'm going to need this. I really want to prove to myself that I can do this. For a while now, I've been avoiding trying to take it because I was afraid the "what if" factor of if I didn't pass. What if I can't do it, what if I'm not smart enough, what if I just invested all that money into studying just to fail. I recently went to a conference for work where they had a motivational speaker and he pretty much opened my eyes and I saw what I've been afraid of this whole time. He explained that in order to grow, you need to face your fears. I didn't realize that I was afraid of the CPA that's why I was trying to consider other options to avoid it such as taking my masters degree. But then when I actually thought about it, taking my masters would be a waste of time and money unless I'm trying to concentrate more on a specific aspect of the accounting field. If I don't face my fears, or try this, I will never know whether or not I could of done it. I would be stuck doing what I'm doing the rest of my life and I'll be thinking "what could I have been if I got my CPA?" I don't want to sit there and think "what if" I want to actually do it and prove to myself that if I can do this, I can do anything. This is truly my biggest goal and I want to prove to myself and everyone else who has doubted me that I'm not dumb, I am smart, I can do this.

No matter how hard it is, I can't wait to get to the other side where I can proudly say that I have completed and passed all exams. There's no stopping me now. I need to motivate myself and push myself to the limit because I know that I can do it. 

Okay, I think I just wanted to update to show where my life is heading. Hopefully.

Til next time!

Karla

Hi again,

It's already April! How crazy is that?! Nothing much happened in the past few months, just working and saving money. Let's see... January was kinda boring, all I did was work work work, February was the same, had a good valentines day with my bubba at Broadway Prime which was super yummy.. then March rolled along and it was time for HAWAII! We were just there a few days ago and I'm having major withdrawals. The sun, the weather, the whole entire trip was just AMAZING! We went to the beach, then to Pearl Harbor, then we went to the North Shore where we were at Waimea beach then went to town to have Giovanni's shrimp truck and Matsumoto's shaved ice -- that was delicious! :) Then we went to the swap meet which was a flea market and bought some cool gifts and went to a luau that night where bubba was picked to dance on the stage! hehe that was tons of fun. On our very last full day, we stayed in the beach almost the entire day and both me and bubba got sun burnt. haha we are pretty dark. Here are a few pictures from our trip..

Definitely having withdrawals looking at pictures and videos.. it was a super fun (& expensive) trip but worth every penny.

Now I'm planning on trying to plan another trip. Not sure when yet but we would like to go to Florida to go to Disneyworld! That would be super awesome!! I can definitely go anytime but Gee has to see when he is available when he's not in school/working and such. Hopefully in the summer is what I'm looking at.

Bubba's birthday is right around the corner and I got him some awesome gifts, or to me they're awesome so I hope he likes it too. :)

I don't know what else to write but til next time.

AAALOOOHHAAA! :)

Hello again,

I wanted to create one last blog before the new year to sum up my year.

2011 has been an interesting year. I had a lot of goals that I didn't meet but good alternatives to take place of those goals.

First trip of the year was the Philippines for an entire month. It was so much fun and I loved being with family all the time. We ate almost every 2-3 hours and I managed to lose weight as well. Time went by and we had to go back home.

I was on a job hunt for a few weeks and finally landed an awesome job with TubeMogul beginning of March as an accounting associate. I was so excited because it's my first real job using my degree and I felt so accomplished and proud of myself. It took me a while to get a hang of working 8+ hours a day and waking up early to commute to work but I got the hang of it and am able to balance out my life now.

A few downfalls this year was the fact that I lost my first car due to a really bad car accident that totaled my car. I was going to chiropractic appointments for 4 months and finally was able to settle my case this past month or so. I'm glad that is over with and hope that it won't happen to me or anyone I love because it was a scary time and feeling to have been in that accident.

I finally went on a trip with my sorority sisters to vegas for the first time and it was an awesome experience. 5 days with crazy girls taking 2 hours each night to get ready to go out and eating panda express almost every morning made our trip so memorable. I can't believe there was 10 of us that actually went! It was fun while it lasted and I think we might do another trip in 2012 but not sure if it will be vegas again or Miami!!

Relationships aren't meant to be perfect and there's definitely been some rough patches with my relationship with bubba this past year. I hate fighting/arguing but sometimes it's what lets the truth come out. I don't regret all our arguments otherwise, we wouldn't be where we are now. We can't live in the past and think about what happened in the past all the time. We have to move on and live in the present. I think we got stronger as a couple as well as individuals. We don't rely on each other as much as we did when we were first dating and are still able to manage our relationship and know that we have to work at it all the time. You can be comfortable but not to the point where you don't care anymore. I think we just took our experiences and learned from them so that in the future, something like this won't happen again. Although I know it will take some time to actually get there, I'm just going to have to learn to be patient. Good things come to those who wait. :)

Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas were good and all the presents I received were great! i got a kindle fire, a new hello kitty korean blanket, hello kitty pillows, TOMS, clothes, & steve madden shoes. I'm definitely grateful for all the love I got this year and really blessed to have such a great family and great boyfriend & his family to give me things I really don't deserve.

In 2012, I want to be able to create and reach more goals and have fun with what I have and who I'm with because we can only live once and life's too short to limit yourself to the everyday routine. I'm definitely looking forward to actually doing my resolution each year and lose weight. I'm such a slacker but I'm going to make it happen this year. I want to be able to plan more trips and save more $$ so I can get out of debt sooner. There's tons that I want to accomplish and tons I want to do but I'm just going to take it one step at a time so I know how to pace myself and make sure I do what I actually say I'm going to do. I want to be a better person and be a better daughter, sister, girlfriend and friend to those around me.

Okay i think this sums up the large events of the year 2011.

Til next time. Happy New Year!

<3 Karla

Hello world! Merry Christmas Eve! Time is flying by so fast it's kind of ridiculous. This season, I was able to buy presents for everyone I love and good presents too! Since I have a real job now and extra $$ to spare, I decided to go all out this year. I can't wait to see everyone's faces when they get their presents! they're going to be in shock! hehe or some of them will.

Thanksgiving was tons of fun! we had dinner at my house and we went to Reno for the weekend and went shopping at vacaville outlets on the way home! Me & Katrine went a little crazy with the Old Navy sales the weekend before with having 75% off outerwear and sweaters 2 days in a row. It was fun. haha. We also watched Breaking Dawn part 1! which was awesome! I definitely can't wait til part 2 comes out. hehe.

TubeMogul moved into our new office which is so much bigger and more awesome than the first office! It's been fun so far :). We just had our holiday party last friday which was crazy cause it was like a party party with older people. haha kind of weird that i'm going to adult holiday parties now. I brought bubba of course and he had tons of fun with that open bar.

Christmas is tonight at midnight and I can't wait to open presents! today we are going to auntie liany's house for dinner and tomorrow we are having the luncheon at our house. Then tomorrow night I'm going to Jiro's house for their christmas party. I can't wait to eat all the food!

Next week, i'm going to be working from home all week so it's kind of a small vacation from work but not really. I just wont be going into work but i'll still be working. Then it's the New Year! I can't believe it's already 2012!! Time is going by so fast, almost a year ago we were leaving to go to the Philippines and now it's come back around. So crazy!

I also figured out what to do for my bday. Me & bubba are going to Hawaii!! I'm so excited cause it's my first time and we are going for 6 days and 5 nights! During my birthday too! Yippee!! I've been saving money for it and it's been working so I'm so happy we are going there. We just need to book our hotel. haha we just have our flights right now.

Anyways, if i don't get to blog before 2012 then Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

<3 Karla

Hello there,

Well it's been one crazy year and its only September. So much has happened since my last blog. i started my first real job in March and I'm reaching the 6 month point right now. I can't believe I've been working for 6 months already. Crazy! The months have been going by so fast I don't know where the time goes anymore. Summer went by ridiculously fast!

Let's recap what happened this year.. In May, I went to Vegas with my colleague Tammy for the Billboard Music Awards. It was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm glad I went. Even though I was only there for a day and I had to wake up at 6am to be at the airport and be back the next day. It was so fun!

In June, I was involved in a terrible car accident that made me lose Shia. :(. I was coming home from work and literally almost home when I look at my side mirror and see a van coming that was out of control. Next thing I knew, my car spun out, I blacked out for a little bit, and my car is completely totaled. :( I went to the ER after my accident and made sure I was okay and I was out of work for 2 weeks because I was on pain medication and muscle relaxers and I couldn't sit for a very long time. I started going to a chiropractor because my back was hurting and we discovered that my spine got twisted and so did my neck. Now I have to continue going to a chiro for 6 months because of my accident. I also hired an attorney to help me in getting some sort of compensation for all that I have gone through. Thinking about it makes me sad cause I really lost my very first car. It was such a scary thing to go through and because of it, I'm paranoid and have so much anxiety when I drive now. I didn't drive for 2 weeks because of my accident. After all this, I had to drive and get a new car. I ended up buying a 2011 Volkswagen jetta and named him Dolphy. I bought him on my own without my parent's help which felt very grown up for me. :)

Enough about this horrific accident...

In August, I went to Vegas with my sisters for Kristine's bday. It was so much fun because I've never really experienced Vegas and being with my sisters has always been a blast. The week after I went, bubba went with his friends and stayed at the same hotel as we did. We stayed at the Westgate Towers in Planet Hollywood. It was soooo pretty and huge. I loved it. It was definitely a much needed trip after all that I went through the month before.

There were definitely some downs in my life but I'm glad that we have it all figured out and are happy. I went to Monterey for the first time with bubba and went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was a gloomy weekend in Monterey but we definitely had tons of fun. We really needed a vacation away from everyone. On our way home we went to Santa Cruz beach boardwalk which was also tons of fun! The sun was shining through and we were able to go to crawdaddy afterwards too which made my day. :) It was definitely a perfect weekend with my love.

For labor day weekend, we went to LA with my family and bubba and we took dolphy. We went to Universal City walk where I had my first pinks hot dog and it was delicious. We stayed at the Sheraton Garden Grove and got upgraded to a club room with free breakfast. We went to disneyland the next day and was able to get a special assistance pass because I can't stand too long in line. We got to cut every line at disneyland and california adventures. That was the most rides we ever rode because the longest we waited was 20 minutes and it was because indiana jones broke down and they had to figure out and fix it. We also watched world of color. they changed a few things but it was still sooo coool. I got to sit down in the disabled area because I had the pass which was good. :)

Last weekend was my brothers bday so we just had dinner with the fam and I stayed over at Jiro's house and we watched a movie and went out. :) i love being with him.

I'm currently looking for trips for my birthday week. I know it's next year but I need something to look forward to. I'm thinking either a cruise to mexico, to hawaii, or somewhere tropical. I just wanna get away with bubba.

The holidays are coming up! First it's halloweeen, then thanksgiving then its christmas! :) I love the holidays! best time to be with the family and bubba. I'm so much more a fall type of person because I love getting all dressed up and warm and having the heater on. I love the rain and dark gloomy weather because that's when I know it's close to christmas.

I can't believe this year has gone by so fast. It's already september! theres only 3 more months left of the year.

Hmm.. I don't know what else to write so I'll probably blog again when I have time and something to talk about.

Til then.. bye! :)

Hello to the New Year! We had an awesome time in the Philippines. We all absolutely loved it & didn't wanna come back to the real world. I especially didn't wanna come back cause I was coming home to no job meaning I had to look for a job because that's all I could do. I was jetlagged for 2.5 weeks which was ridiculous. I just got over it last week.

My job hunt felt like it was taking me FOREVER to even just to get an interview. I applied to practically 40-50 jobs.. no lie! and I only got one call for an interview. It's okay, I'm not complaining because I got a job offer from a great company and I accepted it. I absolutely love it there.. so far. but i'm sure i would love it even more when I get started. My first day is next Monday and I'm excited/nervous cause it's going to be my first REAL job being an ADULT using my DEGREE to use. crazy huh! but i'm so blessed to have it all worked out. I prayed a lot and I'm sure my entire family prayed really hard, and my boyfriend & his fam too. I'm just so blessed to have everyone help me out by praying for me. & prayers do really come true.. i told myself that if it wasn't meant to be then it wasn't meant to be but I kept my prayers going and it was definitely meant to be! i'm so grateful and words cannot express the way I feel about this job! i'm just so happy happy happy! :)

anyways, enough about that.. today is ash wednesday meaning 40 days of lent. I decided not to give up anything this lenten season but to give in to work out at least twice a week to start. i hope to stick with it! because i really need to! all the eating we did in the philippines was just crazy we ate like 4-5 times a day and i was there for a month. damn i need to get on it!

hmm.. any other updates.. oh yeah its MARCH meaning it's my birthday this month. I turn 23 in 21 days. i can't believe it. i'm getting old..

I had like a million vegas invites this year idk what to do cause for one thing, I don't think I'll have enough money saved up, hopefully with my new job I can save some money cause I'm gonna need to pay for my loans soon. -_-. I have to calculate how much my loans are gonna be monthly.. it's giving me a headache just thinking about paying them back.. I really need to figure out how much I have to pay for my loans. I have so many I don't even know how I'm gonna figure it out.. bleghk

hmm.. what else.. i think that's all for now.. i'll blog probably later on in the week or next week. see ya!

Hello! only days before the year 2011!

I haven't been doing much but just being lazy and some chores here and there. Here's a little update on my life..

So i graduated from USF on December 17, 2010! it was raining but it's ok, nothing stopped me from graduating. Such a great accomplishment and a great feeling to be done with school. Here's a picture from my graduation.. My family, my boyfriend & his mom. Thanks to everyone who came out in the rain to congratulate me! :) I just got all of my grades in. I've been waiting for all my grades to come in cause they won't send me my diploma until they see that I passed all my classes. I've managed to get better grades this semester out of all my semesters at USF with a semester GPA of 3.28! I got 1 A-, 3 B+, and 1 B! I took 5 classes and 18 units! Whoo hoo! I worked so hard this semester and it was definitely the hardest semester of my life! Commuting and having 2 night classes plus classes everyday of the week! It was a crazy & hectic semester but all worth it for that diploma! It should be getting mailed soon! I still need to get a diploma frame so I can frame it! :) Time went by so fast!!

I had my graduation party the next day. a lot of people came both family & friends. thanks for everyone who came out!! :)

Just this past weekend was Christmas! I got the northface jacket i wanted plus a sweater for inside the jacket and my eclipse dvd all from bubba! His sister got me a hello kitty laptop holder cause I'm on my bed on my computer a lot so it helps with that. I'm actually using it right now. she also got me some hello kitty lotions. Their parents got me a northface sweater. Gee had to exchange it to a larger size cause they got me a small.

My parents basically spent tons of money on me for my graduation/christmas present by throwing me the party. My sister got me 2 tops and my brother got me a leather jacket.

I feel so blessed to have such a great family & boyfriend and his family & friends! I couldn't of asked for better people to surround me with. Its gonna be a great start to a new year!

In exactly 3 weeks from today on January 19, my family & I are all going to the Philippines! i'm so excited because we haven't gone there since 2006 and this time I'm staying for an entire month. My parents & katrine are staying for 3 weeks and my brother is staying for 2.5 weeks. After I come back from the Philippines, I'm gonna be job hunting like crazy! I haven't really been looking too much cause I didn't wanna apply now and get interviewed now and not be able to work until I come back from the Philippines. So i figured just to relax & enjoy my vacation and when I come back, I can job hunt.

I still need to apply for the california state boards so that I can sign up to take my CPA exam. But before I do that, I need to get the study courses online but it costs $1000 and I don't have that kind of money to buy it yet. I'm just afraid to sign up for the california state boards and not have my study guides yet and have to sign up for my CPA exam before I'm even ready.

So 2011 will look like this for me..
Vacation for a month in the Philippines.
Buy Study courses for CPA exam
Apply for California state boards
sign up to take CPA exams
find a job & study for CPA exam at the same time
HOPEFULLY have a job
take exams
be a Certified Public Accountant
possibly get into an accounting firm to be an auditor

my hopes & dreams i hope it will come true this year.

it's so adult like. I keep forgetting I'm a real adult now. A college graduate. Weird.

Ok I think this has been quite an update. til next time.

Bye!