Fall Time = sickness

And with all the wonderful leaves changing colors around here, comes sickness floating down amongst us. I have caught it early in the season and am exhausted. My voice is gone/hoarse (which I'm sure some of my friends are liking...), my whole body aches with chills, and I am having issues swallowing. To say the least, yummy. I've been sucking down Thermaflu like its nobody's business...one bottle later...I'm not any better. I do however, think a visit to the doctor's is in order tomorrow. I took nighttime Thermaflu about 1 1/2 hours ago and am not tired at all. Its 2:00 AM and I have to drive to DC tomorrow. Ugh...not happy with my body currently.

As far as school goes, I'm just floating along. Midterms have come and gone and I only have to retake one test, thank goodness. I'm working all the time whether its through homework, tutoring younger students, or through my grad assistant job.

As I said earlier, I'm going to DC tomorrow for my final two 2nd round interviews. In about a week I should be hearing back from everyone so I can only hope for good news!! I hope to come home at Christmas time with an announcement on where I'll be moving to come May!

I'm extremely excited that Halloween is done too...hate that holiday. Now I can look forward to Christmas as it proceeds Thanksgiving in importance. :) Good music, goodies to cook, and vacation time are such a short time away, I can't even wait!

A giant shout out to the Ayotte Family as they welcomed Hannah Elizabeth Julia into the world. I already told Tanya that she was cool as we share the same middle name...but not to forget who had it first.

Well, I was hoping that typing this would make me tired but it didn't help unfortunately :(

I'm going to attempt sleep again anyway.

Night World

Yay for 2nd rounds

I'm a horrible blogger.
If I get behind in my life, this is the first thing that I don't do.
and then I go ahead and do it at work. Crap. Oh well.
I'm a high risk candidate for fraud...decided that after looking at the other people's characteristics.
I just heard back and now have three 2nd round interviews. So pumped for all of that. My first choice just asked me today to come back in which is very exciting!
Therefore, for the next couple of weeks, I am driving back and forth between Washington D.C. around six times. The poor car just might not make it. And as for that GPS that I keep telling myself I can't buy until Black Friday/Thanksgiving? Well, probably going to have to suck it up and invest early so I don't get lost all over the place.
I have a midterm tonight that I studied last night for and one tomorrow that will be the biggest one I've had yet. I'm so excited for Wednesday night at 11:00 PM. (Yes, my final ends at 11:00 at night. They're trying to kill us.)
Anyway,
Must go back to work now :)

Loves,
Ash

Midterm Week has Arrived

You know that feeling that you get in your stomach as soon as you get to the top of a rollar coaster ride? Trying feeling that several different times every week. It can happen when you walk out of a big interview, when you get that letter/email from a firm saying whether or not you made the second cut, and just yesterday it occurred when I hit the submit button on my midterm exam. I am now left with one more exam this week and two next week. Although that doesn't sound bad to many of you, try adding in three more interviews this week and one next week. Also, add to the end of next week a visit to DC for...wait for it...my first 2nd interview!!!!

After receiving no's from two firms the last two days, last night I received an email from a company asking me to come for a second interview! I actually really enjoyed this firm and they're located in a pretty part of DC so we'll see how it goes.

For those of you located in the Pennsylvania family, this throws a kink into my plans on coming to girls weekend at Julie's! I'm thinking about leaving straight from DC and headed down just so I can still make it. We'll just have to see if I hear back from any other firms. :) Just know that I really really really do want to make it.

My number 1 company interview is this week and its frightening to know that I have to literally nail this interview. But its on Thursday at 1:45 so send some prayers up fam!

I now have 10 interviews scheduled altogether and along with balancing everything else...am more then a little busy. I never stop between classes, tutoring, working at my GA job, interviews, meet and greets the night before interviews, and homework. To say the least, Sunday nights when the weekend comes to an end, I just want to cry.

Beyond that, I have made several good friends here in the program and now have people to hang out with. Three girls that I enjoy are Natalie, Devon, and Keron. I also might mention Madison and Matt who are other GAs that work with me. And Russell is in all my classes with me as well as another transfer who I've gotten to know. Its taken a lot of complaining, blogging, and whining but I now feel somewhat settled in at JMU. SUCCESS!

screw e&y

So remember how I said I had found my new favorite employer possibility?
Well I got a denial letter from them last night, thus, no more E&Y. While they were "impressed with my qualifications, they don't have a position for me" at this current time.
Insert unhappy thoughts/wording.

On the other news, my midterm weeks are approaching and as I sit here in a friend's apartment not studying but writing for my blog...I have no ambition. All four of us are on our laptops, cell phones, and playing with the dog. SO much for studying together.

Just thought I would let you all know that while life is going on...its not pretty news around here.

New Fave

I've done it.
I've found my new favorite employer.
After interviewing with Ernest & Young today, I am ready to sign on the line. I actually interviewed for their Business Advisory Program (BAP). Thus, I would not be working on the auditing or taxation side of accounting which would be a welcome break. Getting your CPA is also not a make or break kind of deal for the position. Now its just a waiting game and seeing how I line up against all the other finance major applicants. I'm the only Masters student and only accounting student from JMU that applied for that specific spot so we'll see how it goes.

On the other news in my life, I have a meet and greet session with Reznick Group tomorrow evening and then I interview with them on Friday. It will be curious to see how things go after I enjoyed E&Y so much.

I mean, come on, they give you three weeks of vacation time to begin with, what else is better than that?

I've been exhausted due to interviewing three times a week and studying for a tax quiz on Friday. Midterms are still creeping closer and closer. I have my first on Monday and another one next Friday. Its a scary thought considering that B- and C's are failing the program. You can't get two Cs or they kick you out!

I made party mix from scratch the other day, well as from scratch as you can with party mix and finally got the seasoning right also. I'm teaching new friends from JMU that people actually do cook from scratch and baking cookies doesn't necessarily mean open a tube from the freezer of frozen dough. :)

Anyway, I stayed up until 1:00 AM last night grading tests for a professor and have to be back at school by 7:30 AM tomorrow morning. *Sigh* Have I mentioned how I could use a good shopping trip or long break right about now to destress?

Love,
Ash

weekend time

Hello everyone.

Well, its been a long week, definitely my hardest yet so far. I had three interviews, a test on Friday, and a group presentation on Wednesday. It wasn't fun. Next week is looking up as I have a week break of just doing regular homework and no tests. As for the weeks following though, midterms start...not fun. I do have three more interviews this upcoming week though and I'll start to hear back from my previous interviewers, thus, hopefully I'll score a couple of second round interviews.

So between working at grad school, and taking classes, I needed a weekend off. Enter this weekend, I have eaten good, read a novel for the first time since school started and got my hair done. Its sad and pathetic to think how happy these little things make me.

Next weekend if Homecoming at EMU and a bunch of old friends are coming into town which I'm pretty excited about! Several of them are staying with me here so my apartment will be a full house.

Its safe to say that I'm so excited for Christmas break and having the ability to be a lazy bum. There's only so much information I can cram into my head at once. And, when I see you all, I should be able to tell you where I'll be moving to!

Anyway, I bought stuff to make party mix and pretend that I'm in Kansas so I'm going to go upstairs and watch an old classic movie at the same time. Audrey Hepburn is calling my name. Plus, its so cold here now. One day it was shorts and tank top weather and now its coats, boots, and jeans. I would say the average temperature for the past four days here has been anywhere from 50-60. I was able to wear my moccasins for the first time on Friday night!!

One more thing, if you all are looking for a great movie to see, go watch The Social Network. The story line is so compelling and unbelievable. Made for an amazing movie that I would gladly spend the money to see in a theater! Just a suggestion...

Love,
Ash