Guilty...

I can't believe it has been about four and a half months since I have entered in this blog. Yikes. So I really don't feel like writing everything that has happened, so I will hit the high - and the low - lights of the past few months. What I can definitely say is that I really think this has been the craziest year of my life.

My beautiful baby niece Lindsay was born. She is absolutely gorgeous, and I just love that baby smell! Just precious :-) Sad that I miss any moment of her life. :-(

- My nana had another stroke, and this time it was a massive one. She no longer can live in her home, and she is not mentally "with us" anymore. Old age is a cruel thing in this world. This has been very hard for all of us. The only good news is that she seems to be happier than she has been in years.

- My forever long friend Deanna got engaged! Her wedding is in August. So happy for her!

- Jamie and I celebrated our six year anniversary! How quickly time passes!

- Oh yeah, I almost forgot, and we are building our first house. Details. That's how busy I have been. I almost forgot we are building a house!

So much more has gone on, but those are the main things over the last few months

On a more recent note, at my job I was nominated to go through the "Licensed Banker Program," which is something that I had as a goal, but normally you can't go through the program until you have been in your position for a year. So how shocking it was to me for my manager to nominate, and my market president to immediately approve, me for the program after I have been in this position for only about three months.

Alas...

Today I took the pre-screening test, which is a test you have to take ahead of time (thus the pre...) before you start the program. Basically it let's them know if you have what it takes to go through the program. This isn't a test you can study or prepare for, you just have to take it and hope you have a clue as to what is going on.

*Fingers pointing at self*
Didn't have a clue. Not one.

OMG it was SOOO hard. So nevertheless, I know I failed, badly, and there went my precious Licensed Banker Program, the whole reason I took this stinkin' frickin' job. My manager will probably fire me becuase she will realize I'm too dumb to be doing the job I have right NOW! *sigh* I know what some of you are thinking (especially those who know me well), you are thinking: "Oh SURE Sarah, you always say that and then it ends up that you aced it." Not this time. No joke. HALF the time I chose option "(D)": None of the Above. No joke ya'll. Sadly, no joke. I think the high pollution alert today must be the reason why I had such a hard time. Or maybe cuz I had a horrible week. (Just let me have my pathetic excuses, ok?)

Here are some of the questions that I printed out, so I could go back and look at them. I took one look when I got home, and immediately got nauseous.

Oh, and keep in mind this was a timed test (which automatically makes me freeze up and panic), and I couldn't use a calculator; just a good old fashioned pen and paper. I mean, give me a break, when was the last time I touched a blank sheet of paper with a pen. I wasn't sure they made the stuff anymore. I mean, what happened to the rainforest issue. Hello!

Examples:

1.
"Boggs has $16,000 in a municipal bond with an annual return rate of 11%. Carpenter has $16,000 in 800 shares of preferred stock at $20 a share. During one year Carpenter's stock rose to $21 a share, while he also received quarterly cash dividends at $0.35 per share. What is the difference in the total amounts of capital that the two will have at the end of the year?"
A) $80 B) $280 C) $480 D) None of the Above
YOU HAVE ABOUT 60 SECONDS NOW TO FIGURE IT OUT! GO!

2.
Jackson took home a payroll check for $335.06. He had worked 60 hours and was paid time and a half for hours worked over 40. Federal taxes of $93.22, state taxes of $30.65, and social security taxes of $41.07 had been deducted from his pay. What was Jackson's hourly rate?
A) $4.79 B) $5.00 C) $6.25 D) None of the Above

And there were a lot of questions like the following one...and after having taken College Psychology, I found them absoutely impossible to answer, as I was taught that there really are never any absolutes...
3.
If Rogers inherits $30,000 or more, she will invest in corporate bonds or in gold coins. With her money in corporate bonds, Rogers will earn at least %11 interest. This income will put her in the 70% tax bracket. The lack of income from gold coins swill allow her to stay in the 60% tax bracket. Rogers stays in the 60% bracket.
Conclusion: Rogers inherited $15,000 and invested in gold coins.
A) Necessarily True B) Probably, but not necessarily, true. C) Indeterminable, cannot be determined. D) Probably, but not necessarily, false. E) Necessarily False.
(These were the options for ALL the questions like this).

So here's me logic..."Well really she could have decided to go buy a few pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes (about 3 1/2' inches, black and strappy, or maybe something different like red velvet, or...), or she could have invested in ONE gold coin and put the rest in her matteress for all I know..." But what I really concluded halfway through the test was WHO CARES! I DON'T CARE WHAT SHE DID WITH THE $15,000, SHE COULD'VE BLENDED IT IN A SMOOTHIE WITH A SHOT OF WHEATGRASS FOR ALL I CARE!

What's depressing is that you probably all just read those questions and figured them out in the alloted 30 seconds and are wondering what was my problem.

I'm wondering what my problem was too!

Ahh well. I haven't received the results, but I think we all know the damage...

OK enought venting about that disaster of an exam...

RECENT MUSIC DISCOVERIES:
The Perishers
Merz
Plumb
Joshua Radin
Sean Hayes
Magnet
Rocky Votolato

CURRENT FAVORITE WEBSITES
www.Amazon.com (Just love this site! Have for years...)
www.zooba.com
www.emusic.com

And I am copying Danielle...cuz I like the idea of putting my goals out there into the universe...
GOALS
1. To be done with at least half of my book by the end of the year.
2. To stop beings so addicted to sugar.
3. Find time to get my hair cut at least every two months.

It's almost 1am, which is horribly late for me. Goodnight!