CPA Exam Studying: My Inspiration

Kricket is a weekly Club 75 Blogger as she documents her journey through the CPA Exam. She has been a member of Another71.com's Club 75 since May 2009.

My husband likes to tell people that the only reason I married him was because he had a boat. I respond with “That’s not the only reason but it sure cinched the deal.” Of course, this is just a joke.

We live about 20 minutes from the largest man-made lake in the south, Toledo Bend Lake. When we first got married we took his boat out almost every weekend.

Then not long after we were married his old boat finally gave up. The transom was cracked, the hull had a hole in it and the motor died.

So we scrimped and saved to buy a new boat. We now have a beautiful 16’ Skeeter bass boat. It’s white with blue trim and a huge motor. We can fish or we can ski or just float and enjoy ourselves.

We used it almost every weekend until I went back to school and then started taking the CPA exam. Needless to say, our weekend excursions became fewer and fewer. I haven’t been in the boat in over a year.

Every time money gets tight or something bad happens my husband’s first response is “We can sell the boat.” I always say NO! We worked so hard to buy it; I don’t want to sell it because I know that we will get by, no matter what happens, and we always have.

To him it is a luxury, but to me that boat is freedom. It means my days of taking tests and doing homework are over. He usually keeps the boat stored at his shop across town but after I passed Audit I told him to bring the boat home.

That boat is my inspiration to get up at 4:30 in the morning and study. It means being with my husband and my son without worrying about a test score or if I’ve done my homework. Every morning when I get in my car, I see it sitting in the garage and it reminds me that the nightmare is almost over.

I just have to work to pass REG the way we worked to pay for the boat. And like the boat, once I’m done, no one can take it away from me.

We have never named the boat because bass boats usually aren’t named. That sort of thing is typically only done for yachts and large boats with in-board motors. I think when I’m done we will name the boat. I’m just not sure if it should be “The Inspiration” or “Freedom”.

Studying is coming along great. I’m actually ahead of schedule by a day or two. I’ve watched all of Roger’s lectures at least once. I’m planning going back and watching the tax lectures one more time but only after I've done all of the homework. Then I’ll do the homework again, just like Roger says to do and go pass REG.

My test is scheduled for Friday, July 29, and once again I’m going to have to drive almost 4 hours to get to the testing center. My normal test site didn’t have any seats available. I’ll use that time to go over the mnemonics and listen to my recorded notes on my iPod.

I think Saturday, July 30, would be a great day to take the boat to the lake and drown some worms and maybe then we can decide on a name for her. Suggestions for names are welcome!