I’ve told you how much your Bourke Accounting professional likes you. And, at Bourke Accounting, we hope you like us, too. I hate to bring up a sore subject, but if you think about it, the relationship you have with your bookkeeper or tax preparer can be compared to social distancing – you keep me safe and I keep you safe. Your financial expert trusts that you are telling the truth and you assume that your expert is telling you the truth.
This is just the natural way in a civilized society, but after reading The Kiplinger Tax Letter the other day, it would appear that some of us just don’t know how to behave.
For example, Kiplinger reported in their 4/17 newsletter that a tax preparer was recently barred from ever preparing tax returns again and must pay $545,000 in restitution to the US Government. Why? Because this gentleman decided to prepare returns that included “phony business income and expenses [and] education expenses” (Kiplinger, Vol. 95, No. 8). In addition, the gentleman then charged a larger fee because of these much bigger tax refunds (Kiplinger). A legitimate tax preparer will offer an upfront price – your refund amount shouldn’t have anything to do with accounting fees.
And then you have clients like Mike Sorrentino (“The Situation”), a reality television “star” from The Jersey Shore. This guy, along with his brother, “intentionally failed to inform [his accountant] about the true income amount” (Don’tmesswithtaxes.com) he received from his MTV show. In addition, Sorrentino gave his tax preparer a list of business expenses that weren’t quite right. Basically, “The Situation” bought a whole lotta stuff for personal use and thought: Well, shucks, I need this for my business, sort of. According to Forbes, these false returns “defrauded the IRS out of between $550,000 and $1.5 million.”
Gregg Mark, the accountant, pled guilty to filing fraudulent returns, agreed to work with prosecutors and avoided jail time (“The Situation” received 8 months in jail). When Gregg Mark admitted his fault, he explained that he filed false returns “to reduce the taxes owed by the Sorrentinos” (Accountingtoday.com). I don’t know if Mark is still able to prepare returns, but he has a Linkedin page, so that’s a little scary.
Was Gregg Mark trying to be a “bro” when he filed fraudulent returns? I mean, according to his profile, Mr. Mark has been an accountant for 33 years (no, I’m not including a link). After 33 years, you’d think an accountant on the up and up wouldn’t do illegal things in order to curry favor with a 30-something with a dubious claim to fame.
If you have any bookkeeper or tax preparer worth their salt, you’d better be prepared to furnish proof of dependents, business expenses and income. If your financial professional doesn’t require these things from you, as Gregg Mark has shown, there will be one more person on the prosecution’s side if things go sideways.
Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers are not your “bros”. They won’t file fraudulent anything, with or without your knowledge. In a willy-nilly world, the one thing you can depend on is a wholly transparent relationship with your Bourke Accounting expert. Your Bourke Accounting pros can protect your financial interests better than a Teflon vest, but you wouldn’t ask them to take a bullet for you now, would you?
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See You Soon!
Written by Sue H.
I like words. Sometimes, at Bourke Accounting, I think I drive Bill a bit mental. It’s too simple to say, “Man, that guy’s a jerk.” Instead, I must label said jerk as an “invertebrate reprobate” or something else with too many syllables and a high chance of mispronunciation (I speak quickly so most people don’t notice). Bill will shake his head, ask why I have to make things difficult and walk away, sometimes muttering about crazy receptionists.
Because I like words, and because I like to make easy things difficult, I’m always interested to learn the backstory of well-known, everyday phrases. I get a charge when discovering that familiar idioms originally meant something completely different or have very dark true meanings. Hey, some people like to gamble, dance all night or play chess. I get off on this.
So, here are a few of my favorite phrase origin stories:
1) Cat Got Your Tongue. There are a couple of different versions of the truth with this one. For example, one explanation suggests that the phrase came from the English Navy’s use of the Cat-o’-nine-tails whip. When the whipping of some poor punished sailor was finished, the victim was left speechless (Boredpanda.com) – hence, cat got your tongue. Another concept is that, in ancient Egypt, liars would have their tongues cut out and fed to lions (Grammarist.com). Also, there’s the theory that the phrase originated from the Middle Ages, regarding witches: if you happened upon a witch doing witch things, a black cat (her/his familiar) stole your tongue so you couldn’t speak about what you saw (Bloomsbury-international.com). Finally, Grammarist.com is just a party pooper by saying that the phrase is nothing more “than odd, childish imagery.” Whippings and witches are more interesting.
2) Blood is Thicker than Water. While the origin of this phrase is debated, the meaning is not. Researchers seem to agree that the line actually reads: The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Learningenglish.voanews.com posits that this means “bloodshed on the battlefield creates stronger ties than the water of the womb does.” Basically, the people you choose to risk your life with are closer to you than the people of your family, whom you had no say in choosing. Although we use the phrase to signify that family is more important than friends, the original wording suggests that the intent was just the opposite.
3) Don’t Cut Off Your Nose to Spite Your Face. As far as backstories go, this one is brutal. So, around the year 867, Vikings attacked Coldingham monastery in Scotland. The Nun in Charge, St. Aebbe the Younger, decided that it would be better if the nuns disfigured themselves rather than lose their honor to crazed Vikings. She managed to cut off her nose, her upper lip and scared holy bejeezus out of the Vikings. The nuns were left with their honor intact (the Vikings, did, however, burn down the monastery with all of the nuns inside) (Didyouknowfacts.com).
At the next dinner party, sit me next to the etymologist. Rock stars and FBI agents might have interesting stories, but I don’t think they come close to a person who knows the history of our weird phrases. Our commonly used idioms say a lot about us as a species, after all.
Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers know a lot. Do they know the origins of your favorite phrases? Maybe, maybe not. However, Bourke Accounting pros do know all of the rules to keep you on the right side of the IRS. Your Bourke Accounting expert is always fascinated with learning new things, so if you know the history of a common expression, your Bourke Accounting specialist is more than happy to hear it.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See You Soon!
Written by Sue H.
You know that we are animal friendly at Bourke Accounting. Both Bill and Bookkeeper Christina like dogs. Some Bourke Accounting experts like unicorns, some prefer kitties, some really dig birds. And of course, I want to be a panther. All of these animals, both real and fantastical, are super cool. However, there is one animal that is the stuff of nightmares – swimming around right now – and it’s weirder than anything H.P. Lovecraft ever thought of.
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce my favorite obsession: The Deep-Sea Anglerfish.
So, what makes the deep-sea angler fish so interesting? Well, as you can see above, this is one frightening looking fishy; between the huge underbite, the needle-like teeth and the weird bioluminescent doodad that hangs from her head, she’s, most likely, not someone you’d like to share a bubble bath with. I am not being sexist by using the feminine pronoun; only female deep-sea anglerfish have the shiny head thingamajig.
Besides looking fascinatingly alien, most of these fish live in desolate environments: 3,000 feet below the surface in the Atlantic and Antarctic oceans (Nationalgeographic.com). Down there, it’s dark and it’s freezing and these weird little guys have evolved to significantly impressive levels. The glowing head lure that the females sport is “filled with bacteria that make their own light” (Oceana.org). This lure attracts “pelagic crustaceans, fish, and other prey” (Oceana.org) way down in the depths.
The female angler is about the size of a football while the male is about the “size of a small finger” (Seasky.org). Nothing strange about that – a lot of species have size discrepancies between female and male members. Male deep-sea anglerfish also don’t have glow sticks stuck to their noggins. Again, nothing odd there, a lot of animals have different appearances depending on sex. The most truly bizarre aspect of these guys is the way in which they mate.
As the little male deep-sea anglerfish gets older, his “digestive system degenerates, making it impossible for [him] to feed on [his] own” (Seasky.org). Well, that seems like a design flaw, right? Flawed maybe, but the boys make up for this short-coming when a lady angler enters the picture. Once the comparatively tiny male finds his sweetheart, he bites her. Then he “releases an enzyme that dissolves the skin of his mouth and that of her body” (Seasky.org). Having done this, the male is now being fed by the female’s blood and, eventually, the male’s “eyes and fins atrophy away” (Wired.com). Oh, but his…um…man parts stay intact (yup, man parts just kind of stuck to the side of her body). This way, when the female is ready to “spawn, she has a mate instantly available” (Seasky.org). The female can accommodate around six males and once you’re hooked on her, you are hooked for life. Sadly, only about “one percent of males” (Wired.com) find true love; the wallflowers are left to die of starvation.
Although it seems like the world is getting strange these days, if you think about it, the world has always been strange – the romantic world of the deep-sea anglerfish is all the evidence required.
Much like my beloved anglerfish, Bourke Accounting pros are adaptable and evolve as our strange world dictates. Whether it’s helping you to navigate your small business relief package or planning for a different economy, your Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers are up to date on all of the changes in our new and different world.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See You Soon!
Written by Sue H.
Stimulus Check? More like Stimufuss Check. All right, all right, that was lame. Okay, what about: Stimulus Check? More like StimuNotForUs Check. That was even worse. I’m going to stop trying. But. I do have a point:
There are many problems with the Coronavirus Economic Impact Payments.
This week, a lot of us received our stimulus payment. Please don’t think I’m ungrateful that the government is giving me (my own) money. It was nice to see that “big, fat beautiful check” in my checking account. However, there are a lot of people out there who, so far, have not been as lucky.
For example, the IRS’ Get My Payment tool doesn’t seem to be working quite right. Many taxpayers are noticing that they can’t update incorrect bank account information (CNBC.com). Some who were actually able to update account information have been met with a lovely little message that informs them that their “payment status is not available” (Washingtonpost.com). Finally, people have been “locked out of the system completely” (CNBC.com) and they can’t find out why. But why can’t they find out why? Surely there are customer service representatives at the Internal Revenue Service waiting patiently to help taxpayers, right?
No. No, not at all.
If you were to go to the IRS’ website and click on the “Coronavirus Tax Relief Economic Impact Payments,” one of the first things you will find is this stark advisory: Do Not Call. So, no, there are no patiently waiting representatives willing to help you. However, don’t you worry your little taxpaying head about this! Luis Garcia, IRS spokesperson says the problems “should be fixed now” (CNBC.com).
Besides computer issues, a lot of people who use strip mall tax preparers are finding that, since they “received an advance on their tax refund or had the fee for tax preparation taken out of their tax refund” (Washingtonpost.com), they are going to have to wait for a paper check. This is because the IRS claims that they don’t have these accounts on file. Of course, because someone had to put his name on every check, a lot of these people are going to have to wait even longer for their relief payment. But that someone’s name in the memo line makes it all worth it, right?
And finally, some people aren’t getting credit for their under 16-year-old children and some aren’t getting credit for spouses (Washingtonpost.com). However, on a good note, lots and lots of dead folks are getting their checks (Foxnews.com), so it really balances out.
I understand what a vast undertaking the distribution of these checks amounts to, I really do. However, it seems to me that, perhaps, this whole thing should have been thought out a lot better.
Unfortunately, Bourke Accounting can’t make your Stimulus check come any quicker. If your Bourke Accounting bookkeeper and tax preparer could hold up the IRS and make them correct your bank account information, they would. However, if something goes sideways with your Corona check, your Bourke Accounting expert will make darn sure that you get credit on your 2020 return. Cold comfort, but comfort nonetheless.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. Have a Good Day and See You Soon.
Written by Sue H.
Life has gotten very odd. At Bourke Accounting, people can’t stop to chat when dropping off their paperwork. Smiles are hidden behind masks and there are no more handshakes; everyone seems to be sizing each other up as potential harbingers of plague. However, there is a certain – albeit physically distant – solidarity because we have no choice but to walk the same road together.
The Cooties have changed human life, that much is obviously evident. Besides some of us not being able to work and all of us not being able to enjoy a nice rum and Coke at the bar, there are other changes that I hadn’t even thought about. Also, I wonder what sort of lasting effects we will experience as a result.
So, I present to you a few alterations to our world:
1) Our rats are losing their rat minds. Because most cities have implemented some sort of lockdown procedure, there is not as much sweet, sweet garbage in the streets. When I lived in Brooklyn, the sidewalks looked as though a midnight food fight had occurred; people walking by donated their half-eaten hot dogs and bagels to the concrete. Now that so many businesses have been shuttered and people are staying indoors, the rats are starving. These rats are now fighting, to the death, amongst themselves and eating their young (NYPost.com). Mayor LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans warned that this puts her city’s homeless population at an even greater risk (NYPost.com). Um. Anyone remember the movie Willard?
2) Greetings and Goodbyes. I have a friend who wonders if Corona is going to lead to the death of the handshake. Personally, I’m all right with this – there is nothing worse than receiving the squishy, dead fish handshake of a person you’re only required to spend five minutes with. However, my common sense is at war with my early training – not shaking hands is going against my father’s teachings! I refuse to attempt the elbow bump, as I have terrible depth perception and would either miss completely or elbow an elderly man in the face. And our “goodbyes” have become even worse. Instead of saying, “Have a good day,” it’s become “Stay Safe.” I know the Danse Macabre unites us all, but can we please at least go back to “Take care”?
3) Our environment. It’s probably not surprising that, with everyone staying put, there are already “huge reductions in air pollution” (Newsweek.com). In China alone, since lockdown, there has been a “drop in carbon emissions of an estimated 25 percent” (NYTimes.com). While I realize that our air is going to return to its dismal state once we get back to our abnormal normal, I think this is a learning lesson. Perhaps we ought to really re-think what our routine actions do to the Earth and figure out sustainable ways in which to protect our Home Planet.
We are in the midst of a strange trip. It’s awful and tragic. However, I think this is also a time to put our priorities in order and figure out how we can better ourselves, our wildlife and our world. I believe we are learning what really matters right now.
Is filing your tax return with a Bourke Accounting tax preparer a priority right now? You have until July to file your returns and your Bourke Accounting pro is patient, so maybe not. However, are you trying to save your business and workers with the Paycheck Protection Program? Did you know that your Bourke Accounting expert is willing to guide you through the steps for free? I’ve found that putting food on the table is always a priority.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. HAVE A GOOD DAY!
Written by Sue H.
Sociopaths know the difference between right and wrong; they just don’t care – My Psychology 101 Professor
I don’t lose sleep over what I have done or have nightmares about it – Dennis Nilsen, Serial Killer
We are not sociopaths at Bourke Accounting. In fact, we’re pretty sympathetic towards one another. For example, when an employee’s birthday rolls around, Bill throws a little party and Phil bakes a cake. We treat each other with respect, we help each other out and it’s all very nice and it’s all very civilized.
We spend a lot of time concerned about feelings and the well-being of each other. And sometimes I wonder: wouldn’t everything be simpler if we all just decided to be sociopaths?
The term “sociopath” is actually an outdated moniker that mental health professions shy away from these days. The preferred classification, as outlined in the newest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (every shrink’s travel guide), is Antisocial Personality Disorder (Webmd.com). However, “sociopath” sounds cooler and I’ll be using it for the duration of this writing.
With movies like Joker and The Silence of the Lambs, we tend to think of every sociopath as a clever and stylish killer. But, as with a lot of things, reality is more mundane than fantasy. So, what is a sociopath, really? According to the Mayo Clinic, a sociopath suffers from a “mental disorder in which [the] person…shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others.” With this definition, it’s easy to understand how serial killers are often diagnosed as sociopaths; they clearly have no respect for the boundaries of others.
However, the majority of sociopaths don’t hit the infamous depths of someone like Ted Bundy. In fact, Health.com cited a study that “estimated that as many as 3.8% of Americans” could be defined as sociopathic. So, if you’re at a party and can’t guess who the sociopath is, well, it might just be you. If you’re not quite sure, Psycom.net has a handy little “Are You a Sociopath” quiz (when I took it, my score said that I had “little to no indication of antisocial personality disorder.” I know, I was surprised, too).
Now, for someone like me, who is still feeling guilty for accidentally killing a spider when I was ten, being a sociopath seems pretty attractive. For example, sociopaths generally don’t feel remorse. Also, they don’t have any sense of responsibility, never hold themselves accountable for anything and basically do what they want when they want (Healthline.com). I’m not saying we should be sociopaths all the time, but we should each get, say, a half an hour a day to be a sociopath (with no casualties, obviously).
As it turns out, I can never be a sociopath. Whereas some mental troubles are organic in nature – you’re either born that way or you’re not – sociopathic people are created. There is no ingrained brain malfunction, sociopaths are simply brought up in really bad households (Psychcentral.com) and the behavior manifests in adult behavior.
Maybe I don’t really want to be a sociopath. Being free from guilt and responsibility sounds awesome, but I’m too used to guilt and feeling that pesky sense of responsibility to change now. Also, I would look terrible in a prison uniform.
We aren’t sociopaths at Bourke Accounting, but it’s okay if you are. Just as we don’t discriminate against tattoos, your Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer will still give you the best in financial advice and services – even if you are a gentler Hannibal Lecter. Since the world is mad anyway, Bourke Accounting welcomes all with open arms.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
I love putting spices in things. For example, when I make spaghetti sauce, I cackle, spin around and add dashes of oregano, basil (fresh), garlic (both powdered and fresh) and my super-secret ingredient (maybe, someday, I’ll tell you the super-secret – no, it’s not Soylent Green). Then, when it’s simmering good and proper, I repeatedly scream-sing, “Fire burn and caldron bubble!”
Cooking is loud in my house because, yes, I like to pretend that I’m a witch. It’s perfectly normal, nothing wrong with that and, I betcha, a lot of people do the same.
Because I enjoy doing this, I am always interested in new spices. My mother has a lot of free time on her hands these days and she has inspired me to test one I’ve never heard of: Turmeric. If you’re like me, we are now sailing unchartered seas together.
What is turmeric? According to Healthprep.com, it’s a “flowering plant that belongs to the ginger family.” I like ginger, so we’re off to a good start. Turmeric, native to Southeast Asia and India “has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine” (Healthprep.com). Ayurvedic medicine (I didn’t know what that meant either) is one of the oldest holistic healing systems and it’s focused on protecting the body, spirit and mind (Webmd.com). The theory is that if you take care of yourself preemptively, you’ll have no need to fight disease because, well, you won’t have disease to fight in the first place.
From what I’ve read, turmeric tastes pretty good, too: it is aromatic with scents of orange or ginger and has a pungent flavor (Spiceadvice.com). And the amount of things you can cook with it? Boy howdy! There’s one easy recipe for something called “Golden Milk” that is on the top of my list to experiment with: simmer milk, turmeric, black pepper and cinnamon for ten minutes (Downshiftology.com) and it’s supposed to relax the bejeezus out of you. I’m thinking a bit of rum would make it complete, but that’s just me.
Besides tasting good, there’s a few other reasons turmeric has been used for thousands of years. Studies done have shown that it’s an effective pain reliever, an anti-inflammatory and it can actually improve liver function (Medicalnewstoday.com). Have you found yourself overindulging during your quarantine? Turmeric is thought to be able to “stop your liver from being damaged by toxins” (Medicalnewstoday.com). Sometimes, the old ways are the best ways.
Because I’m randomly a Negative Nancy, I felt that I should investigate the side effects of turmeric. There aren’t many and most of the side effects come about because people have taken too much (it’s also available in capsule form). For example, while turmeric is a good digestive aid, it causes the stomach to produce more gastric acid than some people can handle and can lead to discomfort (Medicalnewstoday.com). In addition, it acts as a blood thinner, so it’s recommended that people taking blood-thinning medications avoid using large quantities (Medicalnewstoday.com).
I have taken the plunge and am now awaiting the arrival of my organic turmeric. I need Golden Milk in my life! I’ll let you know how it turns out, but I’m guessing I will fall in love.
You know, Bourke Accounting is sort of like turmeric. Besides aiding in a better night’s sleep, your Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer can preventively head off any problems on your horizon. Since you won’t have to stress about your financial future, your Bourke Accounting expert can also help you to avoid ulcers. See? Bourke Accounting might be a better digestive aid than even turmeric itself!
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon (I’ll have Golden Milk waiting)!
Written by Sue H.
Yes, I was a wild one in my ill-spent youth. With my blue mohawk and nose rings, my Bourke Accounting co-workers and employers would not have recognized me. And I had a lot of friends. I had pals to go drinking with, I had buddies to go to punk rock shows with, I even had a few friends who were ready to go to brunch on a Sunday morning.
Sure, I had a lot of friends to go do fun things with. However, after a death in the family, I realized that I didn’t have many friends who were willing to do the not so fun things with me. I looked around and realized that most of my pals could be equated to “Party People in a Can” – if the music was blaring and the drinks were flowing, all was well. If I needed help moving, however, my pals were mysteriously MIA.
When we’re young, a lot of us put quantity over quality when considering friendship. Basically, as long as there’s 40 people at our birthday party, it doesn’t matter that we don’t know the last names of more than half of the participants. As we get older, however, that quality concept becomes a lot more important.
When thinking of friendship, obviously the most important question is one of comfort. Can you be yourself around your friend or are you always self-censoring? Perhaps this is not surprising, but I like a dirty joke or two; one of my friends orders strictly off the Jeff Foxworthy menu of humor and I do find myself avoiding certain jokes for fear of causing offense. In addition, when this particular pal gives a symposium on the virtues of three different kinds of mops, I find my mind wandering. Is she a good person? For sure! Do I feel very comfortable around her? Yeah, not so much.
Another thing to contemplate is if a specific friend is good for you. For example, there was a 2007 study that showed “an increase of nearly 60 percent in the risk for obesity among people whose friends gained weight” (NYTimes.com). We’re all warned about peer pressure when we’re kids, but the subject doesn’t come up often as we mature. If your friend is forcing you to hike on a beautiful Saturday morning, that’s generally a good thing. However, if your friend is begging you to blow off a job interview so you can get drunk at 11 AM, you might want to think about your friend’s priorities, for her and for yourself.
Which brings us to the question of your friend’s intentions. I once had a friend who tried to convince me that drawing cat whiskers on my face with a Sharpie before a formal dance was a good idea. I said, “You first.” Neither of us sported whiskers that night. Sometimes, as much as a friend might love us, our success might be an underlying thorn in their side. This is dark, but make sure the advice a friend gives you is from a place of love and respect, not some hinterland of passive aggression.
Friends are important; Harvard researchers even reported that “strong social ties could promote brain health” (NYTimes.com). Friends are great at centering us, they’re good at keeping the cold darkness of loneliness away and, sometimes, they’ll even help us move. I don’t have a lot of friends these days, but the ones I do have are worth having.
You needn’t worry about your Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer’s intentions. A Bourke Accounting pro’s first goal is to provide you with the most efficient and accurate service possible. Bourke Accounting experts are well known for loyalty and standing strong by the little guy in the face of anything that can be thrown at them. Hey, Bourke Accounting reps love a challenge, so whatcha you got?
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
I want to be a travel journalist and I have to say you were my main inspiration and encouraged me with that. When I was a tiny kid and made cr*ppy poems, you always encouraged me – Text my little cousin sent me
At Bourke Accounting and before all the Corona social distancing, Bookkeeper Christina would randomly bring her 6-year-old to the office. Sweet kid, he stayed in Christina’s office and played video games or read. Generally, I’d forget he was even there (except when I’d accidentally kick him while asking Christina a question).
I am notoriously afraid of children. I don’t know if it’s the unexpected ways in which they move, the fact that they haven’t learned voice modulation or their high-pitched voices – I told you about my misophonia. Perhaps it’s the fact that a kid represents the utmost in responsibility. A kid isn’t like a dog. If your dog doesn’t twig to housebreaking right away, no one is going to call a government agency. However, don’t potty train your kid right and someone is going to question why your 12-year old is peeing in the corner during History class.
Beyond teaching physical social norms, a caregiver is also responsible for a kid’s mental well-being and self-esteem. Okay, that’s some heavy stuff right there! I don’t want to be held accountable for destroying a kid’s self-worth just because I said something offhand and stupid.
So, you can imagine my surprise, last Thursday, when Bookkeeper Christian accused me of being really good with kids. This was further compounded when my little cousin sent me the above text on Sunday. Has the world gone mental? I mentioned both instances to a friend of mine and he said: obviously you’re good with kids, you’ve never grown up and you listen when they talk. Well, paint me flummoxed.
After reading a few parenting articles, I can admit that I do some things right. For example, according to Parentingforbrain.com, when praising a child, you’re not meant to use “effusive or overly general praises” because the kid will end up thinking you’re full of it. Instead, the article suggests that you get really specific. Like with my little cousin, when she writes something, I pull up lines and images to complement. Reflexively, if there’s something I think she could improve on, I give her honest feedback. She knows I appreciate what she’s done, but she knows I’ll always tell her the truth.
In addition, we’re not supposed to congratulate every little thing. If you fall over yourself with every action, you’re “condition[ing] the child to expect praises every time” (Parentingforbrain.com). The workforce is starting to see a problem with this model when hiring Gen Y workers, as these employees now expect constant praise (Parentingforbrain.com). Big US companies are hiring “praise consultants to keep their young employees affirmed” (Growingleaders.com). I swear, I am not making this up.
Hats off to you parents and guardians. You certainly have a hard (albeit rewarding?) job. If you don’t mind, I’ll be over in the corner, intermittently babysitting and encouraging (with NO authoritative repercussions).
Your Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer will not tell you you’re the best if you make a bonehead move. Your Bourke Accounting pro will congratulate your hard-won successes though. Bourke Accounting experts will always tell you the truth, no matter the consequences. After all, if you can’t trust a Bourke Accounting bookkeeper or tax preparer to tell you what’s what, you may as well just have dear old Autie Mildred kiss your cheek and tell you you’re the bee’s knees.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
It was a beautiful day when I got home from Bourke Accounting yesterday. I let the puppies out, sat on the deck and watched the birds. There were Cardinals and Cowbirds and Grackles – my favorite – and a ton of pugnacious Doves at my bird feeders. The puppies were rolling over each other, playing with a big rock they found (I don’t know why either), and I just sat and watched the birds.
I have always believed that I am too impatient to meditate, but I’m pretty sure that’s what I was doing. I wasn’t really thinking about anything. Grackles walked through sunbeams and deep oil slick purple feathers proved that Mother Nature is the best make-up artist. Just watching the birds.
Okay, before you accuse me of playing Puff the Magic Dragon at Bourke, there is a point to this. After weeks of stress and uncertainty, I found a peaceful little pocket where I wasn’t thinking of viruses, social distancing or the future of our country. So, if just watching the birds a while helped me, I was thinking of other things that could help us, too. As I love lists, here are a few of my humble suggestions:
1) Rediscover a neglected passion. Did you used to really enjoy doing something, but then your obligations got in the way? Between work, social functions and everything else, it’s sometimes difficult to keep up with the simple pleasures that are only for us. There might be a violin gathering dust in your closet at this very moment! Maybe you have a collection of books that you’ve promised yourself that you’ll read as soon as you’re not so busy. Take some time for yourself and disengage from the news and the internet. Explore what you’ve forgotten.
2) Exercise (I haven’t actually done this one, but I’m gonna…). Is everyone in your house staring at devices and randomly sighing sadly? Get everyone up and moving. New to the workout scene? Ana Caban has a vast collection of Pilates videos on Youtube.com. The cool thing about Pilates is that it’s low-impact and very much akin to Yoga. There’s deep breathing, stretching and a big emphasis on experiencing inner peace. Sure, your family, significant other or your own self might complain at first, but moving around is never a bad thing. Also, Ana teams up with Blogilates (why did she think that was a cool name?) for an eleven minute and sixteen second routine. Eleven minutes! Come on, it takes longer for some of us to poop!
3) Clean something. I have a room that I use for things that I don’t really know what to do with. I may have sort of let it get a bit chaotic. After watching the birds yesterday, I cleaned it out. I hung up discarded outfit choices, organized vaguely important pieces of mail and got rid of things that I had no reason to keep. I turned the radio up, danced and dusted (and scared the bejeezus out of the puppies). When I finally finished, I felt like I had accomplished something. I also scared the bejeezus out of myself. My newly cleaned room was so vastly different from its crustier version, I wasn’t sure what I was looking at first thing in the morning.
There is lots to do that doesn’t include movie theaters or restaurants. Just because our lives are changed doesn’t mean we can’t find peace and happiness. Perhaps now is the time to find solace and validation from within, minus all the whistles and bells.
Your Bourke Accounting professionals are in the same boat as you. We’re trying to make the best of a bad situation (the jokes around the Bourke office are getting funnier and dirtier). Your Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers are working tirelessly to complete payroll and returns, but they’re taking care of their bodies and minds, as well. They know, that if they don’t take care of themselves now, they’ll be no good to anyone once we can all come together again.
Anyway, if you need me, I’ll just be watching the birds.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.