Gotta vent

Today is my one day off this week and I was happy to be able to sleep in uninterrupted until 7:00, especially since it's so damn cold outside (gotta love Missouri weather - high of 69 one day, then two days later a high of 19). It's nice to see the sun up before me once in a while. However I do have to stop in at the office today because my computer needed to have some tax software added so I could use it out of the office. Sometime today I have to do my own taxes too since I didn't get to that yesterday. I figured nine hours at the office on a Saturday was enough, and now I can do my taxes at home!

It's around this time of year that I typically start to really feel like I'm missing out on things. Every year my parents take a trip to Vegas for an archery tournament** and my brother and sister-in-law drive the three or so hours to meet them. They spend a few days there then they go back to my brother's place for a few days. I would love to be able to do that every year too. Next year my brother really wants to take a family trip to Hawaii in February or March to watch the whales. I told him I'm planning on going and I'm going to be looking for a new job but there's still a chance I won't be able to go. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I'll never forgive myself if I miss it.

I had to pass on three separate invites to get-togethers this week, one involving a friend from out of town that I haven't seen in a while, because I was busy working or I was too tired to go. I really appreciate the invites and I would love to be able to do those things, but please understand that all I do is work. Friday is not the end of the work week for me. If you call me up on Saturday to see if I want to do something don't be surprised when I say I'm at work. I'm always at work on Saturdays this time of year and it's been that way for five years now. And yes, I'll have to work some Sundays too. Really it should be more of a situation where you should be surprised if I'm not at work when you call. I don't want you to stop inviting me but sometimes it gets me down that I have to say no all of the time, so please understand when I do say no.

Let's not forget all of the Mardi Gras and St. Patrick's Day celebrations that I never get to go to. Three-day President's Day weekend - what's that? I'm never going to be able to take a snow-skiing trip unless it's in December. I can't go to Jefferson City to talk to my representatives and senators about issues I care about while the legislature is in session. Easter with my family depends on when it falls (it's on April 16 this year and even though tax season isn't officially over until April 17 I'm still planning on making it home since I'll be done by then).

I've had it with all of the things I'm missing. This will definitely be my last tax season in public accounting. I'm going to screw a few people over by leaving this year, and while it would be nice if I could work one more tax season to give some of the juniors on my job a little more experience my sanity can't take it. They'll be fine - high staff turnover is the nature of working in public accounting. I told myself when I started that I would give myself five years and those five years are up. Now I just need to get my resume together.

**Did I mention my parents are both really into archery? They started getting into it around the time I graduated high school, so I never got into it but my brother did for a while. It's something they enjoy and they can do together. They are both past national champions and are pretty good. My dad will rig together a bow for me sometimes when I make it home and we'll go in to the indoor range and shoot - it's fun but not something I'd want to do full time like they do.