The Examiner – Insights on Fighting Financial Fraud

I started feeling sick last Thursday and the symptoms got worse over the weekend. The symptoms are slowly moving from my head to my chest. It seems to be a really bad cold and maybe something else. I am beating myself up because I probably pushed my body too hard during the marathon, which weakened my immune system. But being sick is throwing a wrench into my ultramarathon training plan.

On Sunday, I completed the Louisiana Marathon in Baton Rouge, which was my second marathon and was much more challenging than my first. I trained harder for this one—I ran more miles and focused on enhancing my pace. My primary goal was to beat my personal record, but I really wanted to run it in less than 4 hours. I was on pace to beat the 4 hour mark through the 19^th mile, but then things started to fall apart.

My family and I started 2016 with a bang! We popped fireworks and spent time with friends. On the 1^st, we ate plenty of cabbage, black eyed peas, and pork for lots of good health, wealth and happiness. As some of you know, I am not a big fan of green veggies, and you are probably wondering how I was able to eat cabbage. Well . . . my mother passed along a recipe for cabbage casserole that is amazing. We cook it every year, and all who taste it agree that it is delicious. Even our kids enjoy it.

Dear Santa,

This Saturday when we visited you, my daughter asked you to help all the homeless people find homes this winter. At hearing this, I thought, “What a huge request!” and my heart was overwhelmed with joy and sadness. Joy because my daughter thought of others before herself and sadness because her Christmas wish may never be granted. That was a lot to ask of you!

I am still amazed how quickly 2015 has flown by for me. Not too long ago, I completed the Louisiana Marathon . In fact, I started ramping up my miles to train for next year’s race that is only about a month away. The older I get, the faster time flies. As a child, I remember everything taking a long time—trips in the car, the school year, and even the summer passed slowly. I never felt rushed. It felt like I had plenty of time to do the things I wanted to do. Time had no real meaning to me.

Over the Thanksgiving break, I took my two daughters camping and hunting for diamonds at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park. After a six and a half hour drive, we arrived with plenty of time to set up our tent before nightfall. We cooked our dinner over the campfire and roasted marshmallows for s’mores. It was cold the first night—a few degrees below freezing—but we had plenty of blankets to keep warm. The next morning was cold, but the fire helped us stay warm while we cooked real bacon (as opposed to the turkey bacon we have at home), fried eggs, and toast. This meal fueled our bodies for a fun-filled day.

I find myself traveling this week to Disney World’s Grand Floridian Hotel to attend, network and present at the AICPA’s Controllers Conference. It is so easy to get swept up in the excitement at this magical place. There are princesses and pirates around every corner. The fireworks over Cinderella’s castle are amazing and a perfect way to end a day. 

Throughout my college years, I worked at a movie theater. It was a great experience all around—from being a popcorn popper to a projectionist. They paid me to have fun, with a little work thrown in to keep me honest. Payday was every two weeks, and I would pick up my check from the manager on duty. However, on one payday, an internal auditor from corporate handed out the checks. I showed the auditor my driver’s license before receiving my check. 

I am not sure if you’ve heard, but there is a huge game this Saturday between the LSU Fighting Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide. It is probably the biggest game this weekend. ESPN’s College Game Day will be there to add to the excitement. I know some readers may not care about football, but please know that you will still find this post relevant because it’s really about fighting fraud. 

Halloween is such a fun time. I love decorating the house and yard with spooky skeletons and scary ghosts. I also enjoy dressing up in a costume, but sometimes I struggle with making a decision. This year I am torn between being a rodeo clown or a scarecrow. Neither one of these options requires a mask because I don’t really like wearing masks. As the title suggests, this blog post is about masks.