The Ultimate Nerd & Eagle CPA
The Eagle CPA Ultimate Nerd Podcast
Easy does it.
0:00
-11:54

Easy does it.

"So if we are looking for life, it stands to reason that we should be seeking a response. That's my two cents . Don't should on yourself, as some wise person said." - Scott in North Carolina.

Written and voiced by Sean Dowd, CPA

What’s this all about?

I read a book once.

I had to do a lot of google searching to remember it. The search parameters that won out were: “hispanic autobiography mother son homosexual.” Aren’t we lucky we have google?

I’m about to go on a tangent about when I first learned about google. I thought the name was dumb.

Like “Ask Jeeves” was better.

Anyway.

Google hooked me up. Thanks to my main man Larry from East Lansing.

“Hunger of Memory” by Richard Rodriguez
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/161206

I read his book when I was in my second year at Western Michigan University. In my American Studies class.

I really enjoyed that class. I want to write “love” but I reserve that word for the living.

I loved that teacher! Yes!

She is/was Canadian.

She was the first person to pet my ego in academia. She did this by suggesting the potential for publish of a paper I wrote regarding photographs taken by my grandfather in France and Belgium during World War II.

Americana.

Sidetracked again.

My American Studies professor was irritated that no one had done the reading, or those who had done the reading weren’t engaged with the discussion.

As the class began to descend into chaotic chatter and laughing I raised my hand and stated:

“I have a question!”

“What?”

... oh crap ....

“Is Richard Rodriguez an elitist?”

“Yes he is. Do you know what that means?”

I wasn’t able to define it. I didn’t have my computer. Laptops were still on the forefront of technology. No one appreciated the idea of the smartphone before the iPod.

Blackberries.

I invented iPads.

I really don’t know what about his tone screamed elitist in my ear. Maybe it was a sense of superiority in his delivery of message. When I checked a couple of the “Goodreads” reviews, people had similar reactions to his writing, but for different reasons.

My takeaway is, he was a writer. But what inspires a writer?

Their experiences.

Insecurity.

Shaped by others.

How can you possibly be able to write about your experiences without running the risk of exposing your network?

You can be subtle.

Or you can be completely direct.

I think Richard Rodriguez falls into the later category. It was hard on him.

"Americans like to talk about the importance of family values," said Rodriguez. "But America isn't a country of family values; Mexico is a country of family values. This is a country of people who leave home."

Just like reading “Catcher in the Rye” at different stages in your life can have different interpretations. Maybe this book is no different.

Maybe I need to read it again.


Share

Leave a comment

That’s the synopsis. Primary sources for inspiration of this post are at the bottom of this thread below the desktop heading. If you’re intrigued, read on.

Thank you for reading.

Please give me the opportunity to be wrong. I’m looking for your help to provide feedback, guidance, and support. Please let me know how this engages you. You can do a thing. I can do a thing. Together we can do great things. Please consider subscribing, liking, sharing, tweeting, texting, forwarding, faxing, printing, snail mail, & airborne leaflet propaganda. It just needs to catch the Forward Flu (go viral).


The Good Stuff:

I used to listen to a lot of talk radio.

I can already hear heads exploding.

Come on, it’s funny! Or maybe it’s tragic?

I listened to enough of it to be able to see through most of the BS. Some of it had some insightful things to say. But some of it was pretty inflammatory.

I can’t say whether it should be protected or not. I know that some people faced consequences.

But anyway.

I try to be kind by subtly referring to people who hail from the eastern US mountains as those of Appalachian heritage.

I’ve heard way less subtle racism on the radio.

I don’t use the term racist lightly. There’s a difference between racism and prejudice. But prejudice going out on the public airways with an ugly bias isn’t satire, it’s racism.

Pot, meet kettle.

But if there wasn’t an audience for it, it would never be so popular.

Prompts. Triggering. Markets.

Americana.

I’m not the same person I was 35, 30, 20, 10, 5 years ago. 1 year ago I was a lot different.

This librarian was going out of her mind about this new website. It wasn’t a chat room and there weren’t really images. Why should I care?

It was called “Google.”

Apparently it was revolutionary. A paradigm shift.

What’s a paradigm?

I still don’t know how it works. I don’t know how electricity works either.

I’m just glad it works.

If she said someday I’m going to be able to google you little bastards, we would have all laughed.

My mother passed away recently. I know, I know. Get over it already!

A large percentage of people who reached out regarding my mother were prior colleagues. She was remembered as patient and kind.

Work is so much a part of your life. For many people it seems it is their lives. The family is secondary. I don’t think it was intended to evolve that way. You know the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Everyone has the solution to our problems. Those who get into power enforce those solutions. People get resentful. Your heroes aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.

Adam T couldn’t even respond to my text!

“This is a country of people who leave home.”

Boy did that hit hard.

My son told me with tears in his eyes after I gave him a quarter “Dad, I will never leave you.”

Thinking of the prodigal son I told him, “Even if you do, you can always come back.”

That’s a lot to expect in oath from anyone. Especially an 8 year old.

American Studies. America! F yeah!

We studied Richard Rodriguez and folk art. That’s all I remember. And the teacher consoled us the Thursday after Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

I remember my paper on photos. I have it around here somewhere.

The folk art consideration was pretty cool.

What is art?

Graffiti on an overpass or a rail car?
The indigenous statue for tobacco?
A crafty shingle hanging outside a main street shop?
A syrup bottle?

A lot of times it doesn’t really become important to you until it’s gone.

Exceptions apply.

So many of my problems stem from failure to communicate.

Tower of babble and speaking in tongues.

If I could build a life with my family where we would stick together, nothing would make me happier.

I come from a state where people leave.

Family and boundaries.

My paternal grandfather was an accountant. Maybe even a real estate mogul. But things happened I’m not even remotely qualified to discuss. All I know is that a course change in a family occurred.

My maternal grandfather was a soldier. A medic of Omaha beach at Normandy. But things happened I’m not even remotely qualified to discuss. All I know is a course change in a family occurred.

“History became legend. Legend became myth.”

And here we are.

I didn’t even get to Holden.

Maybe tomorrow.


Share

Leave a comment

That’s the message. Primary sources for inspiration of this post are at the bottom of this thread below the desktop heading. If you’re intrigued, read on.

Thank you for reading.

Please give me the opportunity to be wrong. I’m looking for your help to provide feedback, guidance, and support. Please let me know how this engages you. You can do a thing. I can do a thing. Together we can do great things. Please consider subscribing, liking, sharing, tweeting, texting, forwarding, faxing, printing, snail mail, & airborne leaflet propaganda. It just needs to catch the Forward Flu (go viral).


Desktop:

Most of this work was conducted on my iPhone.

Goal for publish: Blog, podcast. Friday morning.

Currently reading: The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5107.The_Catcher_in_the_Rye

Currently listening: Moon River, performed by: Audrey Hepburn & Henry Mancini

https://music.apple.com/us/album/moon-river-from-breakfast-at-tiffanys/358066383?i=358066422

Currently viewing: Inside Out, Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2096673/

Gratitude List

My kids are healthy.
I’ll get over this cold.
My brother is still alive.
I have a nice house.
People like me.
I have a caring wife.
I traveled to Quebec.
I saw the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean within 10 days by driving coast to coast.
I can help people by sharing my experience.
People care so much about me they think I’m talking about them and they’re worried.
People don’t care if I’m writing about them or not.
It’ll be spring soon.
Brody’s 9th birthday is Sunday.
I know what it’s like to see the sunrise from a mountain peak.
I’ve see the sun set over Lake Michigan.
I know what it’s like to climb a mountain.
I peaked at 19 (lol).
I remember fire alarm boxes on city streets.
I remember tram tracks on Woodward avenue.
I walked to school during the.... nevermindz.
I think fire trucks are cool.
Michigan State police cars are cool.
So are the driver’s.
Helicopters are sweet.
I got to hold my infant nephews.
I was handed my youngest after he was born.
I cut the cords for all three of my kids.
I saw Nashville before the boom.
I saw Nashville after (during) the boom.
I’ve experienced spring in Tennessee.
I’ve experienced fall in Michigan.
Air conditioning.
People aren’t their past.
People are inherently good.
My face is free.
I got to meet all of my grandparents.
There is a lot of substance behind rituals.
Poker face.
Seeing mom wave to us as the airplane circled the house.
Learning how to live at the fulcrum.
I saw Matt Roloff at Charlotte International.
I have many mentors in my life.
I can still feel emotions.
I have everything I ever wanted.
The rest of my life is gravy.
You know the feeling of loss and it’s opposite is the peak of the feeling of love.
Forgiveness.
Amends.
Humility.
Honesty.

Larry Page
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Larry-Page


Share

Leave a comment

Thank you for reading.

Please give me the opportunity to be wrong. I’m looking for your help to provide feedback, guidance, and support. Please let me know how this engages you. You can do a thing. I can do a thing. Together we can do great things. Please consider subscribing, liking, sharing, tweeting, texting, forwarding, faxing, printing, snail mail, & airborne leaflet propaganda. It just needs to catch the Forward Flu (go viral).

44°F Drizzle
945 S Jackson St, Dansville, Michigan, United States

0 Comments
The Ultimate Nerd & Eagle CPA
The Eagle CPA Ultimate Nerd Podcast
The latest and greatest from work and life.