When people make mistakes in their career that could become detrimental to the point of ending the possibility to return to it, there is something that should be mentioned. People who do or act in a way that is inappropriate or unequivocally upsetting to the public should be reprimanded, they should be brought to light and they should pay the price and stand the repercussions of their actions. However, there is something called falling with grace and that is important in all parts of professions.

When a person has been accused of a particular action that is disconcerting, if not reprehensible, one must realize that people who commit certain wrongs have possibility, rationalization and opportunity to do them. While people can be acting in a manner which is adequate in their mind but in the eyes of others appears as a dilemma, one must put into a balance various elements: mental state and circumstances that have led the individual to commit a heinous action.

When approaching a sensitive subject such as fraud, one must fully integrate the factors that go into creating the right solution to avoid such events from happening again. When there are no checks and balances in companies where people without scruples operate, the lack of supervision could become something very easy to abuse. Abuse of power happens when someone feels that they have a right to something that has been provided to them freely or without accountability; however, once someone else recognizes that there is a problem and a conflict of interests, the organization should place limits and provide an environment that nurtures open communication and that allows whistle blowers to freely speak about situations that could become detrimental along the way if situations are not discussed and addressed.

Fraud can happen anywhere, and particularly, during times of change, modifications of the environment and reorganization, companies must be mindful of opportunities in which employees could take advantage of their position. While it is important to participate in the direction of the organization from the perspective of leadership, it is also important to keep in mind that leadership can be detrimental if it is simply a title. Leadership in an organization encompasses participating with a mindset of cooperation, accountability and teamwork.

Many of the components of the accounting profession are based on integrity. When someone in management is using authority to create environments which are negative and detrimental, it is time to blow the whistle and request a change of pace and a change of policies. Accountants are mandated officers in their profession and their leverage and purpose is based on stating facts as opposed to opinions. Facts are numbers and financial reports that demonstrate the potential for an organization to continue to operate or the failure of its processes and its downfalls.

While keeping a professional and neutral mindset, accountants must be able to bring to light issues that are concerning for a business, they must be able to pinpoint potentials for problematic scenarios and the capability of management to commit fraud as well as any involvement of employees and outsiders.

Securing data and upholding confidentiality is not only a matter of locking doors and cabinets, it is a process and a culture of respect for the work of the accountant and how the accountant fits into the group of people that they work with. Confidentiality is particularly important during times of tax preparation, audits and credit requests; these are sensitive subjects and situations that accountants must be mindful of when speaking to their clients, not only because it demonstrates respect towards others but because it is the responsibility of the accountant from the moment they begin their education.

Participating in events that come to light in a negative way can be very damaging and management is responsible for providing the information necessary to accountants so that they can make appropriate decisions for the future. When management fails to provide actual data, current and timely information and to create a hostile environment, accountants must be able to separate and distance themselves so that they can look at the picture presented by management from an unbiased position.

Management and accountants do not work in collaboration but they do work in tandem with the goals of a company. While management’s duty and responsibility is to maintain a flow that allows the organization to overcome obstacles, to create sales and to bring in new customers, the responsibility of the accountant is to break cycles that are inefficient and financially detrimental which could become illegal or that could create opportunities for fraud.

To end, accountants are not only professionals in their jobs, they are scrutinized heavily in their personal lives because their demeanor, the way that they react in difficult situations of dilemmas and conflict can also have repercussions in their careers and in their professional development.

How many times I have failed, it is impossible to recount. If someone were to keep a score of who is successful based on achievement, I would probably fall in the last place. However, I feel like someone who has accomplished vast success, through trial and error. I was brought up to think that giving up is not an option, so every time that I feel the world falling and me going into an abyss, I try to recount those times in which life gave me the opportunity to try again.

I have failed as a parent, as a person, as a business person, and yet, I am not giving up, the end of our lives happens when we give up. I am thinking of people who have suffered great losses, and I account myself here, because I have lost a lot based on the decisions I have made as an adult. Leaving my education to raise my children, marrying young and divorcing young, leaving many jobs in which I felt I was obsolete, wasting time and money on people who cared not about me but on using me. However, I see beauty in everything that I have done because everything that I have done I have done with a full heart and with love.

My greatest accomplishment is becoming a mother to two beautiful boys who have made me proud over the years. I could never put into words what having a child is, it is a footprint in the planet that lasts eternally and yes, parenthood changes everything that you have ever thought you believed in. 

The problems that I have faced in my life are minimal compared to the problems of the world, and failure is something that has taught me to try again. I have felt alone, I have felt sad and lonely so many times, with and without company, I have felt everything that the heart, the mind and the body can feel, and yet, I still feel alive, in this world full of so many things that I cannot explain.

There are times in our lives when we feel so desperate for an answer or a sign, and yet that is sometimes not something that we can find. Sometimes, there is no answer to our call for help for a demonstration of love or kindness. The strength that I find when fighting for my life, when fighting for my rights is that of self strength, of people who have taught me and shown me how to try again and again, without giving up.

The world says that we cannot do things, that we are incapable, that are unworthy unless we have a display and an array of valuables, but Audrey Hepburn said the opposite in a very beautiful way: “the word impossible says in itself, I am possible.” And so, every time that I find myself wondering what my next step will be and why I should try, I think of the silliness of our problems. How much we worry about things that do not necessarily matter, they only matter to others, and that, in itself, is a reminder of why we must continue to forget the past, to forgive and to move on. 

To end, I believe in none other than hard work. The result of our lives is that of our work and our actions. We cannot expect success if we do not put in anything in between situations, conflict, solutions and all that life brings. Life is hard, that is for sure, sometimes life is dark and scary, but it does not end, life continues whether we exist or not. Life is only valuable as much as we give it value.

It is a surprise, and yet a novelty, home grown coffee in the mountains of California. The climate of California creates a good place for coffee to grow and for a coffee farm to harvest coffee. It is still necessary to import coffee from Colombia, Brazil or Indonesia because the coffee that is grown in the United States could not potentially be a competition to those large-scale industries, but it is notable that California is incorporating coffee into its menu. 

Coffee from California is something that perhaps not a lot of people know about, but it exists and the first time that I realized it was happening I was quite curious. Drinking coffee from an early age, I have learned to incorporate, love and share coffee every single day, at least as much as I can whenever I can. However, realizing that coffee can be grown in other parts of the world was an idea I did not expect.

California is a fertile state, with grapes covering many areas which wine makers are proud of and offer quality wines, and now, can claim the harvest of coffee. While climate change may play a part in the development of coffee growing in California, it is an advancement that only that state can claim. 

Coffee requires a very lengthy process to become what it needs to be, before it is ground, brewed and served in a cup. Speaking to a local coffee shop owner, I learned that the coffee that we drink is actually stale coffee and that it takes about six to eight weeks for the coffee to become something that we can enjoy. Sumatra, Colombian coffee and other types of coffee are actually all the same but the environment where they are grown is quite different and thus, we refer to coffee as good or bad.

While speaking with the coffee shop owner, I came to the realization that coffee is something I cannot fully describe as I love this beverage too much to put it into a box and describe the process of harvesting, drying, roasting, grinding and drinking. Just like wine, we learn processes, but we sometimes do not understand where they come from, and wine is simply a drink that we enjoy with meals or with friends.

California is the most advanced state in the United States when it comes to scientific developments, progressive politics and change in global climate solutions. California can teach us a lot about our future as the state becomes more vulnerable to changes and to the creation of solutions that affect individuals in that state and in the rest of the country. 

Recently, while walking down a nature path, I tried to concentrate in the quietness and I came to find that there was none, as a highway passed right next to it and the cars traveling on it made my moment with nature impossible. Humans are unaware of what is happening to the environment, but California should be praised for the effort and work that has been implemented to conserve and to save the environment where Californians live. 

When I think of California, I think of sunsets on the beach, of roller skaters cruising down the street and of surfers getting into the early cold water. But now, when I think of this beautiful state, I will also associate it with coffee and with the growth of that berry, of that product, of that beverage that I so love, and I am proud to have grown up with. Coffee will be, forever, a product that people will enjoy in the mornings, in the afternoons, at work and at home with our families.

I am speaking as a Colombian citizen today, American culture is not the best at making sure that everyone feels happy, and that constitutional rights are respected.

Recently living in Albany, NY, I have been a victim of harassment by my neighbors, something that the police department feels is not necessary to address. I have been unable to keep my job and now I am being displaced due to behaviors from other individuals, outside of my control, who decide what to do and how things happen.

In American culture, a good story sells, a rapper who gets killed, a singer who takes their clothes off on stage, a story that makes for sensationalism. I have noticed that people in the United States are actually pretty ashamed of who they are, no matter how patriotic they present themselves. For example, when there are demonstrations about a controversial topic, nobody wants to show their facade and intentions are hidden.

As a citizen of Colombia, I have been accustomed to service, to being polite, diplomatic, to appreciate and respect history, the elders, everything that seems good in life. Americans value other things, like fights between gangs, music that encourages violence, beauty adoration or a political scandal in which the subject matter is either an older white man with power and money, or a woman from a minority.

Diversification in the United States exists only in some circles, and the appreciation for people is pretty much gone. In American culture, people appreciate and value things, big homes, big cars, big stores, anything that displays power and money.

Money runs in the blood of Americans and those who have the most, are the ones getting ahead, getting the right job, the right position in society, the right place in their circle and the most enjoyment out of life. Money is something that the system of capitalism runs on, it is what feeds it and what creates the opportunities that the rest of the world wants and desires. 

In my opinion, coming from both ends of the spectrum, I have come to realize that the answer when someone asks what is important, is to question one’s own values. What do we value, what do we appreciate and what do we desire? The question is not who is right and who is wrong, it is more about what we think is important to us. 

To enter into a more philosophical conversation, some people believe that answers to the problems of society lie in nature and the conservation of the environment. Plants tell us stories from centuries ago when other species lived on earth, when the idea of civilization and society did not exist. Once in a while I think of people as species, some of us have faculties that others do not, and at the same time, we are vastly different. I think the idea here is to see every person as a slate of components that form their DNA.

DNA, as seen from the scientific perspective, are genes that encompass our body. So, each person has characteristics which make them vulnerable to various environments. The mind of a human being is very complex, and there are events that shape the psyche of the individual, making it prone to actions and reactions based on the environment.

To end, American culture is based on freedom, and each freedom is specified in the Constitution. The ability to live in a Democratic society has its beginnings in many cultures, but the ability to think and act in a manner that is civilized can only be nurtured and taught through our norms, manners and education.

I was nineteen years old when tragedy struck, while working at The Sentinel at Kennesaw State University I heard the news. As one of the students that was in the building where I worked, I noticed his face of alarm, tragedy had struck. The twin towers in New York City had disappeared as they had ever existed before, something that I had no idea would shape my future and that of my family, particularly my children. Later, I got married and my husband joined the military. We were at war with the world, not only with Iraq but Afghanistan and every single nation that supported the radical Muslims in the middle east.

It was perhaps twenty years later when I came to realize what had really happened, and it is many times, even impossible to realize the pain that was experienced on that day. I recently saw pictures of the twin towers, when they existed, people falling from the sky, bombs exploding in floors above, dust and cement all over Lower Manhattan, and it is yet heartbreaking…I find no other words, to come to closure with the past.

Many of the experiences in my adult life have been centered in memories that happened during my early years as an adult. I left home early, my land and my family, to the United States, a country that offered opportunities for me, opportunities that I could not find at home. When September 11 happened, everything changed for me, I lost my vision and my memories of childhood pretty much disappeared, I became a pawn in a cruel and lonely experience.

Today, August 13, 2025, I sit at a coffee shop in Albany, NY, making plans to fly again, not on an airplane but in my dreams, my dream to make New York City a home for my project, my project of life. Today, I remember my life as a distant but yet real memory of what happened, and what happened is that I overcame many obstacles, not for my children, not for my family’s desire to make something out of me, not for my friends left at home, but for me, a person with education and some knowledge of a second language that would carry me forward and never in the wrong direction.

Today, I want to remember why I am alive, because those who are gone are no longer with us and what matters is the present and the now. Physical pain is no longer something that I think about, material possessions are something fleeting, beauty is subjective, but the love for life, the love for other human beings, the desire to overcome is so much more powerful than anything.

Today, I want to remember that day, in which my life changed, without expectation, without reassurance, without desires, but with a heart of gold, a heart that pumps blood, lungs that allow me to breathe and a body that allows me to move. Many people in the world suffer tragedy and not until we suffer it with them are we allowed to judge. We have no idea, no clue as to what happens in someone’s mind and heart.

So today, I want to leave you with a challenge, forget others and be nice to yourself. Other opportunities will come, other people will come, and as long as we are mindful of our limits, we are allowed to be ourselves, colorful and beautiful overall.

The Secretary of State in any locality in the United States allows businesses to incorporate, the process is fairly simple. The first step is to choose a name for your company or organization and to make sure that no other individuals have taken the same name. The second step is to submit a form to the Secretary of State and pay a fee. There are two types of corporations: C Corporations and S Corporations, the former is dedicated to enterprises that have an established tax structure, the latter is a passthrough entity that will not be taxed per say but where profits and losses will be transferred to the individual owner or owners.

Incorporating your business is a big deal, it means that you are committing to participating in your business actively and making sure that your employees have the appropriate work, salaries and benefits. Incorporating creates dilemmas for non-profits, as they can be conflicted in the process of making a profit and disregarding profits for the owner. When an individual incorporates, it is necessary to look at potential legal and taxation situations that may arise.

When choosing the right business structure, business owners should be mindful of what they are trying to accomplish and how they are trying to accomplish it. While incorporating may satisfy the individual’s desire to become an established business, there are other repercussions and passive consequences of the same. For example, having an office, processing payroll, attaining benefits for employees and staying compliant with the state, in this case the Secretary of State.

During the process of incorporation, not only is it important to have a unique name, but also to choose articles that will benefit the organization, and which will support the goals of the same. Creating a business project starts with writing down a business plan and comparing different factors, otherwise called the S.W.O.T. analysis. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are the basic terminology that a business owner should know. From this point, the business plan can be created and fulfilled in a manner that is efficient, and which creates opportunities for others to participate in a substantial and organized manner.

Many times, business owners create entities for the sole purpose of image, but this may not be beneficial to them and the public because the use of certain types of organizations are sometimes detrimental to business owners. Many individuals operate as sole proprietors, and this is perfectly fine if the business owner does not have any employees; however, when the business wants to employ individuals, an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is necessary, which can be attained from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The IRS grants the benefit of an EIN to businesses that can demonstrate they have an enterprise which is ethical, absent of conflict and those which have a purpose of being a business. The IRS and the Secretary of State will deny the status of business structures based on profits, because when profits lack substance for three out of five years, the IRS will remove the status of business and will exchange it as a hobby. 

Following the robust and strict regulations of the IRS is not only important but fundamental. Having an entity requires a mindset of compliance and of active participation in the entity. Desiring to have a business for the sole purpose of incorporating is not considerable and the tax, accounting and legal repercussions of having one should be visible to the owner and the shareholders of the organization.

We all like attention, that is for sure. We use social media to connect, but also to portray us in a good light. People use social media to bring attention to many subjects as well. Fun, that is what we want to have. Fun is fun until it is no more and so we stop utilizing social media and making use of those things that used to be fun.

Social media serves a purpose, and in business, it is important to keep track of the different elements that encompass a good website, an attractive platform and a showcase of our work. Social media can become addictive because there is no tapping on how much or how little we use it. We must be mindful of our mental health as we approach dangerous levels of content consumption.

Facebook, Instagram, X, and many other social media spaces were created for the sake of a fun way to connect, but social media has become a way to distort reality, to distort situations and the news that we consume from social media can be harmful for our wellbeing. 

Imagine children and adults consuming media that is so disturbing for long periods of time at once, these events can become someone’s reality as we begin to believe that artificial intelligence can become our friend. This is a sad view of the future, AI is only a tool, and not a solution to our problems and our disconnect from the world.

In many ways, social media has brought people together, by connecting distant relatives and friends that had not been able to speak in many years, or families who keep in touch through the use of social media. But just like it is a tool, it can become a distraction and a way of living that does not do justice to our existence. I am not being dramatic here; it is important to gauge our future based on things that are beneficial and not those that bring worry or anxiety.

Social media has become a tool for me to find out things that I do not know, like new musicians in the art scene or events that happen in my community, but it has also become a source of fear, as I encounter my counterparts, my friends and my family drift away from it. I have become a part of the social media that I once desired to use, now it is no longer fun, and it has become my demise.

Being social means interacting with people and in this time and age it is difficult to find people who understand us. Sometimes, we have been so distracted from our interactions by the use of our phones and computers, that it almost hurts to talk to each other. We do not understand what we are saying, and there is dissonance. My goal is to bring people together with the use of social media, but with the understanding that it is a tool and not a solution, it should not become a distraction to what life is.

Confucius said that life is what happens to us while we are busy thinking about something else. I admire this quote because it is true. We are sometimes so immersed in our own projects at work that we forget what we are on earth for. We are on earth to enjoy each other’s company, to make the most of our faculties and to enjoy our life.

I met someone recently, just like I regularly meet interesting people, I became obsessed. Part of the problem is that social media paints a picture that is sometimes not true, so I want to debunk the idea that social media is beneficial. It harms us greatly and it is sad to see a lot of younger people immersed in it. Adults must be careful and mindful as to value time together with families, and children, but also with other adults. It is not only necessary but fundamental, to understand what tools we have at hand, to make the best of them without abusing them. 

I started using social media at a later age and I am distraught as to how much it has affected me. It has made me become, sometimes, a person without a brain, and believe me I have one. I love to have intelligent conversations, to explore museums, to find things to do in my community; social media disrupts all that, it makes me want to be someone else, someone who I am not.

But not all is lost, artificial intelligence and social media can still be part of our lives with a structured way to use it in a manner that is not only providing content and information but in a way that it helps us get along. We get angry because we are disconnected from the world, and this is not a good thing. We can become better as a society. Everyone counts in this mix, and the things that we do in real life can be reflected in social media, with care and without creating anxiety for others.

There is a story about a town, where someone started a rumor, and the rumor was that the town would burn. The rumor spread all over the village and eventually the town did burn because everyone began to believe the rumor. The mindful thing to do would have been to ignore the rumor and to make sure that the town did not burn, but we often idolize or become mesmerized by appearance, this is incorrect. We must check things out for ourselves and see with our own eyes, touch the ground, smell the fresh air and walk with others. There is no value in having something that makes us feel good, if it is for our detriment.

I recently heard a song that made me realize how fast I am going, in everything that I do in my life, I am Ms. Speed. I am attempting to complete deadlines, participate in my community, pay my rent, keep up with family and travel, among other things. However, I realized today, that I am missing out in life. I am missing out in the little details of my life, like being present in all the things that I do and that I attempt to do.

When I watch the news, I find myself wondering, how many things happen in the world, and they happen to me as I read them, as I look for clues as to what my future is, what “destiny” has on my path. I realize that the important parts of life are not so complicated, they are simple things, like saying hello to our neighbors, calling our kids and enjoying our jobs, being happy with our lives.

I met a man who made an impression on me because he did not seem to pay attention to the rush of life, to the doing and going of the daily routines, he just sat there enjoying his day. That man is homeless, he likes to talk to me, but he recognizes my rush. I want to help him, but instead he is helping me by showing me that life is pretty unimportant, we just make the most of it, we just go with the flow and respect other people’s happiness.

Today, as I read the news I saw a few assaults, a few domestic violence cases, a few wars and a few mundane things about politics. Do I want to be part of this charade? I think not. I want something better than that, I want peace, and I want to breathe fresh air. I want people who get along and people who are happy. I want a family who eats meals together, I want travel that counts, sunny days that make me laugh until I cry, I want to climb a mountain just because and I want to be free from qualms as to who I am. I am happy!

I want to breathe fresh air from the places where I live and visit. Some may think that my life is sad and difficult, I disagree, I have found peace. I have found what I came to look for: life is simple, and the simpler it is the better it is. The complexities of the markets, the controversy of politics, the unimaginable crimes committed against communities, all those things are important to discuss, but the most important thing in life is to enjoy our journey as we see things that are happy and others which are not so happy.

I hope that today, those who read my simple blog and who realize who I really am, have a happy and amazing day to remember, because we are not promised tomorrow and tomorrow may or may not be better, we only have today.

Once in a while I get the feeling that I am being productive, efficient and functional. I earn wages from work and then I go home, grab dinner and go to bed. The routine happens daily, coming home late after a long day of work, it seems like a substantial way to live, right? Maybe, maybe not. While being able to support myself, it may not be the best way to live my life.

I had a great upbringing, with many events, memories and activities that other kids did not have. The most important lesson that I learned was that I needed to enjoy the things that I do and that I invest my time in. When we do, in life, what we think is the best for us, we are happy.

I have many memories of events in my life, but the ones that I recall the most, are those of moments of happiness. And we can be happy in many spaces, not only at a party or at a holiday or celebration. I am happy when I listen to music, when I write and when I spend time with friends.

Many people in my life have left, not temporarily, but for good, I will never see them again. Some people have made a difference in my life, while some others have hindered my life, and as much as I would like for things to be different, those things are just so. Life is perfect the way it is, there is no turning the page, there is only the here and the now.

In the creation of arts, I find that the most productive method of attaining a powerful statement is to be original and genuine. Art for the sake of art is not important, art for the sake of making a statement is. And while my trade is accounting, I also have an artistic side which guides me as to how much I am fully doing what I like.

Doing what we love takes absolutely no effort, it is like jumping into a pool for the first time in our lives, we may think that we may drown but we will float and will be successful in the end, when we find our journey. For me, the journey has some ups and downs, sometimes I wonder if there was a reason behind that conflict I had with my colleagues, or if that discussion over religion was important, sometimes I wonder if making people feel good about themselves is even good. Some of the boiler plate quotes that I see in LinkedIn talk about this: but how do we feel about ourselves, we must put our lives first, we are who is at stake here.

Tomorrow may come, but the dreams that we had yesterday may be gone, the friends that we thought we cherished may have moved, the natural setting that was once untouched may be covered with asphalt and concrete, making way for other people who will live in places like ours…but not quite. Our life is unique, we are one of a kind, a bit rare, a bit wild, a bit weird, but the game does not end until we decide it to end. 

I encountered a dilemma today, whether it is about being unique or about being an impostor. The term imposter syndrome, in which we believe we are not worthy, capable or that we belong at the table states that we minimize our worth and our value. We belong at the table as much as we would like or as little as we would like. Being transparent is not about saying things out loud, it is not about being good, it is not about being innocent or naive, it is not about being bold and beautiful, it is about being who we are without thinking about the next chapter, the next day or the next year. Being transparent is doing what we like without stepping on anyone’s boundaries for happiness, and being unique, in a manner that our actions help someone.

The goal of SFG is to help society, by being a full component, a full entity and a full participant in everything and all that the business environment offers, that life offers. There are no limits if we wish them to be invisible and doing what we want regardless of our situation is fundamental. 

Music brings people together in many ways, it allows us to forget our worries, our sorrows, our problems and the places that do not have music are lonely places. Music brings people together and music demonstrates that we are human beings with soul and heart. From the many parts of the world, there is music to listen to, but the real importance is learning to appreciate it. From the guabinas and cumbias to rap, country and hip hop, everyone can enjoy music.

Music is a cure to mental illness because it allows an individual to know that they are loved and that they have people who care for them. Music can be beneficial for children, because in order to develop their brain fully, stimulation must be implemented, and music does this for them. Adults, young and old can benefit from listening to music and playing musical instruments.

Having the ability to quiet one's mind and listen to music is a skill that only professionals have. But we can try to do it with a little bit of effort. Just like communication takes effort, music appreciation takes the same effort, and it is an ordeal that is not difficult to comprehend. While some people listen to music alone, others, listen to it in groups and with others who like the same or different music.

Music can be great, and it can also have less meaning in the spectrum of the arts. However, being able to create songs with or without the participation of others is important. From childhood, people should be exposed to the music that develops the brain, and which allows for activities that are healthy and that promote health.

Many songs promote violence, that in itself is a demonstration of our humanity because this shows that we have decision making power and free will to compose and create environments, songs and portions of the arts that are beneficial to us, although it may be the case that not always people have the same mindset when creating music.

The music that I enjoy the most is rock, in many languages, I have learned to appreciate the different melodies and the nostalgia if not romanticized stories of love, freedom and happiness.

Life is short, we can make the most of it by fully participating in our environment and making the most of the opportunities that life has granted us.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 29, 2025

Every day I encounter invisible people; they are so transparent that you can almost see through them. Once upon a time, I thought that being transparent in a metaphorical sense was good. It is actually bad to be incognito, we do not see them in the streets, asking for money or sleeping on the floor and no matter how hard we try, they continue to be invisible to us.

Coming to the United States from a third world country, I was familiar with the disappearance of people. Some people turned up deceased in the fields where the guerrilla and the paramilitares did their job. It was common to see in the news, people dying at the hands of the government. That has not changed, now we do it in a more sophisticated manner, we allow people to go hungry and to die in the street.

Let us not be blinded by the lights and the pretty picture that our governments paint for us. Let us not be blinded by lying politicians who are seeking only fame and glory. Like many leaders of the world have said, we are equal and not until we understand each other’s suffering, can we have a clean conscience and move on with our lives.

Those people who ignore the invisible will pay for their own success as a demise that is just waiting to happen. We are not secluded to an island, we are not secluded in our homes and any time a problem occurs in the world, we are guilty of ignoring it, of not educating ourselves and of not being one with the world.

Karma is a reality that happens every day, call it god’s punishment, revenge, whatever it is. We will pay for our mistakes as a society because what we are leaving behind is not an accurate and true picture of what we have discussed, of what we have lectured and what we desire for the world and its future.

There is still a time to change our path, the path of the future, which is only what is left. We can make a change right here and right now. Great humans have taught me that we can make things happen if we want, without being careless, but without caring about what others think. We must do right for the world; this is our responsibility.

I am checking my facts, and the last time, I looked around, there was chaos in the government, there was disruption in our homes by the police, there was suffering in the world. Let us not be blinded by the lights, let us not be naive and think that there is nothing happening abroad. We are sheltered from a situation that has escalated beyond suffering and human tragedy. Let us not be blind and help Palestinians who are suffering in Gaza.

I live in Albany, the capital of New York state, a city that is small and does no justice to the vastness and richness of the state. However, I found my niche here, an environment where I can thrive and become the best that I can be. History repeats itself, as I sit here in an unknown city, wondering about the future and yet, the past.

During World War II, there were many issues, but one of them, the hardest, was the Holocaust and those who survived were lucky enough to tell their story. History repeats itself in Gaza, as I sit here and write and struggle with guilt, guilt for being part of this tragedy and worldwide catastrophe. I feel a guilt inside that is so raw and tender and yet, it is not even enough to justify what is happening to the women and children of the world.

I used to be a great tennis player and an avid student in school, but today I find myself at a loss, writing, here, in Albany, NY. A city which does no justice to the world that we live in. There are so many issues that I want to address and there are no words to state what I feel, there are no more feelings of despair available for me to express what it means to lose our people. One soul at a time, we are leaving this world in pieces and in chaos.

I recently had a conversation with a family member who opened my eyes, they said that I am not strong, although I was under the assumption that I am a strong woman. I have been enlightened, as I sit here and write about the world, my world, which is pretty small if I were to be honest. I want to apologize to the world for what is happening, it is my fault to be so blind, so constricted, so hindered from the truth.

The truth hurts, we do not want to see it, ever. Because if we do, we are exposed to our faults, to our shortcomings, to all of the mistakes and situations that we have failed at. It is late now, and Albany succumbs to a gloomy afternoon, a city that does no justice to New York state and the cities within.

I want to say: “I am sorry world, for falling short on my desire to change you, on my desire to make it better, I have failed you and I will forever regret my demise.”

How to prepare for the CPA exam, that is a question that many graduates have once they finish this important milestone in their young life. Those attending college and universities with an accounting major, must be sure that they want to develop in this area. While accounting in itself can be a very straight forward career, it can also be challenging and difficult at times. Keeping up with the latest accounting software, making plans to open your own practice, providing services that are optimal to everyone that they see and accept as customers, it is not an easy task to keep track of all the important factors that go into building an accounting practice.

Attorneys and accountants can work together to form bonds in relation to how to develop sustainable ways to maintain the profession: professional, transparent and efficient in a manner which is effective in solving financial problems but also solving problems in society.

We are often blinded by a picture of the future that oftentimes is not accurate. We must listen to our heart and make amends with our decisions. Once we choose our profession, we should uplift it and make the best of the environment where we have been developing, where we will develop and where the future will bring a positive or negative outcome. Wishing that we did something else does not matter since we have invested so much into our education, our development and into our business.

Some of you have heard the saying: “do not cry over spilled milk”. This is true in the profession of accounting since sometimes we are mocked as boring and technical people. However, there is a silver lining, accounting is a practical and very useful trade in the business world. Many of the most respected people I have met are accountants who have or have not used their education to build a business or succeed but they have the education and foundation for the development of business.

When we think about what we would like to do with our career, we should really question our integrity, our desire to form a business and a desire to serve. Serving the community goes beyond words, we must elaborate fully what that means. And so it goes, that we sometimes are blinded by a picture of the future that succumbs us to other people’s desires.

But wait, there is still so much more to say, so much more to say about accounting as a profession and as a trade. Preparing for the CPA exam is only one portion of the equation, and we must be cognizant of what this means for us and for our team. Having a team at our disposition means growing, learning from each other and collaborating for the betterment of the organization and the community.

Accountants are an important part of the business structure and the team that values one is one which will succeed, not only in business but as a group altogether.

Resist the temptation to confuse a good story with good leadership. Exciting stories are usually the result of poor decisions. Good leadership makes drama disappear.

-Martin Gutmann

I love this quote by Martin Gutmann; while attempting to be the CEO and official at my startup I recognize a lot of drama in the process. My take is that we must guide our organization with charisma but with a clear mind without giving in to desperate or “poor decisions”.

Initially, it is important to set up the groundwork to organize a team and processes that are lasting, and which will accomplish the goals of the organization. Then, it is important to follow that plan and not lose sight of what we are trying to accomplish. Finally, it is important to be generous with our ideas so that everyone benefits, including employees, shareholders and customers.

When I think of great companies, I believe that planning is an important part of the process of success. Without a resolution to the small problems, resolution to big problems cannot be accomplished. Knowing the ins and outs of the organization, means knowing how each component operates and what each team member does. 

I believe that having a heart for business is not necessary, just planning and a clear path towards where we are headed is necessary. Missing opportunities to make connections is okay, failing to complete the budget for the annual report is okay, not filing your taxes on time due to time constraints is perfectly fine. However, do not lose sight of where you are going because otherwise the substance of the business and organization is lost. 

In accounting practices, there is an enforcement of rules, policies and it is a highly strict environment in which professionals must adhere to principles, structures and guides as to how to report, how to provide the appropriate information and where to go for the most updated information: irs.gov.

I have met many professionals in my career who lack an understanding, not of their job, but where they are headed or what they are trying to accomplish, and thus, things fall apart, and we end up empowering others but not ourselves. John Maxwell says that we must empower others to empower ourselves, and when we have reached a place where we can teach, we must do so, we must train, and we must educate. However, it is important to reach the appropriate time because without timing there is failure, just like the topic of planning.

I believe that many complexities of the business environment can be solved with organization, a clear mind and education about what we can and cannot do for ourselves and for others. In the end, it is our goal to help find solutions as opposed to hinder, damage or curtail any opportunities without the possibility of resolution. 

Writing, that is what I love to do, aside from swimming in the ocean or on the lake. Writing is the cure for many ills, aside from wine and I guess therapy, no pun intended. When I was a little kid in school, I used to write poems because it seemed like I was in love with everyone and with everything in my world. I was young, I was shy, and I was in school.

One day, my teacher invited a poet to give us a lesson. I was excited and mesmerized by the person in front of us. I really wanted to show them my poems and my writing. I wanted to show off, per say. The bubble burst when she told me that I did not have a clue as to how to write. Perhaps I was writing in the wrong language, and instead of speaking and writing in Spanish, I was a born English writer.

Once in a while I have read books, once in a while I have had the pleasure of reading someone’s articles and posts that make me wonder if they were thoughtful in their descriptions, grammar and storyline, but I have never heard of someone not being capable of writing. Needless to say, I was heartbroken and went to my parents and told them my ordeal, they were very upset as well but they let it be.

If I were a parent of a young child who enjoys writing, and who has a lot to say, I would encourage them to allow their son or daughter to explore those things that they like. Sometimes, we, as parents, try to impose our own desires upon our kids and do not let them blossom fully. There is so much to say, so much to be written yet, whether it is fiction, realism or simply blogs with tips about life.

While this blog is about something so far-fetched from what accounting is, I also ask myself, it may not be so farfetched. I am an accountant, I am a writer, I am a mother and in between all of these jobs, I am also human and have faults, great faults, like we all have. I write about my life because I care, because I want my mistakes to be the inspiration of others. I want my life to be an inspiration for the world to be a better place for all here in the United States and abroad.

Writing is something that we should all do once in a while, to express our anger about what is happening around the world, about happiness from what we experience at our homes with our friends and families and writing should be concise and to the point. There is no need to create issues where they do not exist, and writing should be an expression of our humanity.