Zac is a new NINJA CPA Blogger.

Hi to all!

Or should I say Hi-YA to all? Haha. Get it? Hi-ya, I’m a Ninja now. It’s a pun, and there is plenty more where that came from!

My name is Zac and I’m super pumped to be writing a weekly blog to share my experiences in the wonderful mortal detriment to the soul and social life that is studying for the CPA Exams.

Originally I’m from Syracuse, New York. I went to Undergrad and Grad school at the University at Albany (GO DANES!) and now I currently live in Boston, MA where I recently started my first full-time job at a big four accounting firm.

A little more about me: Youngest of three boys, raised by a team of wonderful people, spearheaded by my exponentially wonderful Mother. I wrestled in high school and college for a year before I started working as an Assistant Wrestling Coach at a high school in Albany, New York.

In the spring of my freshman year of college I sustained my second concussion and I decided I should focus more on my health and future than wrestling. The only problem was that I had no clue where go from there.

I called my Mom to ask her advice on what classes I should take the following fall. At that point I had already changed my major a handful of times. My Mom said, “Why don’t you take accounting? You’ve always been good at math and if you’re good at it and you like it you’d be set for a job in a few years.”

My exact words: “Ok”… I should explain that was said in a disbelieving tone that essentially said, “Okay Mom, if it’ll shut you up. You don’t know mom.” As it turns out (I’m sure you all know where this is going) I really enjoyed the class and every subsequent accounting class.

She still laughs at that story cause she called it. Moms are always right; it’s a fact of life.

As for the exams, to date I have taken REG three times… I just love it so much. I passed Audit in July, and I took REG on the 5th of October. I’m really hoping for a pass, I’m pretty sure the desire to not pay or study for REG again is outweighing the desire to have a passing grade.

While that is a little backwards it’s okay, I’m a REGular optimist. I won’t REGale you with any more puns unless they’re absolutely necessary, REGardless of how well they fit in to the sentence, nor will I force them. REGgae.

I’m really looking forward to sharing my CPA study experiences with everyone. I know reading others’ stories have helped me; I hope mine can help others as well.

In regards to my thoughts of taking REG again and the CPA exam in general: Stephen King wrote “The place where you made your stand never mattered. Only that you were there and still on your feet.”

P.S. In the picture I’m on the left at the London 2012 Olympic Games standing next to Bejing 2008 Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Gold Medalist from USA Henry Cejudo.