This Collection of Big 4 Jack-o’-Lanterns Will Probably Be the Lamest Thing You’ll See on Halloween
We hope all of you spreadsheet zombies have a great Halloween. PwC Photo courtesy of The Bean Counter. Deloitte Photo courtesy of Fishbowl. KPMG EY Photo courtesy of Sandra Thompson-Drew (@SandraWThompson). And here are a couple of RSM jack-o’-lanterns just for the hell of it: Happy Halloween!
This Halloween Costume Is Here to Haunt the PCAOB’s Dreams
Happy Halloween, everyone! Apologies if you do actually work for @KPMG, but you're this year's #halloween costume #companyhorror pic.twitter.com/B4N09PCs7W — 𝕯! (@darrynvdwalt) October 28, 2017
Grover Norquist Will Take Candy From Little Girls to Teach About Taxes
You're never too young to learn about taxes, I suppose. And if your dad is Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, you can bet dad is going to be taking his 25% from your Halloween candy just to help you learn: Tonight as daughters accumulate candy I must provide life lesson on marginal […]
Let’s Talk About Creative Accounting Themed Halloween Costumes
Protip: throwing on a green eyeshade does not an accountant costume make.
These Moss Adams Partners Might Be Cooler Than Your Partners
Moss Adams' amazing week started with creative hair art and wrapped up thusly: Above, we have partners in the Bellingham office dressed — obviously — as the Duck Dynasty cast. The office made a donation to the United Way for each costume worn by staff, and Moss Adams reports 80% of the office participated. We'd […]
Batman Auditor Gives Scooby Doo a Run For His Scooby Snacks
I'm starting to think we need a Going Concern Halloween costume contest next year. There's always the old "reverse merger" idea or, failing that if you don't want to scare away the client with innuendo, you could always go as the douchey vending machine. Anyway, as we know Halloween has come and gone but that […]
Q: Scooby-Dooby-Doo Where Are You? A: In an Audit Room (Allegedly)
Halloween is one of those holidays that auditors don't often get to celebrate at work. The general consensus being that you can't provide exemplary client service while dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow, a contestant on The Price is Right, or Sexy Heinz Ketchup. This is even more unfair due to the fact that the entire tax […]
Here’s Another Ernst & Young Jack-o-lantern That You Didn’t Know You Wanted
Last week, a couple of Big 4 employees wanted to share dual love for their firms and All Hallows' Eve. They expressed this by virtue of the age-old tradition of carving jack-o-lanterns. The two offerings were for PwC and Ernst & Young and each featured the firms' respective logos. Despite the enthusiasm from Bob Moritz, […]
Now We Have an Ernst & Young Jack-o-lantern
Yesterday we learned how you can get into the All Hallow's Eve spirit without dressing up like a paper shredder or Luca Pacioli. A PwC jack-o-lantern is just the thing to get the attention of your friends, neighbors, and, apparently, the boss this Halloween season. While mosWell, someone at Ernst & Young was not impressed. […]
A PwC Jack-o-lantern? A PwC Jack-o-lantern
It isn't easy to show love for your accounting firm during the Halloween season. No one is going to appreciate your Bill Deloitte and George Touche costumes and most parents would NEVER allow their eat anything that says "KPMG Kandy" on it. Fortunately, an enterprising PwC employee has shared a creation with us and extended a challenge to […]
Audit Team Struggles to Come Up with Ironic Halloween Costume
From the mailbag:
Hey Caleb and Adrienne,
Question: my audit team and I are looking for a cool costume idea for Halloween. Since everyone rejected my idea of dressing as “Sox”, we’re at a loss. I’d love to go for some irony element (no one liked my idea of being Occupy protesters and not showing up for work). I think it would be fun to do a play on a scandal, fall out or another sexy accounting story, but I just can’t figure out how to make a reverse merger costume. Do your twisted, ironic minds have any ideas?
-Should probably go back to work, now
Dear SPGBTWN,
Perhaps you missed our story from last month but sorry to say, you’ve got a tall order ahead of you. That writer wanted an idea for “Accounting Police” and the best I could come up with was this:
Simply dress up as police officer and walk around the whole night counting things, not unlike The Count (in fact, I suggest you do the laugh). “What the hell are you supposed to be?” some dope will say. You’ll respond, “A counting police.”
And because you’ve got a whole team of auditors trying to get creative (not your strong suit) it’s even a bigger challenge. I suppose you could go as “whistleblowers” but that will most definitely include a blowing a whistle which will likely get you quickly ejected from any party. Another option is go as Mort Mort Feingold (maybe a sexy version?) and have the rest of your friends dress up as various, dimwitted celebrities.
Of course you could really nerd it up and play on “footnotes,” or even “audit trail.” Then again, if you want to go the “sexy” route, I suggest you go with “double-entry accounting.” How sexy you make it is up to you.
Any other ideas, gang? This is a tough one.
Tickmark or Treat – How Does Your Office Celebrate Halloween?
I was grabbing lunch yesterday and overheard a conversation between a collection of young associates at the table next to me. “Sexy cat.” “Slutty nurse.” “Superman.” No, this was not a recap of a client meeting (but imagine if it was!); they were talking tossing around Halloween costume ideas.
In the spirit of All Hallow’s Eve, we here at GC wanted to see what you were all doing to celebrate, in the office or otherwise.
Which admin assistant has the best candy on their desk? What partner encourages the team to dress up? Who shuns those who wear orange sweaters to work on 10/31? Are any offices throwing Halloween parties?
Word of HR advice – should you dress up in the office, keep your costumes PG-rated. Avoiding racial stereotypes, fishnet stockings, and any kind of head piece or mask that requires removal before picking up the phone should probably be avoided.
Bonus GC points for pictures.
Past Halloween Adventures:
Clearly Avoiding the “Sexy” Route, Young CPA Needs Help with Ideas for “Accounting Police” Halloween Costume
KPMG Halloween Party: Don’t Expect Treats in the Form of Bonuses
Clearly Avoiding the “Sexy” Route, Young CPA Needs Help with Ideas for “Accounting Police” Halloween Costume
Now that it’s September, people start getting anxious about their Halloween costumes. Regardless of the two months of football, a World Series, and God knows how many GOP Presidential candidate debates, many will agonize over just what outfit they will wear for approximately 2-3 hours, knowing full well that vomit could end up on it. These days Halloween costumes, for better or worse, focus on the “sexy.” The sexy Little Bo Peep. The sexy priest. This year, I’m really hoping to see the sexy Angry Birds. Anyway, a reader is stumped on how best to approach a recent light bulb moment she had for this year’s outfit:
Hi Caleb,
I am hoping some creative CPAs who read your blog can help me out. A month ago, during one of my trainings, a partner came in and spoke to us about how we should not be seen by our clients as the “accounting police.” Immediately, a lightbulb went off in my head and I thought “HALLOWEEN COSTUME!”, but I have no idea how to pull this off so people will understand it! Any ideas out there?
So we have “accounting” and “police.” Not exactly a lot to work with here but we’ll throw a few ideas out there to get things rolling:
1. Ask four of your friends to join you and go as the letters P-C-A-O-B. Of course, you won’t actually do anything.
2. Simply dress up as police officer and walk around the whole night counting things, not unlike The Count (in fact, I suggest you do the laugh). “What the hell are you supposed to be?” some dope will say. You’ll respond, “A counting police.”
3. Get another idea.
Your suggestions are now welcome.
Idaho Tax Commission Threatens Shut Down of Kids’ Pumpkin Stand To “Educate,” Not Be Total Jerks
No one at the Gem State’s tax commission wants to shut down a pumpkin stand operated by sibling 4 and 6 year-olds but this is not ‘Nam, THERE ARE RULES:
A representative of the tax commission stopped by the home of Dan and Kami Charais Friday and asked for the stand’s closure. The Charais’ 4- and 6-year-old children are operating the stand to raise money for school sports.
The tax commission representative who stopped by the home said she was not at liberty to talk about the incident when reached by phone this afternoon.
A representative for the tax commission in Coeur d’Alene when reached by phone today said it is not the state’s intention to shut anyone down but to educate them about state policy.
Tax commission threatens to shut down children’s pumpkin stand [Lewiston Tribune]