So I took my CPC certification test today.
I honestly have no idea how I did. Like . . . I really just don't have a strong feeling either way. I don't feel like I did super awesome, but I don't feel like I bombed either. If pressed I would say that I probably didn't pass and am going to have to take it again.
Let's see. It sucked to get up that early on a Saturday. The test environment was a little bit cramped, so I couldn't spread out as much as I'd hoped I'd be able to, but whatever. The AAPC is apparently very serious about preventing cheating and stuff, so it was a very interesting experience. The test was split up by CPT section, so that was nice, since all the practice tests weren't and I wasn't expecting it. There was also a whole section on anatomy, which I definitely had not studied in preparing for the test, so . . . yeah. I'm sure that section of my test is a complete disaster haha.
I finished in 3.5 hours, which is pretty fast, so I don't know if that's good or bad. I definitely think I was rushing because I was so paranoid about not finishing in the time allowed, and I overdid it a little. But by the time I was finished, I really didn't see the point in going back because I'm just not someone who really changes their mind on tests like that, so I just handed in my test and left. The lady next to me wasn't even half finished and seemed to be really struggling, and I felt bad for her. It kind of made me realize how lucky I am to be getting hands on experience in this field, and how lucky I've been to have my boss there to guide me, since she just passed her exam 6 months ago. (Almost exactly).
Now I just have to wait. Test results show up on your account on the AAPC website before they're officially mailed to you, so I'll be logging on regularly the next few days to see how I did. I hope I find out before I leave for SLC on the first so that I'm not thinking about it during the wedding weekend, but I'm not sure that'll happen.
I'm crossing my fingers but not getting my hopes up.
9.26.2015
9.07.2015
Salt Lake City Trip # 1: Bridal Shower
This past weekend (3 day Labor Day weekend woohoo!) I made the trip to SLC for Theresa and Jenna's joint bridal shower. I went by myself, and holy hell, that drive is ridiculous. By the time I got home I was pretty much dead on my feet. It didn't help that I didn't sleep well at all last week, that I had to go to urgent care Friday morning, aka the morning I left (long story), that I had to stay later than anticipated at work the day I left, and that I had to make a stop at job # 2 before I left. Plus I had to pick up my rental car so . . . yeah, it was kind of a stressful send off. It was definitely one of those things where I felt rushed and unprepared even though I'd known I was making this trip for a long time, and I found myself really frustrated with that. Honestly, I need to get over this whole procrastination thing . . . but that's neither here nor there.
I finally got on the road to SLC around 3 PM, and I just drove and drove and drove. For the trip up I went through Page on the 89, and once I actually got into Utah I had some issues. Apparently the bottom part of Utah is just all these small towns along the 89, and the 89 just curves and curves and curves through all of them. By the time I hit this part of the trip it was dark, and curvy roads that I'm not familiar with in complete darkness=basically when I'm at my worst driving. I kept having to slow down and it just sucked. Twice I thought I had missed something in my directions and had to turn around and retrace my steps. Finally I made it to the point where I moved from the 89 to the 15 North, and that helped a lot. The 15 is a highway highway, and the speed limit is 80, and it's well lit and smooth, so that part was a lot easier. I definitely had a moment when I saw the first sign that had the distance to SLC on it where I was just so disappointed, because I saw the sign and was just like, "How the hell am I still so far away when I've been driving so long??" But really, at that point all you can do is drive, so I did. I got checked into my hotel around 1:30 in the morning. I pretty much got to my room, took off my clothes, and fell into bed.
Saturday was the day of the shower and, not surprisingly, I spent a good chunk of it getting lost trying to find Theresa's apartment, because addresses in Utah can sometimes be said backwards, if that makes sense. I got confused but eventually figured it out, and I rode with them to the shower. (I made them late and felt terrible, incidentally). The shower was outside, and it was beautiful but insanely windy, so there were a lot of pauses where we just had to hold things down, but it was a lot of fun. Jenna's sisters did a great job of hosting. I also met a few new people who live in SLC, so that was exciting. It was a great group, and I'm looking forward to seeing them all again at the wedding. (In less than a month, eek!!)
After the shower Theresa and I (and their roommate, Zach) went back to their place, where Theresa and I watched football and talked about wedding details. Later, the two of us and the Goldmans went to the Girl Scout camp that Jenna ran over the summer, which was awesome! It's a really beautiful camp and I loved getting to see it. We saw deer at the camp, and moose on the drive up and down (one each way!) so that was really cool. The camp is near Provo, so it was quite a drive, but the Goldmans are awesome company. After Trefoil we had dinner at Red Iguana, a Mexican place, which pretty much made my day because I actually found out about Red Iguana a few weeks ago and had been planning to eat there during the wedding trip, so when that was already the plan, I was thrilled. And the food did not disappoint, some pretty solid amazingness right there. (I'm already craving it and can't wait to go back). It was a long and exhausting day but so much fun.
On Sunday we all had breakfast at Theresa's, she made some delicious stuffed french toast. Then we went to David's Bridal and picked out new bridesmaid shoes, and then we visited the venue where the wedding and reception will be taking place. The place is absolutely incredible, like mind blowingly beautiful, and completely perfect for Jenna and Theresa's wedding. It just fits them, and seeing the venue just made me even more excited for the wedding.
I left SLC a solid 3 hours later than intended, but it was worth it to see the venue. I took a different route home so I could go through Las Vegas (this route was completely the 15, and it's the route Jerbs and I will take when we drive to SLC for the wedding) and pick up my bridesmaid's dress from Kelly, another bridesmaid who lives there. I spent some time just chatting with her, so that was nice. Once I had my dress I got on my way, only to get pulled over for speeding right outside Boulder City. I thought the speed limit was 65 so I was going 75 (I know, I was speeding, but I thought by only 10 mph), and it turns out the speed limit where I was is actually 45. So yeah, good job Ica. Really everything about this situation was not in my favor, because I was speeding near Vegas at 2 AM in a car with California plates so . . . yeah. The cop asked me if I'd been arrested before, which freaked me the fuck out. I mean, why ask that unless you're planning on arresting someone? I was terrified I was going to end up in jail in Boulder City in the middle of the night . . . but thankfully, he just gave me a speeding ticket. Which yes, sucks, but I didn't even care, I was just thankful I didn't get arrested.
Then I had to turn around just outside of Kingman for gas, because I'd thought I had enough gas for the trip and about 20 miles out my fancy rental car told me it could only go another 45 miles with what was in the tank. I knew I couldn't make it to Seligman on that so my only choice was to turn around (in one of the little cop parking places that you are definitely not supposed to turn around in, so yay). I was so upset. I got gas and finally finally finally got on the road. At this point I was so tired I don't even know how I made it home. I was also really really angry so I was pretty much hating life during that drive. I finally got home at like 3 in the morning and just crashed, and felt much better after I got some sleep.
This morning I tried on my dress, and I am thrilled because it fits perfectly and I actually kind of like how I look in it. Having my dress here kind of makes it sink in a little more that the wedding is coming up, and fast! I can't wait!
I finally got on the road to SLC around 3 PM, and I just drove and drove and drove. For the trip up I went through Page on the 89, and once I actually got into Utah I had some issues. Apparently the bottom part of Utah is just all these small towns along the 89, and the 89 just curves and curves and curves through all of them. By the time I hit this part of the trip it was dark, and curvy roads that I'm not familiar with in complete darkness=basically when I'm at my worst driving. I kept having to slow down and it just sucked. Twice I thought I had missed something in my directions and had to turn around and retrace my steps. Finally I made it to the point where I moved from the 89 to the 15 North, and that helped a lot. The 15 is a highway highway, and the speed limit is 80, and it's well lit and smooth, so that part was a lot easier. I definitely had a moment when I saw the first sign that had the distance to SLC on it where I was just so disappointed, because I saw the sign and was just like, "How the hell am I still so far away when I've been driving so long??" But really, at that point all you can do is drive, so I did. I got checked into my hotel around 1:30 in the morning. I pretty much got to my room, took off my clothes, and fell into bed.
Saturday was the day of the shower and, not surprisingly, I spent a good chunk of it getting lost trying to find Theresa's apartment, because addresses in Utah can sometimes be said backwards, if that makes sense. I got confused but eventually figured it out, and I rode with them to the shower. (I made them late and felt terrible, incidentally). The shower was outside, and it was beautiful but insanely windy, so there were a lot of pauses where we just had to hold things down, but it was a lot of fun. Jenna's sisters did a great job of hosting. I also met a few new people who live in SLC, so that was exciting. It was a great group, and I'm looking forward to seeing them all again at the wedding. (In less than a month, eek!!)
After the shower Theresa and I (and their roommate, Zach) went back to their place, where Theresa and I watched football and talked about wedding details. Later, the two of us and the Goldmans went to the Girl Scout camp that Jenna ran over the summer, which was awesome! It's a really beautiful camp and I loved getting to see it. We saw deer at the camp, and moose on the drive up and down (one each way!) so that was really cool. The camp is near Provo, so it was quite a drive, but the Goldmans are awesome company. After Trefoil we had dinner at Red Iguana, a Mexican place, which pretty much made my day because I actually found out about Red Iguana a few weeks ago and had been planning to eat there during the wedding trip, so when that was already the plan, I was thrilled. And the food did not disappoint, some pretty solid amazingness right there. (I'm already craving it and can't wait to go back). It was a long and exhausting day but so much fun.
On Sunday we all had breakfast at Theresa's, she made some delicious stuffed french toast. Then we went to David's Bridal and picked out new bridesmaid shoes, and then we visited the venue where the wedding and reception will be taking place. The place is absolutely incredible, like mind blowingly beautiful, and completely perfect for Jenna and Theresa's wedding. It just fits them, and seeing the venue just made me even more excited for the wedding.
I left SLC a solid 3 hours later than intended, but it was worth it to see the venue. I took a different route home so I could go through Las Vegas (this route was completely the 15, and it's the route Jerbs and I will take when we drive to SLC for the wedding) and pick up my bridesmaid's dress from Kelly, another bridesmaid who lives there. I spent some time just chatting with her, so that was nice. Once I had my dress I got on my way, only to get pulled over for speeding right outside Boulder City. I thought the speed limit was 65 so I was going 75 (I know, I was speeding, but I thought by only 10 mph), and it turns out the speed limit where I was is actually 45. So yeah, good job Ica. Really everything about this situation was not in my favor, because I was speeding near Vegas at 2 AM in a car with California plates so . . . yeah. The cop asked me if I'd been arrested before, which freaked me the fuck out. I mean, why ask that unless you're planning on arresting someone? I was terrified I was going to end up in jail in Boulder City in the middle of the night . . . but thankfully, he just gave me a speeding ticket. Which yes, sucks, but I didn't even care, I was just thankful I didn't get arrested.
Then I had to turn around just outside of Kingman for gas, because I'd thought I had enough gas for the trip and about 20 miles out my fancy rental car told me it could only go another 45 miles with what was in the tank. I knew I couldn't make it to Seligman on that so my only choice was to turn around (in one of the little cop parking places that you are definitely not supposed to turn around in, so yay). I was so upset. I got gas and finally finally finally got on the road. At this point I was so tired I don't even know how I made it home. I was also really really angry so I was pretty much hating life during that drive. I finally got home at like 3 in the morning and just crashed, and felt much better after I got some sleep.
This morning I tried on my dress, and I am thrilled because it fits perfectly and I actually kind of like how I look in it. Having my dress here kind of makes it sink in a little more that the wedding is coming up, and fast! I can't wait!
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