Author Archives: Laura Alford, PhD

About Laura Alford, PhD

I'm a 2018 graduate of LSU (PhD in Accounting). In addition to academic research, I also write fiction and blogs about nothing.

Crossing the Rubicon

Posted on May 11, 2024 by Laura Alford, PhD

For the 2nd time in as many months, my windshield got rocked while driving in Louisiana. Granted, it could happen most anytime and anywhere, but is more likely when the roads are disintegrating in real time— as they are in … Continue reading →

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Merry Christmas to Me

Posted on December 19, 2023 by Laura Alford, PhD

I had a theme song before Prime made theme songs cool. So, I got myself a personalized license plate proclaiming my theme song far and wide. (Can it really be a theme song if it requires explanation?) For any of … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | 4 Comments

Bloomberg’s Taxidermy

Posted on November 20, 2023 by Laura Alford, PhD

The first thing I remember after quitting Wall Street is having a “Come to Jesus” meeting with my boss to clear up any mis-understanding I had about which embalming fluid to apply to ensure a deer head to is stuffed … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Just Wait

Posted on June 13, 2023 by Laura Alford, PhD

I made the mistake of complaining about some age-related ailment to my mother. Her ominous response: Just wait. Mark and I met a bunch of Louisiana ex-pats in the North Carolina mountains. They said there was a hiking club. I … Continue reading →

Posted in End of the World, North Carolina, parks & recreation, Pisgah National Forest, socialism, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Les Feux Follet

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Laura Alford, PhD

Les feux follet or will o’ the wisp. They were featured in Disney’s Merida and I saw some last weekend in the Pisgah National Forest. Mark and I went on a guided tour with lots of other people around, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Burnsville, Crypitd, family, North Carolina, parks & recreation, Pisgah National Forest, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mercury Direct

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Laura Alford, PhD

It’s that time of the year again. School’s out, temps are up, and the planet of communication has stopped all its retrograde nonsense, hopefully in time to keep me from crossing ALL the lines at work. Also, post Derby Day … Continue reading →

Posted in End of the World, Goal setting, Graduation, karma, Texarkana, Texas, weather, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Blowouts & Bailouts: It’s Complicated

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Laura Alford, PhD

Let’s just start off with the fact that it’s spring break and I’m broken. My right knee imploded last week, and I have the MRI to prove it. No resolution on the problem, but I have an appointment later this … Continue reading →

Posted in accounting, California, Dumbasses, Politics, Saving Money, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Catching up with the former ‘Noble’ Lumpkin

Posted on January 14, 2023 by Laura Alford, PhD

The last we heard from Coy he was unable to attend the secret meeting of the 43rd annual convention of the Grand Mystic Royal Order of the Nobles of the Alibaba Temple of the Shrine because his motorcycle was stuck … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Authors, music, Texarkana, urban legend, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Funny Bone

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Laura Alford, PhD

My sense of humor is AWOL. It may have absconded on the Generals’ Highway between King’s Canyon and Sequoia National Forests at about 6,666 feet (give or take a few inches.) It could be that similar to the cartilage in … Continue reading →

Posted in accounting, Education, Texarkana, Texas, weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Twistleblower

Posted on December 12, 2022 by Laura Alford, PhD

The 2022 ACFE Report to the Nations reports that 42% of occupational frauds are initially detected because of a tip (p. 22). They also report that fraudsters are collaborating more and at higher levels of authority. And they’re overwhelmingly men– … Continue reading →

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