MY name is Tina, but you may call me CDE, which I now use as the partner-in-charge of Alas Oplas & Co. CPAs-Iloilo Branch. I am now in my late 40s, and I have been through numerous tough times as a certified public accountant in public practice. No wonder high school graduates have dampened spirits and a lot of hesitations about whether to pursue accounting careers. How disconsolate it is to know that despite the plenty of openings for our services, companies are only willing to pay the very least amount, notwithstanding the rigid academic, accreditation, and testing requirements needed to follow through this career path. Hopefully, right here and through this article, I can share my journey and the reasons why I continue to practice, as it is a simple joy to me to do what I love most.