About
My journey to becoming a bookkeeper was anything but typical.
I grew up in a family that was always on-the-move. In fact, we moved 10 times (to 10 states) before I left home for college. At 18 I landed in Boston, where I studied Art History at Boston University, and then Technical Communications at Northeastern. It was the 80’s in “Beantown” and the era of high-tech. I discovered that I had a knack for organizing complex information into usable bits for end-users, so a career as a Tech Writer made sense. I have always loved the concrete world of numbers, equations and problem-solving; and writing 300-page technical manuals that people could actually use seemed like a dream.
However…
Numbers, equations and software applications are complex, heady processes, and during my twenty-plus years as a writer, I found myself longing for more balance, more independence, more meaning in my work, and a sense of self that I didn’t find in high tech.
In 1992, I began to explore the world of holistic practices, immersed myself in yoga, and learned about the universal laws of energy and metaphysics.
Inward alignment with self, spirit, and the natural world became my guiding star, and I earned certification in holistic nutrition from Bauman College, studied Feng Shui at the Golden Gate School, completed Reiki Level I training, and embarked on a decade-long journey into the depths of the Enneagram (a personality typing system that identifies how people interpret the world and manage their emotions according to their unique blend of traits).
Why Bookkeeping
In 2012, I left high tech. After some time off, one thing led to another and I took my first accounting class in 2017. During that class, I found that my love of numbers and problem-solving seamlessly translated to a natural aptitude for accounting. I quickly knew that this was a thread I wanted to follow.
I also realized that my diverse interests all had a common theme – wellness. Whether it’s for ourselves, others, or the planet, I discovered that achieving balance is one key to well-being. I figured, as a bookkeeper I could combine my love of numbers and wellness to make a contribution to other like-minded souls. My practice began to attract healers, helpers, coaches, and educators… and soon thereafter Jane the Bookkeeper went from vision to reality.
The “accounting equation” seemed to have it all: Numbers, when in balance, offer peace of mind and a sense of financial wellness, in business and in life.
When I’m Not Working
When I’m not in my office, I can be found cooking up a mess in my kitchen, hiking the hills of northern CA, drumming or dancing with friends, or walking the coastline of the bay or local beaches.
I’m also a big fan of historic homes, animals of every kind, and the process of making whatever crosses my path a little bit better. I’ve fully restored a 1720’s farmhouse and a 1950’s Eichler, transforming both homes from chaotic clutter to sleek modern beauty. I nurtured a neurotic yellow Labrador and a fearful tiny rescue kitten into confident and contented companions. My own backyard, once a flatland of red-stamped concrete, has been revamped into a haven for local wildlife to land and live. Along with birds, bees, dragon- and butterflies, a beautiful fox family now visits us daily.
My very favorite things are warm sandy beaches, salt-water fly-fishing, funk music, blues dancing, and anything that tastes or smells of mint.
I live in Marin County, CA in a renovated Eichler with my partner John and our two furry friends, Velcro and Blue. Because dance is my happy place, I can often be found singing and dancing with reckless abandon to just about any song in earshot (though my pets do not appreciate this!)
