I was driving home from Dunkin’ Donuts earlier today, part of my Sunday morning routine, and I noticed the car in front of me had a customized license plate.
The license plate was “BDE”.
I’m sure it was probably someone’s initials, but the first thought that came to my mind was “Bad Debt Expense”, an accounting phrase used to capture the cost associated with customers not paying a bill which they owed.
Perhaps it was fresh in my mind because we had just covered the topic in class this past week. But then I remembered that earlier in the week we had been talking about an account category known as Property, Plant, and Equipment, or simply PP&E.
I’ve been using that phrase for over 30 years, but in the middle of the lecture it struck me that my students were probably quite familiar with the initials PPE, thanks to COVID-19, making it a popular abbreviation for Personal Protective Equipment.
So then I started to run through all the abbreviations I use in Accounting, and I realized many of them have another meaning outside the world of Accounting:
Abbreviation | Accounting Meaning | Real World Meaning |
AP | Accounts Payable | Associated Press |
AR | Accounts Receivable | Augmented Reality |
ADA | Allowance for Doubtful Accounts | American With Disabilities Act American Dental Association |
PPE | Property, Plant, and Equipment | Personal Protective Equipment |
BP | Bonds Payable | British Petroleum |
STI | Short Term Investments | Sexually Transmitted Infection |
AD | Accumulated Depreciation | Athletic Director anno Domini |
BDE | Bad Debt Expense | Best Day Ever |
BS | Balance Sheet | Bullshit |
EBITDA | Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization |
Everything Borden Is Teaching Defines Absurdity |
No wonder it takes students a while to get the hang of this stuff.
I’ll end this here because I’ve got to take care of some AP so they don’t become BDE.
When I’m finished with that I’ll check on my STI…
*Image from MBS Accountants
BDE, Jim! I learned from the accounting guru that when someone tells me to stop with all of my BS, maybe they’re referring to balance sheets. 🤣
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I’m surprised you would have taken it to mean anything else… 🙂
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Yeah, you’d better check on that STI, and be sure to do some CT (Contact Tracing).
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It’s been a rough couple of months for my STI.
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Haha, brilliant, Jim. I am familiar with these and a few more like ROI and ROE. Happy Monday.
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I knew you would recognize those acronyms. Have a great week, Robbie!
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Love the last one haha 😂😂
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Thanks, Tandy!
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I am impressed by your Dunkin’ Donuts routine. I get why Wawa is so popular. I like Dunkin’ Donuts, any doughnuts really. In New England and the Northeast, DD is an institution that seems to be bigger than the sum of its parts if that is the appropriate expression. And please take care of STI. 😊
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I’ve heard there are Dunkin Donuts everywhere in Boston – sounds like my kind of place. We even found a Dunkin Donuts in Singapore! I’m watching my STI situation closely… 🙂
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How many years did it take you to come up with the alternative definition of EBITA?
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Let’s see, I’ve been teaching for 38 years…
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Sometimes – often – I am reading the newspaper and have no idea what initials stand for. The world of accounting is a mystery to me, but even the most humble job has its numbers, letters and terms that would make no sense to outsiders. Every work place can be an exclusive club and when you go home no one will understand what a stressful day you had because the FH160 didn’t arrive on time.
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The FH160 was late again?! It better be there today. 🙂
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Even Brad Is Totally Dismayed Again – EBITA! Funny and entertaining as always, Jim!
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Thanks, Brad. I knew I could count on you to come up with a clever acronym!
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so funny, each field really does have it’s own jargon, and it is a language unto itself, easily misunderstood by those not in that sphere. education is rife with these, and I always try to remember not to use them when speaking with parents, less is sound like a disjointed robot. great post, jim.
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Thanks, Beth. Yes, sometimes we have to be careful not to let our “language” slip out into the public!
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exactly !
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That’s funny, Jim. It can be difficult keeping up with the abbreviations and acronyms. Education is really bad for it. They seem to keep changing and its hard to figure out just what they mean. I like your comparisons – especially the last. 🙂
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I guess every profession has its own language and acronyms, and I’m sure education is among the biggest offenders.
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I’ve always thought so. 🙂
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Love it, Jim – especially this.. Everything Borden Is Teaching Defines Absurdity.
Cheers!
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Thanks, Peter. Cheers to you!
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After reading this all I can think of is I need a donut, can’t remember the last time I had a donut, maybe a couple of years….it’s time!!!! Sounds so good right now!!!
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Yes, I am a big fan of donuts. I was quite excited lat week when I read that Dunkin may be coming out with a vegan donut… If so, I will be there a few times a week…
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Sounds yummy!!!
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LOL! Creative touch on the last one! 🙂 Didn’t know Accounting could be entertaining!
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Accounting entertaining? Let’s not get carried away… 🙂
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Haha! Yes, that may be stretching it!
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I wonder if teens purposely created a bunch of acronyms to throw us elders off the trail. Newsflash—it wouldn’t have taken much to do that.
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Kids keep us young; and I’ve never been on the trail…
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Hope the STIs are doing well 😉
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It’s been a tough recovery… 🙂
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Hahaha on the STI … you got me there … also, Subaru Tecnica international, if anyone asks me.
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I spend quite a bit of time checking up on my STIs…
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I went to sleep laughing … I’m still laughing … 🙂
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Hahah good luck with your STI 😂😂
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A lot of people seem concerned with my STI…
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To be fair your brought it up 😜
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True… 🙂
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All those letters, so little time. It’s the same in special education. Well, except for STIs.
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smart move skipping the STIs…
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I am rolling in the aisle! You ignited the ol’ accounting teacher in me. So true, we never heard much of PPE in a medical sense until now. By the way, this lesson was a BDE . . . Best Darn Exercise! I am sure your blather-filled mind can do much better.
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Thanks, Richard. Cheers to a fellow accounting teacher! I think when I tell people I teach accounting there Is usually a BDE – Big Drop in Energy… 🙂
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