My Life In Letters

I've been gone. Now I'm back. Here's what I've been obsessing about lately:

IAAP -- The International Association of Administrative Professionals, an organization to which I belong. Any admin support staff out there? Check 'em out at http://www.iaap-hq.org/.

BAC -- the Bangor Area Chapter of IAAP, of which I am a founding member and I'm on the Program Committee. We have meetings one evening a month.

BCT -- no relation whatsoever to IAAP, this is Bangor Community Theater, of which I am a member of the Board of Directors, and which also meets once a month, sometimes on the same night as BAC(!). We did "Labors of Love" last year (see Facebook pix of Jenn and me as dancing girls) and now we're cooking up Neil Simon's "Rumors" for October (stay tuned!).

CAP -- (back to IAAP, now) this stands for Certified Administrative Professional, but after this weekend, I am more likely to be declared a member of the Civil Air Patrol. I crammed all week, but really did not study properly, and spent two days in Portland taking four grueling exams. I sort of think maybe I did OK on one of them....possibly. I find out in June how many I need to retake in November.

GNED -- more IAAP! I'll be tavelling to the Greater New England Division Conference in Sturbridge, MA May 15-17. Much to Alan's joy.

APM -- someone who says he is "going to see Star Trek next weekend, dammit".

I think I'll go see if he'd like to kick my butt at Scrabble...

Actually...

Jeremy enters our bedroom this morning and approaches my side of our wonderful, big, high bed where he unceremoniously heaves a wooden pirate chest onto the comforter and announces matter-of-factly:

"My bear is dead. This is his coffin."

[I stifle a giggle. Jeremy remains straight-faced]

"He needs a potion to bring him back to life."

[I dutifully supply a pretend potion from a tub of facial cream on my nightstand. The now magicked-bear rises miraculously from its treasure-chest-coffin.]

"Actually..."

[I smile, because we hear this word a lot as Jeremy explores--and exercises--his right to change his mind. It is oft-repeated, with increasing emphasis and frequently heralds dramatic changes in opinion]

"Actually..."

[I'm poised, waiting, highly amused]

"it's his escape pod..."

[another giggle, as I reconcile, treasure-chest-coffin, and escape pod in my head]

"...in case one of Jamie's bears comes in..."

[still having trouble, though, with escape pods and bears here]

"...and is throwing up..."

[because that is SUCH a problem with bears!]

"...OR barfing"

[not both, mind you, just one or the other]

"... so he can go into another dimension..."

[because we needed more science-fiction in this fantasy-adventure-wildlife story]

"...and not get yucky stuff on him."

[by this time, I'm laughing so hard I can barely breathe, Alan is desperately repeating the details aloud so as not to forget any, and Jeremy, looking non-plussed, suddenly notices that his bear is wearing a bow-tie, which, of course, changes everything!]