Julie, that's really scary. I can understand why you'd want to go, despite oldest son. My big sister has a heart arrhythmia too and it scares the crap outta us regularly.

Do you want to manage associations, Zen? Or do you already?

No... I don't particularly want to do anything, including what I'm doing now. I mean, does anyone say to themselves, man, I really want to manage associations? I'm just thinking about maybe expanding my career options. I have some management experience, mostly from my current job, and it seems like something I could move into if I need to move into something. I have to have a career-type good-paying job for another 12-15 years or so, and if this might pay me what I'm making now or more, and might be interesting for a while, maybe I should look into that. I dunno. The classes are on-site at the NJ office, which is real convenient for people still there, but it would be really inconvenient for me, because they aren't being given on consecutive days. So I have to be more sure it's worth it than I am now.

It seems like a pretty specialized certificate if you aren't already interested in it. Acquiring education/training that was supposed to make me hirable has never worked out for me, so I am biased against, I guess.

Damn, there's a 40+ baby boom going on amongst my college cohort I've stayed in touch with. Expecting to birth babies, adopting babies, adopting older-than-babies. A few kittens and puppies and businesses. But definitely a swarm. I do think my favorite is the salty navy vet who was a contEd physics cohort. He's probably got at least 5 years on me and is gonna make an awesome dad.

I mean, does anyone say to themselves, man, I really want to manage associations?

Somebody probably does. What I can more easily picture is someone being in an association and thinking it needs better management and by golly I'm going to learn how to do it!

Shrift, Did the typhoid have any side effects for you?

Hard to say since I got so many vaccines at one time (HepA, HepB, Typhoid, Tdap, Yellow Fever), although I also opted for the pill form of the Typhoid vaccine because its protection lasts for 5 years and the shot was only good for 2 years. I don't recall having any side effects, though.

It seems like a pretty specialized certificate if you aren't already interested in it.

Yeah. I guess I won't bother with it. I'd have to spend a lot of time in NJ and take a couple flights back and forth, and it's just not worth the money, especially since I wouldn't get reimbursed.

Ugh. Trying to prep for this internal interview and seriously can't remember anything I've done that was more than a year ago. Wtf. No idea what I'm going to use as examples. Am starting to freak out. I know I could be great at this job but fear my shitty interviewing/memory will fail me.

I'm sorry, meara. Do you have any old journals or reports or emails to look at, jog your memory?

I just did Hep A and Typhoid for Belize, and neither caused me problems, Lee. I did the oral typhoid because I had time to and it covers five years instead of two, but it was a pain to remember (four pills spaced out every other day on an empty stomach). I'd just do the two-year shot if I had it to do over again.

Also, hi! I'm in LAX waiting for ND to pick me up. He's apparently stuck in epic airport traffic. But Belize was amazing -- and because we did the southern, rural region of Placencia, WAY affordable. Such friendly and welcoming people. Also English is the official language, which made it easier for non-Spanish-speaking me, and the Belizean dollar is tied to the U.S. Dollar ($1 US always equals $2 BZE), but U.S. currency is commonly accepted and welcomed across the country. None of this makes it better, of course, just really easy.

Next time I want to go north to dive the Blue Hole (much better diving, though I had a great four dives in Placencia). It's a lot less affordable, but I have to see one of the underwater wonders of the world! I also still want to spend time in the jungle and see the Mayan ruins and visit the jaguar reserve and go cave tubing and...

I'm a little in love with Belize.

Steph, I do NOT understand your boss. OTOH, my boss insists on my following a correspondence manual that is not only 20 years old, but is superseded twice over. I've told him this, and emailed him the correct one, and he's still all, "no do it this way". WTF, dude.

Ooh, HR just came in to ask pointed questions about my nemesis. Exciting!

Oh, man, Jesse, I'm JEALOUS. What I would give to have someone ask pointed questions about my nemesis!

Looks like my kitchen will be finished just after I leave on my vacation, yay. I may ask my sister to coordinate a cleaner, so I don't return to a complete nightmare of dust and whatnot.

Still haven't finished this story. Argh.