From JeanR to Tracy (10)

 

The Certificate Story - Chapter 10

So, against my better judgement, I trusted that Familiar Face and I had fixed everything -- and that the file would be printed exactly as we left it - without me seeing a proof. We even talked about being extra careful to save the FINAL-final file. 

It was no surprise to me that the last 4 changes we made had disappeared. Familiar Face was incredulous. He did not utter any expletives - but, I think we were both thinking them. I was totally expecting something to be wrong -- so I was prepared to just give up and let it be whatever it was. 

Nobody was going to notice the minor issues with size and spacing - the artwork part looked really nice.  It looked like monks had been working on it for a few days. FamilarFace was adamant that he could redo the changes and get a corrected version printed. I convinced him that it was just fine. And it was/is.

CrustySeaCaptainJean knew that there was only one more opportunity for a disaster - and that had to do with the framing.

We ended up with a certificate that was about an inch wider and and an inch taller than the previous one - so I had to make sure the framer did not order the stock for the frame before he had the new certificate. It was even nice to talk to him and reflect on how many years we had been doing the job. We figured out that we had started in 1997 - so that's 26 years.

I still think it is a ridiculous hunk of paper in a very expensive frame -- and wish there was some way to get the association to figure out a better thank you for their outgoing president. 

Was there some wisdom to be gained by having my last official job be such a ridiculous ordeal? Maybe. If it would have been all kinds of fun - maybe I would have been sad that I will never do it again. I'm definitely left with a good riddance aura. And not just a little glow - a bright light that's as big as the universe - that is grateful for my happy little career. I am beyond peaceful with the ending of that phase of my life.

There will be a closing statement tomorrow.