FROM THE BRIDGE

by Commander Becky Norris

Is it July already? I just flipped the page on my calendar to June and now I have to do it again. Oh well, I guess time just goes faster the older you get! Anyway, it's just as well--now that it's July, we'll have the convention (although you have no idea how close it came to being canceled) and then next month our fund-raiser (which reminds me, I need to talk to our committee chairpeople!), and after that we'll move forward to our commissioning party. I personally am looking forward to the day when our shuttle grows up to be a real live ship--it has been a long time coming, and there were times when I wondered if it would really ever happen. As you all know, we have certainly had our share of setbacks, but in the end, we prevailed and it's only fitting that we should graduate from shuttle status.

I hope to see everyone at the meeting on the 15th. We've had good turnouts at the last couple of meetings, but it would be nice to have even more people show up for the next one. Also, the convention is the day after the meeting, so if there are any last minute tidbits concerning the convention, the meeting is certainly the place to get those. As far as I know, the details of the convention have not changed. The guest will be Armin Shimerman, the times are 1pm to 7pm at the Midland Hilton and Towers (the same place as last year), and the rest of the stuff should be pretty much the same as usual. I hope everyone has been saving their pennies, because there is almost always SOMETHING at the convention that you MUST POSSESS! At least there is for me--I just assumed that it was the same for everyone else, as well.

I'd like to ask everyone to give our new officers a big hand--and all the cooperation you can muster as they get accustomed to their new positions. For those of you unable to attend the June meeting, there were some offices open for various reasons, and the attending crew members voted to fill them so that we could move forward as smoothly as possible. Here is the new roster of officers: Engineering Officer (Treasurer), Wil Baker; Communications Officer (Secretary), Tisha Thomas; Regional Vessel Advocate, Lynne Morris. Also, we asked various other members to serve as committee chairs, so please congratulate the following people on their new duties: Kara Criddle, chair of the Library Committee; Larry Heidelberg, chair of the Video Committee; and Tom Elrod, chair of the Calling Committee.

Well, that's all I have that's fit to report this month. See everyone at the meeting, and of course at the convention. Until then...