Publicity Specialist?

Several years ago my email somehow managed to get on a list of people willing to help out with the Orange County chapter of the BYU Alumni Association. I've attended every meeting they announce via this email list. At every meeting I have dutifully volunteered to do whatever they need me to help with, but for some weird reason they never give me anything to do. In some of the meetings I have been the only person to walk away without an assignment, leaving me to wonder if there's something about my appearance that makes me seem irresponsible, or perhaps even a little dense.

Either way, a few weeks back I got another email inviting me to a meeting, and as is my custom, I emailed the guy back and told him I'd be there. Only apparently this time I was the only one that agreed to attend. He sent out three or four emails to the group suggesting new times, and asking for people to attend, and in each one noted that "Julia is the only one that has currently agreed to attend." Finally a few people emailed back and suggested that we hold a conference call instead.

The meeting was about organizing a Friends of Religious Education fireside for a BYU professor that's coming out here in a couple of weeks. I must be a lot more impressive over the phone because it seemed like every other sentence was, "Julia, I think we'll have you handle that..." which is great, and I'm pretty excited about my services finally being utilized. Although I have to admit that I was kind of surprised when they decided at the end of the meeting that I will be the one in charge of doing all the publicity for this event. I'm not worried about my abilities, although I was a bit surprised when they told me that they'd also like me to be in charge of writing articles to submit to local newspapers promoting the event, and then follow-up articles summarizing how the fireside went. The whole meeting ended with the Chapter President saying "Julia, I think we'd like to just use you as our publicity specialist from here on out..."

I can't quite get past the whole idea that after three years of attending these meetings, without getting a single assignment that they've now appointed me their "publicity specialist." I'm really going to have to figure out what it is about my appearance that makes me seem incompetent. I'm convinced that the conference call is what made the difference this time around. Now I just have to make sure we have a full chapel for this event or they may strip me of my new assignment. Everyone Saturday, April 19th, 7:30pm at the Irvine Stake Center, Richard Hopzafel is speaking on "Christ Before Easter," if you're in California put it on your calendars. It's free, and it's a public invitation for anyone who wants to attend, so bring a friend.