The state was supposed to give an extra $25 a week to jobless workers starting Feb. 23, thanks to the federal recovery package...

Unemployment Insurance Agency spokesman Norm Isotalo said Tuesday that it "looks promising" the retroactive payments will go out next week -- "providing there's no glitches."

Yes, the state screwed up and short-changed you the last couple of weeks but anyone who looks at this report in that light is very clearly a naysayer. The very best administrative professionals know how important it is to provide prompt service and not to screw up simple arithmetic, but c'mon, it wasn't their fault the Granholm administration couldn't figure out how to comply with federal law by adding $25 to everyone's check.  The very best administrative professionals also understand how important it can be to offer a friendly smile. So in honor of them, look on the bright side...  Seventy-five extra bucks next week!  Fire up!

They recognized the problem and they're going to fix it.  They're going to use a heck of a lot of paper between the checks, the stubs and the envelopes, a heck of a lot of gas and miles on big postage trucks to carry the extra tonnage of weight those checks represent, but the point is, they're getting them to you and soon.  Least they could do on Administrative Professionals Day.

Alas, the Detroit News has some undeniably uglier news for a handful of APs. Two handfuls, even.  

The Southfield School Board last night voted to cut 112 jobs to help plug a $10 million shortfall in the next budget year.  See, kids are leaving the state of Michigan with their parents (makes sense) and that pretty much necessitates they also leave the school district.  Per pupil funding is drying up quickly.  

104 of the eliminated positions are going to be teachers.  Sadly, eight of them will be administrators.  No word on exactly how many of those administrators are actually APs but it wouldn't be surprising if there were a couple on the roster.  

That's a lot of pink slips and fewer folks to run the printer, stuff the envelopes and get them to the mailbox.  

But on the sunnier side, one of the board members who just killed their jobs felt really rotten about it.

Looking over a list of those laid off, school board member Fern Katz said, "There are many outstanding people on these lists. The cuts in no way reflect their performance, so I hope there's a way to retain them."

That was nice of Fern to say, wasn't it?  A guy can only hope that there weren't ANY APs on the hit list.  Not the night before their big day.  

Seriously, doing what they do isn't always easy.  In fact, for many, it universally ISN'T.  Keep that in mind today as you head to the office.  

If you see your AP struggling to change out those energy efficient light bulbs for bigger, brighter bulbs, dumping heavy boxes of paper into the garbage bin or looking for something to eat at lunch with the refrigerator door wide open, offer a giant "thank you" and a helping hand.

A little extra love can go a heck of a long way.  And in that sense... today, my friends, you can help change the world.