A is for . . .

Academics

I've been in school for way too long--I'm in something like the 25th grade. And I work in academia, too, so when I'm not working on my own stuff, I'm working on someone else's.

A is also for

Almonds

almond paste, in particular--an excellent base for most desserts. Almond macaroons are one of my favorites, but I could not (alas!) find any at the store. Almond croissants are a reasonable substitution, though.