It's interesting to watch Pam evolve as a person. She is really making an effort to become a self-assured and independent person. In The Coup we see her making some strides in reinventing herself. The JAM optimist is jumping for joy. Pam is doing everything that will eventually be necessary for JAM to happen. The JAM pessimist, on the other hand, has more reason to believe that Pam will move on without Jim. I'm starting to wonder if these two personalities will become permanent fixtures in my subconscious.

JAM Optimist:

1. Pam is hanging out with different people.

In this episode Pam seems to have furthered her friendship with Kelly. She is also hanging out with the women of the Scranton branch. This is something we've never really seen Pam do. In fact it detracts from a previous statement she made in Boys and Girls. She mentioned that she doesn't really have much in common with any of the women she works with. Pam has lost her best friend and fiancé so now she is desperately searching for someone to help her find her new identity.

Pam has decided to surround herself with women instead of men. This is due largely in part for her need to build her new sense of self without a man. As it turns out, Kelly has provided Pam with new confidence in the last two episodes. She is the one that encouraged Pam to date by fixing her up with a blind date. She is also influenced Pam to buy new clothes online. Kelly genuinely wants to help Pam and be her friend. Kelly made Pam smile with her mention of a fashion show. This suggestion gave Pam the nerve to do something she normally wouldn't. Pam actually looked excited (after initially shying away) at the prospect of showing off her new look, due to Kelly's encouragement and support. This is something Pam needs in order to rebuild her life. This may also prevent her from running back to Roy.

The more comfortable Pam becomes in her new skin, the better it becomes for the JAM Optimist. It is necessary for her to find her identity without Roy, and even without Jim. Jim is obviously on her mind, but she is purposely avoiding him in order to focus on herself. The more she does this, the further away from Roy she will move. It is inevitable that during her voyage of self-discovery, that she will come across her feelings for Jim at some point. Her newfound strength will help her face her feelings for Jim when the situation calls.

Jim will eventually be an individual she will have to face again (he will eventually return via some kind of communication or back to Scranton). She still has not mentioned Jim in her talking heads or during conversation with co-workers. She still isn't ready. She needs to know herself before she can even begin to contemplate the possibility of a relationship with Jim. Pam's new friends will help her find her new identity.

2. Pam is building confidence.

The fact that Pam is moving in new directions, speaks volumes about her resolve to change her life for the better. Even though we saw just a small step in buying new clothes, it's actually a giant leap. With encouragement from Kelly she is brave enough to buy something that shows off her figure. Furthermore, she tries it on and puts on a little "fashion show" for her female co-workers. She is a little insecure when she first comes out, but is quickly reassured when told she looks good. We even see her strike a little pose!

Pam is really stepping out of her box and comfort zone. This really creates a sense of empowerment for Pam. She gets another shot of confidence when Roy take notice and tells her she looks nice. Her response to him shows her new confidence. She has an expression that tells him, Yes I know I look good, this is what you are missing. This is going to do so much for Pam's self confidence and self perception. She knows Roy wants her back, and she loves it. He hasn't noticed her in years, and now he is.

It remains to be seen how this will impact Pam perception of Roy. Granted, we still see Pam's old behavior of self-consciousness, and that will never totally go away. It's just part of her personality. In her talking head she was unsure about her clothing purchases, but still chooses to keep them in order to break her habit of after work pajamas. She was also creeped out by Creed (weren't we all?) which brought back a high self of being self conscious and she changed back into her normal outfit. We are, however, seeing her take chances and try new things.

For the JAM optimist this is immensely important. The only time we ever saw Pam take chances previously, was with Jim. Her strength was completely tied to him. With Jim gone, Pam has had to find this strength within herself (and with the help of new friends). By the looks of things in Stamford, she is going to need a load of strength to hang onto Jim. She is going to have to make the moves and hold onto him, despite his possible attachment to someone else. We need Pam to have enough confidence and strength to face her feelings for Jim and eventually act on them.

The ball is absolutely in her court, now more than ever. It's important to understand that Pam's confidence building program is slow. She is inching along. It will be awhile before we see Pam strong enough to focus her attention on Jim. She has a long way to go. Plus, its safe to assume that she will stumble along the way. On the bright side, Pam is well aware that she is making progress and will continue to work towards her new life.

JAM Pessimist:

1. Pam is getting confident.

Pam's road to building confidence will eventually cause her to be self sufficient enough to move past needing Jim. She will no longer need him to support her. A large part of Pam's connection to Jim has to do with how he supported her and gave her confidence. She's moving in the direction of being able to that on her own. She is becoming a different person. She may "grow out of" Jim. She may find that she needs a different kind of man.

2. Pam liked it when Roy noticed her.

Pam really likes it when Roy told her she looked nice. He hasn't noticed her in years and now he is. Pam may take this as a signal that Roy is changing. She is at a vulnerable point in her life. She is surrounded with change that is sometimes overwhelming. It might be tempting to return to something familiar. Especially when Roy is now giving her the attention she wanted from him when they were together.

3. She has yet to mention Jim.

Pam has only barely acknowledged Jim with her facial expressions. These only come out when she thinks no one is watching. Otherwise, she remains tight-lipped about Jim. She has not even come close to mentioning him in her talking heads or in conversation with co-workers. The longer she avoids him, the larger the divide will become. It's very possible that Pam has decided to make a clean break.

Some Questions to Ponder:

1. Will Pam call Jim?
2. Is Kelly a good friend for Pam?
3. Will Pam rekindle a relationship with Roy?
4. What will Pam's reaction be when she sees Jim again? (You know it will happen!)
5. Is Pam's resolve to reinvent herself a phase? Do you think she will revert to her old ways?