Came home from a meeting--two-and-a-half hours I'll never get back again.
Got roped into volunteering for our school's big annual fundraiser--The Gala. My friend sicked the chair on me. Well, it's about time I give my time, my expertise for the betterment of the school, I thought. Oh how misguided I am sometimes.
They're doing it all wrong, backwards, worse than backwards. And I know this. I see the potential for huge success and I have years of varied experience to back up my mouth. But I've never played well with others. I am impatient and want things done the most efficient way possible--usually my way.
I couldn't make the first meeting so I asked the Chair to meet with me so I could play catch up and detail what I could do for the group, for the fundraiser. I told her we needed a map, a plan with deadlines, expectations, goals etc. (pretty basic shit). She was all for it. Told her we had very little time to make this a success and instead of gathering donated items for the silent auction and making them "work" we needed to declare what we wanted and go for it.
Again, basic shit.
So I'm thinking we're on the same page. My friend and I went to the meeting tonight and the first things I hear are these people complaining how it's always them who are doing, who are volunteering....blah, blah, blah. More complaining heard. One loudmouth just wanted to regale us with one "hilarious" tale after another -- how she got stuck with a bust of the pope because no one else wanted it.
About 15 minutes into it, I was praying for death.
I really want to help, to contribute, to make this an unbelievable success but I've never known how to rally people behind me. To get them motivated and inspired. I just get pissed off. My first thought was to just flipping quit.
Because that's what I do. You won't play the game my way? Then I'm just going to walk away with my gifts and talents trailing behind me like some pristine cloak.
But tonight I walked away and thought a little differently. I don't have to quit. I just have to do things my way, how I want, the way I want. I don't need their approval or their permission. I am going to do the best at doing what I can and set my own boundaries. They can choose to like it and follow my lead or stay stagnant in their quagmire of bitching and laziness.
It seems like a step in the right direction. For me. But then again, I'm no Mother Theresa.
©L'uragana
Saturday, May 16, 2009
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10 comments:
That's all you can do. I hate time/energy vampires - and there always is one in those kinds of meetings. You're there to get things moving in the right direction. Period. End of story.
Sheesh!
It sounds to me like they're lucky to have you. ...but watch out as I have a sneaking suspicion all will go so well with the fundraiser, they'll be asking you back for years to come.
Frustrating. And I bet Mother Theresa did have moments of supreme frustration. I heard a piice on her on NPR once - apparently she struggled with her faith her entire adult life.
and you have MUCH better hair than Mama T
Steph,
I just get so impatient and frustrated sometimes. I definately need to work on being patient and being tolerant. I just want to get things done....is that soooo bad? Glad to "hear" you
COTW,
WOW. That kind of insight always stops me. Like when I read MLK was terrified of speaking in front of people...that he didn't want to be a hero...but he chose to any way.
She was an amazing woman and it is a grotesque joke to even put her in the same sentence as myself. But that's really interesting...about her struggle with faith...i'm gonna see if I can pull it up on utube.
JOhngy,
oh shame on you!!!! she couldn't get good hair products where she was!
Mother Theresa would definitely have spat the dummy if she'd sat on a school committee. I was on the fundraising committee for five years at my son's old school and by the end of it there were several people I just didn't talk to anymore. I think the problem is that some people use committees to make them feel important. They have no experiencing in organising events and so on, so they can be quite counter-productive as they focus on really insignificant things. I still seethe when I think of the three hours I'll never get back where a heated discussion arose over what colour balloons to buy for the school disco.
Good luck, m'dear.
BTW, love your new photo. You are gorgeous!
selma, omg..three hours over colored balloons.....if i didn't know where you lived, I'd say you had been on the same committee with these people! i agree, it makes some people feel important...which is NOT the objective.
and once abain...u are so sweet. gorgeous...methinks not! but love u said it anyway!
Sympathies L'Uragano. Committee life is a pond of instant karma isn't it. All those egos flailing around! Scary.
By her example I suspect Mother T knew how to negotiate the pond : just hoe in, head down, and work your butt off.
Good luck with it!
Maybe, but truly great hair like yours needs no enhancement!
I tell my wife this quote from the emperor Caligula before she goes to work sometimes. "Oderint dum metuant". Well, I tell her it in English. "Let them hate as long as they fear." So give 'em hell Laurie!
And I'm sure Mother Theresa got pissed off more than once. A smile only goes so far when your trying to do something for charity.
This sentence made me LAUGH OUT LOUD:
"About 15 minutes into it, I was praying for death."
ahahahahah.
oh, and I wouldn't be too concerned about doing TOO GOOD of a job! They just might make you do it AGAIN next time!
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