Monthly Archives: November 2007

At the end of the day

Blogging,

At the end of the day when I sit down to write I think of all the writable thoughts I had over the course of the day.

First of all, “at the end of the day” is a tired saying these days.  It used to mean “when all is said and done” but was so overused that it means nothing anymore.

But here, I mean at the end of the day — my day. For me, today it is about 8:30 pm. Time to shut off the laptop and chill or veg or read. But quit using the Internet.

So, at the end of my day I think about the various thoughts I had during the day that began with, ‘I could blog this’. One has to do with my playthings as a kid.

I was  pretty normal. I had dolls and books and normal things to play with, but I also amused myself with kind of weird objects. Like oil paints and spark plugs. I’m planning on writing about my more unusual playthings at some point in the near future.

Stay tuned, as they used to say.

Get Mortified

Blogging, Entertainment,

Last week I had to go into the office to train someone else to fill out the web forms I’ve been doing for the past six months or so. On the way I listened to WAMU and heard the creator of Get Mortified talk about his concept. Get Mortified is, in its own words,

“… a comic excavation of adolescent artifacts (journals, letters, poems, lyrics, home movies, stories and more) as shared by their original authors before total strangers.”

I got pretty excited about this – after all, I’ve been sharing my angst-filled adolescent journals online for a couple of years. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see the show when it was in DC, but I suppose there is next time.

Hmm, I need to get back to the past and transcribe more teenaged entries. I kinda miss 17 year-old Cedar Waxwing.

Volunteerism can suck

Rant, ,

Before my children were in school I don’t think I volunteered for anything. After my daughter began elementary school I started volunteering at her school, first as a helper in the classroom, then as a field trip supervisor, then as a PTA board member. I held office as recording secretary, corresponding secretary, MCCPTA rep, & vice president. I also was email list coordinator/ manager/ moderator until last year.

I’ve also volunteered with the local neighborhood and with a local film group that shows foreign films one Sunday a month during the non-summer months. I signed on to the film group simply to work on the website, but this year I was “promoted” to director of operations. I put the verb in the preceding sentence in quotes because I was more or less forced into the position because no one else wanted it. The duties involve ordering films, talking to the distributors and negotiating the film rental fees. I pretty much hate this position and I’ve let the president know I do not want to do it any longer.

She found someone else to do the position, but seems to think that my time is her time. She sets up meetings then demands I attend them, even when I have other commitments. This summer I had more important plans, but said I could attend her meeting briefly. She refused to let me leave the meeting and I missed an event my daughter was a part of.

I’ve recently begun helping out a friend with another volunteer organization, and had a meeting scheduled for this Wednesday. I told the president of the film group that I had a prior commitment, and I thought she understood. I said that it might be postponed, but I was not sure. I just got an email from her asking if I changed the meeting.

I know I am reading too much into the email, but based on the meeting last summer, I am touchy when it comes to this woman and her meetings. The meeting was postponed, and I can meet with the film group folks, but it makes me angry that I allow myself to be jerked around like this.

I think this is my last year with this group. As much as I like the idea, I don’t like the way this woman treats the volunteers.