tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883098416233752751.post3145659979660164392..comments2023-06-08T05:47:23.342-04:00Comments on The Crotchety Old Man: Consider Yourself SpankedUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883098416233752751.post-31735595164185240482010-03-08T21:03:43.841-05:002010-03-08T21:03:43.841-05:00And crotchety you surely deserve to be after that!...And crotchety you surely deserve to be after that! I'm sure (besides the referenced rude attendees), that it was a lovely conference indeed. I used to belong to a national single-parent organization, and served most all the positions on the board at one time or another (at the local chapter level). We had quarterly regional conferences, and would take turns hosting the weekend event. One year, when it was the Athens chapter's turn to host, I was in charge. Control freak that I am, I did "let" others "help" with the major decisions, such as venue, and... well venue was probably about it... Oh there were some things that were not mine to plan, as the regional officers presided over some things. I had such great ideas, and wanted things to be just so-so... so much that I didn't want to delegate any of the planning and footwork and all the sweet little details that made it special. I didn't want to delegate, because I wanted it done like I wanted it done. And I'm big enough to know that in a volunteer organization, if someone volunteers, you can't (or shouldn't) force or expect them to do everything exactly the way you'd do it yourself. I'm totally anal, and knew that it would cause my head to spontaneously combust if somebody didn't do something the way i wanted it done. So.. aside from letting the kitchen folk do whatever they wanted to do, I spearheaded the entire conference. I did it like I dang well wanted it done. And it was fabulous! But I didn't sleep for days and days beforehand and on the final night I nearly had a breakdown. So I have learned my lesson. I love to do it, but with everything else I have going on in my life, I just have to say no. Not too long ago, my hairdresser, who is in charge of the women's ministry at my church, asked me if I would be in charge of some committee or other, for a retreat she was planning. After I told her that I'm a terrible control freak, want to plan it, and do it all my way and don't like to delegate.. she said.. "Oh, okay, well that's good to know!" And she hasn't asked me to do anything else since then. hahaha!! I guess that's one way of getting out of doing something! <br /><br />So aside from having to spank some of your attendees, I'm glad your conference went well.CathyBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06307985705667322731noreply@blogger.com