Mad (Wo)MEN

Posted on 11/19/2008 at 11:27 AM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Ok, Mad (Wo)MAN, but I was having fun with the analogy. I realized at this late date that my life is like the discription of the wonderful t.v. series, Mad Men.

It's 2008 and medical info specialist Terri rules the roost at her pathetic Market Day sale and her little niche job at a huge publishing co.  Living a glamorous existence of a never-ending white port supply, clothes with holes chewed by a bird, and kids who ignore her, budding misanthrope Terri makes numerous strides in conquering endless tasks at work mindless tasks in her personal life. But the world is beginning to change, and Terri will have to use what little smarts she has to stay one step ahead of the game. Watch her tread water with a soap opera family of origin highlighted by a sister exhibiting bizarre behavior, a new person coming on board at work who she will have to train under very different circumstances, while trying to reign in renegade Market Day parent volunteers who managed to change the entire location of the site without consulting her.

Here's the real description of  Season 1.

"It's 1960, and ad executive Don Draper (Jon Hamm) rules the roost at New York's Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency in this Emmy winner for Best Drama Series. Living a glamorous existence of never-ending cocktail hours, worry-free smoking and ego-stroking power, ladies' man Draper makes numerous conquests both at work and in his personal life. But the world is beginning to change, and Draper will have to use all his smarts to stay one step ahead of the game."

The Carl D. Bradley

Posted on 11/18/2008 at 9:02 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

More Market Day Madness

Posted on 11/17/2008 at 8:52 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

It must be me. It must be my lack of social skills. Maybe I'm in one of those shows where everybody is strange but me. Maybe I'll wake up and it will all be a dream.

This career pta person will not stop. She notified me of a meeting she had with a principal after the fact. In fact, I heard about it earlier in the day  from someone else that she had told me. Of course, why would she bother to invite me to a meeting, why wouldn't I be the last to find out. I'm only the CHAIR for goodness sakes.

Today I couldn't keep quiet anymore. I think everyone else in this universe would either have put up with it for eternity or would never have had a problem like this in the first place. I went online and discovered...tah dah...she is my co-chair. If you are going to be someone's co-chair, don't you think you should many, um, mention it to them first? Who does this? Someone who would show up only in my world. I had mentioned some frustration to the Market Day supervisor and she told me that I am the Chair. All decisions have to go through me. At least I know that she's not in on the conspiracy.

I sent this person an e-mail just now. I said that I found out from the website that she is my co-chair. I said that I've had problems keeping track of who is doing what lately. I asked her to keep in mind that I should be notified of any proposed changes because decisions regarding the sale have to go through me. I also added that I need to be notified if any meetings are going to be held so I can attend. DUH!! Look for the fireworks to begin, they always do. I will end up quitting and it will be the happiest day of my life because I don't have time for all the work and I don't need to be a part of this circus act.

My Sister the Crafty Home Invader

Posted on 11/16/2008 at 11:41 AM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

My father called me after I got home from visiting my mother at the nursing home. He wasn't calling to make sure I got home ok as he sometimes did. "Someone's been in this house", couldn't have surprised me more. My quick littany of the police, checking doors and windows, etc. was quickly silenced. He can tell that my sister had been there. She has a key. He is remarkably observant, noticing a chair pulled away from the table, a box in a closet at an odd angle from the wall, and most of all, dirt on the floor by the china cabinet and closet. The dirt is even stranger because we are all conditioned to take off our shoes at their house. It's always been that way. My father and my daughter think that she was saving time by leaving her shoes on. They may be right, but I think it's another sign of her losing it. In the past, she would occasionally drop by (I guess the telephone company's "Phone First" campaign was lost on her) by, but she would leave a note. I've come to the difficult conclusion that she is not after money. It seems strange, because nearly everybody is after money, particularly if one is in her situation. My guess is that she was after momentos. Those sort of things he would give her if she asked. There were a few nicknacks in my grandmother's china cabinet that we always liked to play with when we were kids, for example. I never mentioned that there were a couple meetings at the nursing home. On one occasion, she walked into the day room, saw him, turned around, and did not return until the meeting actually started. What's up with that? She held it together well during the meeting I attended, her occasional flashes of anger went unnoticed. She is really unhinged.

I think he should change the locks.

Dick Francis

Posted on 11/15/2008 at 11:29 AM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

As I was saying, I recently started to read Dick Francis crime novels as well as his autobiography--which is just as interesting as fiction. I understand he's written over 40. They center around steeplechase horse racing. I was worried that they might not hold my interest since I'm not really into horse racing. Not so at all! I figured I'd like him since he is so popular. Yes, I enjoy his books as much as I do "The Cat Who..." and the Kinsey Milhone series.

One difference greatly surprised me. After I finished the first book, I looked forward to reading about what other events would happen in the life of  the lead character. Surprise! It seems that every book has a different lead character. Unless he's strung together two or more books somewhere in the series that I don't know about, it seems that all of the books stand alone.

I was a bit dissapointed, but I suppose his method has some advantages. It is kind of strange that the same lead character becomes embroiled in serious crimes dozens of times. Even the character of Kinsey, who is a private detective, states that 99% of her work is mundane. He will never have to come up with relatives of the lead character that we've never heard of in 30+ novels, or have the character re-invent himself by moving or starting a new career, just to keep the readers from dying of boredom. I think the most intriguing element is that he actually can kill off his lead character whenever he wants. We know Kinsey isn't going anyplace until maybe "Z is for..."

Dear Blog...about the piano

Posted on 11/14/2008 at 4:26 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Oh my, I did it! I finally embedded a YouTube video! WOW, I've been trying for years to do that!

I still take piano lessons and made my *debut* last year along with numerous five-year-olds, which was quite embarrassing. Probably for them too. I played a cute little number about rainbows. Despite my totally losing my bearings trying to play it on a shortened keyboard rather than the full-size, I managed to pull it off. The real trouble began when my instructor offered to sing it. Don't get me wrong, her singing actually moved me to tears once, so, I was honored. The problem was that her singing is what I would call 'classically trained'. The piece that I played was originally sung by Kermit the Frog.

That night I got to thinking about next years' performance. I'm talking about a food fair in a neighboring village. It always irks me when they have kids play incredibly long, classical pieces. There was a kid who is quite talented, but I don't think that the average person off the street is a lover of classical music, at least not here. II begin to think about what the perfect song for me to play would be. It would have to be something that either people have heard before or one that they would find catchy even if they hadn't heard it. What piece have would I play if I could play anything? "The Sting?" No, it's been done to death. "Music Box Dancer"....mayybeeee. Then I rememberd a song that my mother always loved because of the player's style. I never realized it was country, which is strange since my parents listened to nothing but country for awhile. I guess if it wasn't a banjo or a fiddle.... I now have the music and I'm almost through it. Maybe by next July it will be ready. It's only the easy version, but I think it sounds reasonably. Can't wait until I'll be able to play the real version. It's called, "The Last Date". While hunting around the 'net, I was startled to learn, after all these years, that there are lyrics. (They aren't on the sheet music either.) When I looked them, oh, could I tell that this is a country song. The typical tearful breaking up song, only this breakup came before marriage unlike so many country songs. Please don't tell my teacher that there are lyrics. Not that I wouldn't want her to sing it, but I think the lyrics ruin the song. Don't know why I like the video of the scrolling old record albums better than the one of him actually playing it. If you happen onto this page, please give it a listen. I think you'll enjoy it!

Dear Blog:

Posted on 11/13/2008 at 4:07 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Ok, Milia and Sasha Obama are doomed

Posted on 11/12/2008 at 9:20 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

How wonderful that Laura Bush and Sarah Pailin are giving Michelle Obama parenting advice. Hello! Maybe they could tell her what NOT to do. Maybe Brittney can chime in while they're at it. Uck!  The Obamas seem to be doing a wonderful, loving job and I can't wait to catch glimpses of the two precious girls. Keeping CNN on quite a bit while I'm working from home, I've noticed something from watching the same few clips over and over: Milia (whom I understand is the older sister) seems to do a little hop from time to time. Reminds me of one of the Irish dancer girls. The only thing that worries me is that everyone tends to say, "Sasha and Milia". Shouldn't the older one go first. We always say my daughter's name and then my son's. Fortunately he isn't one to let something like that bother him. Those girls don't seem to battle like mine anyway. I could just see us trying to physically seperate them while still managing to face the camera and smile. Shivers!

The best and the worst

Posted on 11/11/2008 at 9:59 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Best thing that happened to me today:

Miracles happen! After two days of headaches upon realizing that Century school screwed up and didn't attach my cover letter to our Pie Bonus Days Market Day fundraiser form.....after feeling guilty that I didn't have the time or ambition to babysit them on this simplest of tasks...that I didn't make the instructions more remedial.......I found out that our sales numbers are in line with the other schools. Truly a miracle!!

Worst thing that happened to me today:

I witnessed a bird death. We had a fall arrival of literally hundreds and hundreds of starlings, the grass was thick with them, the sky was thick with them. Our little Mango got to see them and was fascinated. I leashed up the dogs, purloined my husband's gloves (next time I'll make sure to get a matching pair or at least a right and a left, not two rights)....remembered the poop bags, and headed out. We turned into the cul-de-sac just a house away, and I heard a loud "smack!" like a cymbal. I saw the huge flock fly over the roofs and saw the poor bird fall. It must've hit the metal stove-pipe like chimney and landed on a steep pitched roof. I wondered what I would do. I don't know the homeowner. There were no windows near the poor creature. I stood stock still. No motion was detected. I reluctantly resumed our walk. Upon our return, about 20 min. later, I still saw no movement. A few hours later I had to go out....to pick up Market Day forms from the schools, what else? I drove by the house. No sign of the bird. It had been raining, but not horribly hard. Should I leave a note informing the homeowner that there may very well be a dead bird in their gutter, thus explaining a strange problem, should it arise?

Why am I so nuts about animals? Today there was an ad on tv featuring a paralyzed veteran. I fast forwarded through that to get to the next commercial to show my kids....a football player encouraging us to join the ASPCA. With his gorgeous, but maybe funny looking dog sharing touching moments, he was the anti-Michael Vick. Don't get me started on the gorgeous, healthy plant that I rescued from someone's trash a few months ago..spotted while walking the dogs btw. What kind of a person throws out a healthy, living plant? Even my mother-in-law, who isn't into plants because of the dirt, would at least give it away to someone else. I've seen this lady. She talks on her cell and makes no eye contact when I walk by. She has little kids. I think the plant was a baby gift because the pot is wrapped in pink foil and it was a pink heart on a stick stuck in the soil. UGGGHHH!

The Edmund Fitzgerald

Posted on 11/10/2008 at 9:17 AM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Ghost Hunting

Posted on 11/9/2008 at 9:41 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

I have decided that one thing that I would like to do before I die is to experience paranormal phenomena...see a ghost if you will. My only other thing that I'd really like to do is to fly over an ocean. I think that me and my kids should form our own ghost hunting team. My husband seems all for it, so who knows if he will want to join in. I know that I/we should go on some 'investigations' with a readily available crew; a local group from neighboring Will County to get some experience. I'm also the type that would be perfectly happy to go along with a group, not insisting on being my own boss. It's a bit far...I might have to drive to some unfamiliar place..in the dark! Some of their 'investigations' go through the night and staying up very late has always had miserable effects on me regardlesss of my age at the time.

I found out that the equipment needed is affordable. In the 'olden days' it seemed like the equipment was huge, cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars, and was not portable.

This hobby meets my criteria:

1. I must buy lots of equipment.

2. I can buy two or more books on the subject that will probably contradict each other, thus adding to the confusion.

So, now we need to:

1. Find out what equipment to buy (there's that word..buy. yum yum.)

2. We need a name. I'm not sure that we should use our last name, the name of our suburb, or anything that would make it easy to trace us, as we might need to go to places where we shouldn't. The name should make a smart acronym--like TAPS (The Atlanta Paranormal Society). We can then design a logo (I know, that should not be left to amateurs) so my husband can print up some jackets or something.

3. There is no three.  Not yet.

Hello Blog....

Posted on 11/8/2008 at 10:05 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Happy Birthday Stephanie!

Posted on 11/7/2008 at 9:45 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

You are 13 today. You had me worried for a long time. You've overcome so many obstacles. Straight As, even in MATH!! Surviving and thriving in Jr. High, a school that I heard had a serious bullying problem. You did things your way and it sure is working for you!

All My Love,

Mom

Hi Blog....I'm Armed!

Posted on 11/6/2008 at 9:45 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

I have never carried  a self-defense weapons. I'm not at high risk for one reason. I don't go to the mall at night (or ever if I can avoid it). I don't work downtown at night (or go downtown ever, darn it), and I don't live in a high crime neighborhood (thank God!)

It all started on Ebay. Somebody outbid or raised my bid on something so I did what I called "spite bidding" and raised their bid on something. They never raised the bid and I was stuck with a box of Dick Francis books. I figured it was a calculated risk; the guy seems to have written many books, so he must be good. I like mysteries. I was a bit concerned that the horse racing theme would get kind of boring. I went on a trip to my work and over the course of a couple days, saw two people reading Dick Francis novels. It was time for me to start on them.
It started slow, but I ended up loving it! In fact, Francis' description of a self-defense device called the kiyoga, or a spring-loaded batton, actually prompted me to buy "the fearsome thing".

Now I have to remember to carry it with me any time that I could be at risk, which is pretty much any time (except when I'm walking our three wild, over-protective, somewhat pitbull-appearing dogs). I had to laugh when I caught myself considering to bring it on our walks.

It didn't come with instructions. You swing it at the perp and it expands as the business end pops out. I think I know which end is which. Another plus is that I figured there was a low likelyhood of it hurting me by mistake. I'm not so sure about that anymore....what if I swung it while holding the wrong end? I think I should ask my karate instructor because he knows everything about self-defense. Yes, although I train in martial arts, I don't rely on that for protection. Even the  people I know who COULD rely on their martial arts for protection are armed to the teeth! They don't want to leave anything to chance, so they carry a blade strapped somewhere on their body. I'm not sure if they carry it 100% of the time. I also know that my instructor says that if we carry a knife, we should take a lesson or two to know how to use it.

When I carry it, I find myself much more suspcious. That man wearing the coveralls coming toward me in the cemetery...crazed madman or nice worker who wants to help me 'find-a-grave'? The footsteps behind me after my piano lesson....crazed killer or fellow student or parent? Who knows? I better be prepared!!!

We Have Overcome....

Posted on 11/5/2008 at 9:35 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Or at least taken a step in the right direction. I'm just a bundle of overjoyed emotions right now. I sure hope he doesn't let us down. I delved into my presidential voting history and this is only the second winner I've voted for. I can't even remember if I even voted in the first two elections for which I was eligible to vote. I remember walking into the school gym next to my nursing school dorm/apt. I probably voted just because I could, to see what it was like. I may have voted for someone for a silly reason; maybe I had seen Bush the first when he was a v.p. candidate. There was a rally in our neighborhood, maybe because there were steel mills? It was such a small corner of Chicago. A dad said, "Kids, you may be looking at a future president". Then he said, "What about the band!?"  A natural politician, he had us eating out of our hands. I may have wanted to be able to say that I saw a u.s. president. I really liked Bush the first. I was disappointed when he lost to Clinton. It took a tragedy like the Oklahoma bombing to get my to like Bill Clinton. I know one person who started liking Bush the second after 911. Not me. Not ever.

Spam Free Zone

Posted on 11/4/2008 at 8:51 AM by Fightingfemale - 4 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Please do not use this space to leave vague, anonymous political messages. Spammers, begone!

Dear Blog: An update

Posted on 11/3/2008 at 9:41 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Screentek, it just won't go away...although technically it has.

Who knew way back when Ma Screentek burst through the school doors, arms waving, legs marching, mouth proclaiming the superiority of her company...who knew that when my husband and I exchanged annoyed glances and dropped her business cards into the garbage, that she would be forever in my hair. Whether she will be in my hair 'forever' has yet to be determined, but it sure seems likely.

Funny how I'm updating a story I never really told. Suffice it to say that Ma did something that I considered dirty and underhanded enough to make me her enemy for life. Suffice it say that you don't want me for an enemy. Last spring my greatest dream was realized. My husband drove by their so-called business and found it empty. No signs, nothing. Just a few boxes with junk. Trust me, I do not wish misfortune on others unless they have done something horrible to me or someone else. This was bliss. I even found an old website of theirs, complete with misspellings and centering issues. I will post it. I saved a copy before they took it down.  I was so happy that I declared it Haiku week on my website, amidst other celebrations. On that Friday, my husband received a creepy call at work from a very gruff individual who was trying to find me. When he was finally convinced that I did not work there, the guy hung up. Ma had threatened to sue me before, but this hardly seemed like someone from "A Professional Corporation". The lawyer's envelope actually calls his firm that to remove all doubt I guess! Well FightingFemale does not like suspicious, gruff men trying to track her down so she put up a 'coming soon' message on her site. People have had rivals* hurt or killed for even less reason than making fun of a defunct business.

*To be a rival, one must be at or near equal grounds, which we never were.

On the same day that Mr. Hired Henchman called, I re-checked their site. It too had a 'coming soon' sign that proclaimed they had moved their website (can't imagine why) and their business. The sign is still there. Imagine trying to pretend that a business still exists. So sad! My response was to put a link to www.notfoolinganybody.com on my site. My husband also has not seen any activity from them in the area. He thinks that if they are doing any printing, they maybe housing what's left of their equipment in some warehouse. The 2009 telephone book arrived last week and they aren't listed. This village is not friendly to new businesses either; the codes are ridiculous and the taxes/fees are exorbitant.

All the while, Ma kept showing up at my Market Day sale. Honestly, if I threatened to sue somebody and then went down in crushing defeat, I would frequent the other sale site or go without. Why would someone repeatedly go where they aren't wanted? One time that I saw she had ordered, I wore a t-shirt from a major client that we stole from her. My husband printed me up a couple as a trophy. The b**** actually did a double take!  It's one thing to show up to annoy someone when you are *rivals*, but after you've failed? Cluess? No pride? In fact, often times she or her husband (aka Flanders from the Simpsons) shows up late. Right after we found out that their business closed, they didn't show up at all. I put her order in the freezer. When the school called me to find out if they were going to pick up their order, "I heard they've fallen on hard times. I understand they've had a business go belly up".  So last month, she showed up as a volunteer! She does have extra time on her hands. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em? Our paths did not cross because I did the paperwork while she schleped boxes--not how she envisioned things turning out, I'm sure! I did my best to look queenly. (I did and continue to do plenty of schlepping myself .)
My husband's theories as to why she showed up are as follows:
1. She thinks I'm getting free stuff.  He thinks everybody thinks that I am getting free stuff because of his self-professed southwest side attitude. I rarely get free stuff. Last month there was a box of carrot cakes and a box of trail mix cookies that the rep told me to take. The cakes disappeared and the cookies are on top of my freezer in the basement. They have about a thousand calories each and probably taste like straw. One time I ended up with two bags of a pasta vegetable blend that we never ate. That's it.

2. She wants to de-thrown me. Well I wish she would! You would not believe the hours that I put in. I'm constantly afraid that I will ruin my legs by schlepping too much if we don't have enough volunteers, which we rarely do. Just the other day, on the way to visit my mother, I had to call my son while I was driving. I forgot to place an order at another sale for two customers whose orders were turned in late, and the deadline was 45 min. away. I was frantically screaming for him to find the orders and navigating him around the website while I was having a horrible sneezing fit from an allergy attack. I think it would have been easier to talk someone through landing an airplane or delivering a baby. So on Thurs. I will pick up the orders and deliver them. Pie bonus days are coming so I have to pick up the orders from the three schools, enter them, make sure the payments are correct, etc. The day before the last sale, I had to place 72 reminder calls. The day after the sale, the phone rings nonstop:"Why do the forms list the old location?" "We need more forms", "I forgot to pick up my order", etc. Oh yes, such a glamorous life. Need I remind you that I don't make a cent?

3.She heard my husband was helping out last month and wants to ask him for a job. Seems strange that someone would do something horrible, threaten to sue and then go asking for a job. She does have a habit of showing up where she's not wanted, though. Remember: Clueless and no pride.

It's good to be queen! Good triumped over evil for once.

Hello Blog.....

Posted on 11/2/2008 at 9:26 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

It's me again, summarizing my summer.

I am still passionate about visiting cemeteries (so far just one) to take pictures for www.findagrave.com   I go there before I visit my mother in a nursing home not far from there. She is on a unit for patients with advanced alzheimers. I swear that going to the cemetery keeps me sane. Yesterday, a lady was actively hallucinating about being on a boat, or at least near water. She was calling to some fishermen.  My 81-year-old father visits her 6-7 days a week. I am touched by his love and loyalty, but I am glad that he only stays for a short time. It drains the life out you, really. As a student nurse, I worked on a psych unit 20+ years ago. It wasn't really the 'snake pit', but it was before they had the new drugs that they have now.  As heartbreaking and frightening as it was to see people in that state, the alzheimer's unit is worse because these were people who probably functioned normally their entire lives. These are people who were lucky enough to live to old age and be mostly mobile, but yet were cheated.

Our new dog, Oreo (also known as Puppy, Little One, Oreo Puchini) is doing well. She still needs work with her housebreaking now that it is colder and I can't just leave the door open. She is fighting less with Juice. She is not chewing things that don't belong to her as much. She is very affectionate! Unfortunately, something went wrong with her socialization. She treats us like she treats other dogs: She greets us by sinking her teeth into us. There is no aggression, only tail-wagging, so I know she means well. We are working on it. Adopting dogs from shelters is so rewarding. There might be another whippet in our future, though.

Yay! It's NaBloPo...something!

Posted on 11/1/2008 at 8:39 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Which means that I can no longer neglect this poor, neglected blog!!

Dear Blog, dear NEGLECTED Blog: Here is what went down this summer...

I have been working like never before. I am torn between being territorial about our new paperless system, "Mine, all mine!" and expressing my need for help, "HELP!!"  It's become a way of  life. With the paper system, I was down to a few hours in front of the t.v. or in the yard. I did not try to cheat my company. I always made it clear that I could handle more work. I volunteered for "special projects". I did not cut corners to finish early.  Now,  when I'm home, I'm working. I don't really mind because I have bad legs from an old running injury, so lots of housework is out of the question. I am obsessed with getting work done. See, I work by the 'item' and there are hundreds of items, sometimes up to 2000+. If I slack, more work just piles up on top of the old work. It's still up to me to complete it.....Good thing I've adjusted. Me, the team player. Me, putting the company first. Me, work obsessed! Wow!

We lost our 15 1/2 yr. old dog Arie. He was the first dog we ever owned; neither of us had a dog as a child either. It was harder than I thought it would be for me because I had been pressuring my husband for months that we should have him put to sleep. My husband is actually taking it better than I thought he would.

It's Happening Again and I Hate it.

Posted on 10/8/2008 at 12:23 PM by Fightingfemale - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Market Day problems. I hate it when somebody makes it their mission to revitalize Market Day. I hate the PFE (PTA) scenario. I got out of that years ago, with it's politics and meaninglessness. Sure it's great to earn money for the schools, (usually for parties, a beanbag chair for the library, etc.) but I've had it with sitting for 1/2 hr. while people debate whether to have water bottles or popsicles for Field Days. Ugh! I'm not Miss High Powered Career Executive who has no time for that, but I do have a job that keeps me VERY VERY busy. Even if I didn't, I think I'd rather have root canal than sit through that. Just pick one and move on. I don't look down on women who don't work, nor do I think that everybody PFE member is trying to satisfy her need for power and decision-making because this is her only outlet. But still......

Some career PFE people have taken interest in my Market Day sale site. That's right, I said 'my'. I appreciate the help, but I am used to making the decisions. I'm not talking about major decisions like money allocation, but just how things are done. If I want to pick up the forms from the schools, don't insist that someone bring them to my house. I know what works for me. I love that a Market Day customer and a person who has only been to one sale, take the liberty of meeting with the principal to design a table layout without consulting me. The weird thing is that these people never argue. I know that I am going to end up blowing up. In the real world, we would know who the boss is so we would know who has the final say. In the real world, I would say something like, "I appreciate your help and interest, but I am the site coordinator and I need to be able to make the final decision". Nobody ever says anything like that. They are all smiley-friendly. Of course, I have seen terrible fights erupt at the district meetings, but usually they are all smiley-smiley. Maybe I really don't give myself credit. Maybe these people have never had basic classes on how organizations run.

I can only hope that these people get bored or learn that this site is never going to make a million dollars, get a ton of volunteers for very long, etc.and go perform their heroics elsewhere in the district. In the meantime, I don't know how much more I can take. Since these people are not in the business-mode, I am going to have to redouble my assertive vs. aggressive communication. "Wow, it must have been hard for you to come up with a layout since you haven't had the benefit of seeing how the sales are fun. I wish I had known so I could have been there to help. I can always hav them rearrange things if..." Am I power hungry too? I suppose. I am definitely territorial. Extremely territorial. Usually people who are in the business mindset are wary of stepping on peoples toes. "I know that you would never (intentionally?) step on someone's toes, but I really need xyz to be abc". "

I'm doomed.

Of course, why do I need the hassle? What do I gain from it? Not money, that's for sure. My husband thinks that people think I get free food. My husband says that nobody volunteers because it's not a high profile position where they can stroke the principal. Worry that I'm going to overtax my legs moving boxes and worry that people will think that I'm just lazy. Calling 50+, sometimes ++++people to remind them to pick up their orders. Lugging  the orders to the freezer when they don't show up. Quieting my screaming kids who want to get home. My husband always tells me that I should offer them the position if they would like to run Market Day. I just don't want people telling me that I should do 'A' when I want to do 'B', when either is equally good. I remember from one of my early nursing courses more than 20 years ago that there is delegating, power, authority...if you are given a job to do, then you need to have the authority to carry it out. How did it go? You can delegate power, but not authority...I don't remember. But I am certain that if someone has a title/position, even a voluntary one, that it's not a good thing for people who have other titles to come in and start managing/changing things. At the very least I am going to have to say, "It is hard for me to keep track of the changes that other people are making. I'm not a major corporate person, but I am lost without an organization chart". Somehow I am going to have to take back control and stop things from getting out of hand.

I am doomed.