greetings from las vegas
Long nails, small laptop, so don't grouch, ya'll. Am enjoying some sun and fun with friend Carol who has a book up for an EPPIE award at EPICon tonight, and with a couple of new friends, Michael and Angelo (and yes...those are their real names, and no they didn't plan it that way). We've been here since Wednesday, and I didn't get around to blogging prior to leaving home.In a nutshell, Nevada is still lovely - Hoover Dam area in particular. Carol, Michael, Angelo, and I took a day trip today. I'll show photos once I'm back home. Promise.
Got to meet JP Bowie and partner this week - Jim made dinner for us Friday night at his place (he lives near here). Marvelous meal - good company, good conversation. Told them I'm putting myself up for adoption next week if they're interested in taking me. *g* And this was before the red wine with dinner and the margaritas later at the casino. I don't get toasted often, but Friday night was a toasted night for Sunny Lyn.
Mr. Bowie gave me one of the few remaining copies in print of MY VAMPIRE AND I, and it's a hoot, I'm loving it.
I honestly can't say much about the conference itself, because I attend the 1st morning meeting that seemed like a bitchfest about members (I'm not one - I'm a guest of one) who didn't volunteer enough, and...frankly, I never went back. We somehow managed to miss the breakfast, and the lunch was late in getting set up that same day. That was 2 days ago. I'm going to the banquet tonight, but I wasn't interested in any of the seminars or other meals after that. I hope they're wonderful and well-worth the money for the rest of them, though - sincerely. I just wasn't feelin' it.
I applaud any organization who is all about the writers, one that encourages its people to become better at their craft, to submit, to meet up with publishers and other writers. I just don't have a stong affection for 8am sour attitudes. God bless all those who do volunteer, and God bless those who would if they could. And for those who wear themselves out volunteering, take a break, force someone else to step up to the plate, or let the organization do like the businesses who can't come up to scratch - let 'em fall on their asses until they can reorganize.
And no I'm not a republican. I just don't believe in feeding those who mismanage. I believe in feeding those willing to fix themselves. Call me what you will, but emotional bankruptcy is there for a reason, just like the other sort. Regroup. Recover. Reconsider. And reorganize once you've done the other three. *shrug* Just my 2 cents.
I may wish to Heaven that I'd never said those words, because I've been on both sides of the handout. Emotional and otherwise. I know what it's like to burn out, to lose hope, to lose strength, and to lose period. But once I took my own pulse and started being kind, nice, etc to others, even the pricks, life became not only more bearable, but more enjoyable.
And I have no idea why that one meeting set me off on this tangent. Probably because I lost some good friends when I quit volunteering, when I shoved the responsibilities back onto them and told them I'd had it. I still think they were wrong in demanding so much of me, but I think I was worse when I forced myself to do more than I was capable of handling at the time.
Hugs to all.
~Sunny Lyn
p.,s. If you were looking for a more writer-professional blog from me, I blogged over at Total eBound last night around midnight.
http://www.totalebound.blogspot.com/
posted by Bobbie (Sunny) Cole @ 4:10 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Glad to hear you're having a good time out west, and I completely understand "volunteer burnout" and the crumbling foundation of relationships because of it. I volunteered in every writers' group I was a part of until about 3 years ago. I'd been doing it for 11 years or more and realized one day I had ceased to care. Going through the motions is no way to inspire and enhance creativity if you have NO INTEREST in the outcome. That being said, I do realize sometimes you need to put your head down and slog through the s**t to get through to the other side. Demanding that you continue to wade through the same bull because no one else in their right mind would do it--that's something else entirely. Since I quit "stepping up to the plate" I've found myself persona non grata in groups I helped start, like I have a contagious disease and nobody wants to be infected.
honey, I feel ya :(
The good thing about getting honest with ourselves and not over-taxing ourselves is that the friends who are still around afterwards are treasures to be polished and kept. I love me some honest friends - lol.
thanks for posting - have a great day and great feelings about supporting yourself first.
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