FirePhrase: Zip

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Zip

Okay. I’m trying to pull up my big girl panties and be an adult about this. It doesn’t mean anything. Not really. Just to me.

The Performing Arts Center has a really nice little website where you can sign up for shifts. It shows you everything that’s available, and tracks what you’ve done. And you can set yourself a goal of hours to volunteer and it keeps track of your progress. Or not. It’s not mandatory.

But let’s face it. I’m very goal oriented. I set myself a goal of 100 hours this year. Given that I started in February, it seemed reasonable. And it’s a nice number. 100. I like it. And I was racking up my hours. I was at 76, people. I was going to make it with time to spare. Not that anyone else would have noticed. But I would notice. I would hit 100 and give myself a mental gold star. I love the mental gold star. Nobody else was paying attention. But I was paying attention. I had a gold star in my hand. I was that close.

Then they switched the system. Today. And suddenly, I have a goal of 100. And ZERO HOURS accumulated. God. Damn. IT. Zero. Goose egg. Nada. 76 to ZERO. Aaaaaaggghhhh! Feel my pain! Feel my PAIN!! I’m resorting to capital letters. It’s that bad. BAD.

Not that they’ve completely disappeared. They are on some spreadsheet somewhere. I can still use them to get a ticket. But that’s really not the point. I was sooo close. Obviously, they do not understand the value of intangibles as incentives. Especially to goal oriented people who really, really, really like to see that 100% complete. I’m now at 0%. Big, fat zero. I’m so crushed. Gutted. Gutted, I tell you.

7 comments:

WashingtonGardener said...: you should definitely alert the volunteer coordinator and the theater web master - not cool - people like to see their #s go up!

BTW am doing my Dallas site-seeing research in next few nights - going to Dallas Tourism web sites and articles to see what is out there of interest - then subtracting what I've seen in previous trips and what GWA will be taking us to visit - got any sites you recommend?; September 2, 2010 at 2:18 PM
FirePhrase said...: I'm not sure there's anything that can be done about this time. Though maybe they can change the beginning of the year to the opening of the season to prevent this happening again. Also, they've changed the handbook to say that the ladies uniform will change form a tie to a "scarf". This is giving me huge anxiety. I have no idea what that means, and I'm afraid to find out.

I sent an e-mail to your yahoo account a bit ago with links to 3 suggestions. Cowgirl Hall of Fame, Discovery Gardens and the World Aquarium. There's also the Book Depository Museum, the Old Red Courthouse, the Dallas Museum of Art and the Bishop Arts District. And if we get really stuck for fun, there's always the free trolley ride.; September 2, 2010 at 2:24 PM
glorm said...: WashingtonGardener, are you interested in old sewing machines, if even from a historical point of view?

I don't know if this is still there because it's been years since I've been there. It the The Antique Sewing Machine Museum in Arlington. It's a small place and the time it takes to go through it depends on how interested you are.

JB, could you please look it up and let me know if it is still there (or if he has moved) so I don't steer people to it only to find out that it is gone? Thanks.

As you once said, you think of your blog as a place where people can come and chat a bit with each other, etc. (I loved that post so much that I printed it out. LOL) Thanks.; September 2, 2010 at 4:10 PM
glorm said...: P.S. Forgot to comment on your hours. I fully understand your frustration. This sort of reminded me of Catch-22 where the pilot almost has his hours, then they raise the hours.

Yours just went to zero. Dang. I think you are doing a wonderful thing and the site should reflect that.; September 2, 2010 at 4:12 PM
FirePhrase said...: Looks like the Sewing Machine Museum closed in 2000, and the collection was sold off. Pity. You'd think maybe there was a place for it. Maybe in Branson. And I do like to think that my blog is a place where everybody knows your name. Or at least internet handle.

I've been back and looked at my zero. It just depresses me. Especially since there' no way I'll make it to a 100 on the meter by the end of the year. Sigh.; September 2, 2010 at 4:47 PM
glorm said...: Thanks for checking. I hope the machines went to good homes (or other museums).

Again, I am so sorry about the zero. Did this happen to everyone who volunteered?; September 2, 2010 at 5:25 PM
FirePhrase said...: I recently found out that the bulk of Roy Rogers's museum collection went to good homes, so there's always hope.

And yes, it as a mass hit on the hour totals. I'm probably the only drama queen who's crying about it to the world though. . .; September 2, 2010 at 5:47 PM