DaWezl's space

Taped the dialogue for the animated parts of the fan video today. Originally Dean was going to perform all the parts, but as it turns out, he only has one 'female' voice, so I ended up helping out at the very end. It was a bit of a challenge for me, as I absolutely hate to do anything the puts me on camera or highlights my voice. I went into animation to always be behind the camera, where I felt more comfortable. I'm not looking forward to having to edit my own voice. I do plan on appearing on camera as one of the fan interviews, which will mark the first time in my life that I've voluntarily chosen to appear on video. (Dean and I didn't even use a videographer when we got married. We didn't even use a photographer either, other than for some portraits after the ceremony, but that's beside the point.) I think I'm going to use Garage Band to import the tracks and edit them down. I've only opened GB once or twice, so this will be a huge learning experience for me, but hey! I have a few weeks to get it done! ;)

Would you look at this?! Safari is letting me write in this blog again, while Firefox won't. Yay! I can get back to blogging on the easier blog!

I kinda feel like I can't post a blow-by-blow description of the cruise.  It's a little like childbirth--if you were there, then you already know how I feel, and if you weren't there, all the words in the world can't begin to describe the magic.  The perfect moment for me was late Thursday night (well, Friday morning) when 300-400 people were transfixed by the jam session on the Lido deck.  No one could pull themselves away, even as the hours grew late and packing still had to be done.  Definitely one of the most wonderful experiences I've ever had in my life.

One of my most wonderful weeks ever...  Looking forward to new adventures in 2008!

I've been heavily involved with volunteer organizations for the past 14 years, and I've learned a few pearls of wisdom that are worth passing on:

1. In an organization with less than 20 members, one person will be the main driver behind the program. In an organization over 20 members, regardless of size, roughly 3-4 people will be the main drivers. This is a natural function of society--could you imagine a pride of lions surviving if all the lions had different plans on how to attack gazelles? If you are in a leadership role in a volunteer organization, don't spend your time whinging about the masses that aren't stepping up to the plate to assist you. It's unproductive and unlikely to change, especially if these followers get wind of your feelings. Given all the demands on a person's life, there's not much incentive for donating time to groups that constantly imply that you don't give enough. Accept the fact that people will give whatever time they personally can and want to spare, and that you and/or your group cannot define the amount of that time. All you can do is try to make the time volunteers do give as rewarding and enjoyable as possible, so that they will have the incentive to come back and give more.

2. Once people have settled into a following role in an organization, they assume that they will be told if something needs to be done. Vague comments like "We're always in need of help" don't really register, because obviously the group has been getting along "fine" so far. If you find yourself in an organization that needs help, you need to be specific when you ask your membership to assist. "Is there anyone who can come on Tuesday evening and stamp newsletters?" "Is there anyone who can sort through those three boxes of donated clothes this weekend and separate them by size?" both work much better than "We really need help with newsletters" or "Can't someone help us manage the donations?"

3. As a side point to that, new volunteers are afraid to take on huge roles, either for fear of failure within the group or for fear that the task will be too demanding for their spare time. Don't waste energy asking repeatedly for someone to tackle a huge job. If no one steps up the first time you ask, table the larger need, and break the job up into small parts that you CAN find volunteers for. When they have fun helping with the small task, and see that they can handle it, they are more likely to step up to the larger task. For example, if you are having trouble finding someone to act as a secretary, try asking "Is there anyone who can keep notes during meetings?" and "Is there anyone who can update our membership list for us and print out labels for the newsletter?"

4. When you do get volunteers, make sure you are ready for them. No one wants to give up three hours of their time only to sit around because no one's ready for them to help. If you are the leader, you need to get set up an hour before the volunteers arrive. When your crew comes an hour later, have jobs ready for all of them, in order of need. "Oh hi Sam! Why don't you get started folding the newsletters." "Maria! Great! So glad you could come! Why don't you sit there next to Sam and start sticking labels on!" Be ready to work in extra people that may show up. "Oh, good! An extra pair of hands! Since you came with Fred, why don't you sit next to him, and pull any of the newsletters that are going out of town. The rest you can put in these trays."

5. Always try to have a reward for your helpers. If your organization can afford it, have some chips and soda when people gather to help. If you are running a shoestring organization, see if there's other intangibles. Maybe sit around chatting for an hour afterwards or find out if there's anyone the helper wants to meet--networking can be a huge draw. Or maybe you can offer perks like the ability to save a couple seats for friends at a speaking event that your group is organizing.  At one event I organize, the people that help me set up get first dibs on the food, and if there's any wine left over at the end of the night, get to take a bottle home with them.   Be prepared if you are established in your field that your name will end up being used as a reference by anyone who spent 5 minutes with your group.  At one point I had to let the hiring managers know that unless I personally contacted them, they shouldn't consider any candidate 'recommended' by me.

6. If you are staging any kind of public gathering, make sure to acknowledge ALL of your helpers with as flowery a description as possible. Everyone likes to get a moment in the sun, and it gives them something to talk about with their friends after the event and provides free advertising to get more volunteers. "Wow, Nancy really was thankful for all of your help!" "Yeah, I had a lot of fun setting up the chairs with everyone! With so many people helping, it didn't take long at all!"

7. While chatting during volunteer activities is fun, be careful about gossip. You don't always know the full extent of social relationships, and the last thing you want to do is cause a schism within your group because you "badmouthed Fred".

8. If you have been trying unsuccessfully to get volunteers for a while and someone in your group complains that you "aren't doing enough", don't blow up angrily at them. Instead set them a challenge. "If you feel that our group isn't doing enough, why don't you plan our June retreat. I'll give you all the details tonight after we finish this meeting."  If the blowhard comes through and meets the challenge, it's a win-win situation.  If they don't come through, they'll never be able to complain during a meeting again without having to face up to their own shortcoming.

9.  Don't take on a martyr complex.  If no one is helping you and you resent it, then simply step down at the next meeting.  Don't spend months bitching to everyone how you "are doing EVERYthing" and how everyone else "sits on their asses".  Remember, if you aren't finding the work rewarding, then why are you doing it?   You don't even have the excuse of "it's what I get paid to do..."   Either someone else will step up to the plate and take over, or there wasn't much interest to begin with, and you would have been the only person putting in energy. 

10.  If you do step down or take on another role, allow the new person room to redefine the job.  They don't have to do everything the way you did.  As long as they have the group's interests at heart, then anything they are doing will be fine.  If you care so much about the position that you can't stop focusing on it, then don't step down in the first place.  But refer back to #9.  If you can't let anyone else do the job, but you can't do it without bitching about everyone else, then maybe...MAYBE...it's time to reconsider why you are doing this to yourself and the group. 

Good luck!

I'm about to leave for the Barenaked Ladies Ships and Dip Cruise.  As I pack my shorts, sandals and sunscreen, I'm also packing a very special bikini.  Yup, the MTV Beach House Bikini!

Back in my pre-kid days, I happened to work in a big tall office building at the north end of Times Square.  One of these places that houses a bunch of different companies.  As it turns out, there were some production offices for MTV in the building with us.  At one point Dennis Rodman had an office on our floor, though no one had ever seen him there.  There were some other notable occupants, but us?  We were fairly boring, unless you asked the secretaries across the way that thought we were a bunch of ill-behaved ruffians.  (Little did they know we snuck over every day and set the volumes on their ringer up a notch so that they gradually got really loud)

Right around the corner from my desk was a huge closet, which kinda blocked us from efficiently doing work.   We didn't know who controlled the closet, nor did we ever see anyone in it.  Until one day when some fairly young 20-somethings came by and opened it up.  It turns out that it was the storage for the entire MTV Beach House wardrobe, and was a virtual treasure trove.  Every two-four months they would come, sort through the contents, and put out large piles of unwanted NEW clothing for us to take.  The guys were the luckiest.  There were hundreds of cool shirts, shorts and bathing suits for them.  At one point I was able to calculate that I'd gotten over $1000 in men's clothing for Dean--and that was just one time.  They did this 3 or 4 times while I was there.

The women otoh were not quite so lucky.  See, if you didn't have a specific build, you were SOL.  Almost all the women in my office were too big.  But there were about 5 of us that weren't, and had our pick of hundreds of pieces of clothing.  I came home that night with armfuls of stuff.  Unfortunately, one thing that MTV prides itself on is trampiness.  So, I soon figured out that even though I could fit into everything I grabbed, none of it "fit" me in terms of personality.  There's only a few places that one can wear tight short shorts and a ripped halter top, and not feel exposed.  I ended up getting rid of a lot of things, but I held onto a bikini that I liked and a top.  After I had Per, the top went out the door too, leaving just the bikini.  But amazingly it still fits!

I can't wait to wear the infamous bikini on the boat!  It's not every piece of clothing that has such an illustrious history!