Hazards of Volunteering

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Okay, I'll keep this brief as possible. I volunteered to do some editing for an animal rescue operation. When I spoke with the guy on the phone he told me that his marriage ended because of the dogs, that his mother was a poet. The 2nd conversation we agreed to meet at a bar with an Irish name and he told me he liked that because his mother is Irish. Where are the dogs? Do I need to hear this information?

When I met him at said bar, (this in itself was like an Internet date, "what do you look like? I'm 6' something and have this color hair) he talked about his mother again. This, on top of the kind of grandiose "spiritual/poetic" language he was using on his website. He ends his emails to me-- "All heart"

Okay, so I send him the edited version of a letter that he wants to send to a pet food company asking for sponsorship. I took out the words like "revolution" and some of the other repetitive nonsense that would have a potential backer tossing the letter in the mail.

Well, I get his response. Suddenly I am no longer the person of strong character and spirit, but a person who is not living up to her potential talents, etc. He even used some baseball metaphor about how to be a star.

What an ass. I wrote him back telling him it's his letter and I am editing it. I am a volunteer-- oh, and don't condescend to me.

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Obviously, this man has no clear boundries. I would look for another volunteer job.

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Well, this sounds good, Gala. Your first meeting was in a public place, and you communicate by email, so you've probably withheld your address and phone number? Back away from this; gracefully if possible - otherwise, not.

You do know what they say about classifications of fools, don't you? Plain fools, damn fools, and volunteers.

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Phoenix32890 wrote:

Obviously, this man has no clear boundries. I would look for another volunteer job.

Exactly-- no clear boundaries, Phoenix. I'm off his volunteer list, it didn't take much to be summarily ejected from this position. All I had to do was state some boundaries and in his mind, I am no more.

One more thing, as a prelude to my editing the letter, which he was slow in sending to me, he sent this excerpted tidbit while I awaited the exalted document:

"It will take a little effort and trust for us to start connecting synergistically and then we will make the best team possible to create the best informational website possible. I really feel a good grounding in your spirit of what you can bring to the organization, so spread you wings and learn how to fly, do what it takes till we reach the sky."

Not only is his mini-lecture inappropriate, it's about as cliche as it gets. I have little patience for people who speak in cliches, let alone, unexamined veiled sexual references.

Two words: Nut Job.

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roger wrote:

Well, this sounds good, Gala. Your first meeting was in a public place, and you communicate by email, so you've probably withheld your address and phone number? Back away from this; gracefully if possible - otherwise, not.

You do know what they say about classifications of fools, don't you? Plain fools, damn fools, and volunteers.

Hi Roger, I don't feel any kind of physical threat from the guy-- more a psychological one. My gut instinct told me something wasn't right-- re his giving too much personal information which wasn't pertinent to the work at hand. He possessed a profound self-absorbtion, more so than the average focus we all direct toward ourselves.

Cripes-- being a fool can be positive at times. Being a volunteeer, so far, has been a lil' slice o' Hell. Thanks for the classification. I think I'll take that crown and sit in the corner for a little while.

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Oh, there's plenty of fulfilling and fun volunteer work out there, I think Roger is wrong on that one. I had some of the best times doing volunteer work, and learnt the skills in it that I used to then get jobs.

But this guy you got here sounds very, very, very strange. Run, dont walk..

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That was a bit of the old, conventional military wisdom, nimh. In the army, trust me, it never failed.

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roger wrote:

That was a bit of the old, conventional military wisdom, nimh. In the army, trust me, it never failed.

Someone I worked with a few years ago said the same thing about volunteering and the army-- Never volunteeer for anything. I forget why. somthing about it being thankless, or you're a chump? Why weren't you supposed to, Roger?

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Gotcha, Roger - I thought you were talking about volunteering in general.

(Never was in the army myself, so never had to find out ;-))

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Oh God, I hate when people use those sports/business metaphors.

It's like they think everyone in the world is so stupid, we can't have an independent thought.

Right Gala...he doesn't seem to get the concept of volunteer.

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In Missouri, if you actually use the word "Synergy"....you will be taken out back and shot....with great celebration.

Well, verbally of course, it's use otherwise, in print and such forth, will only draw a standard ass whoopin with a medium to large size stick....the large stick being reserved for those instances in which a child or woman are insulted by the offensive word.

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Chai Tea wrote:

Oh God, I hate when people use those sports/business metaphors.

It's like they think everyone in the world is so stupid, we can't have an independent thought.

Right Gala...he doesn't seem to get the concept of volunteer.

Yep, cliches. This guy is full of them. I often think when someone speaks as new-agey as he does it's a mask for anger and control.

You ought to see the website of the rescued dogs-- he dresses them up in outfits. Poor little beasts, he puts sunglasses on the dogs and they put up with it.

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Obviously, the guy doesn't know when to leave well enough alone!

:wink:

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Yeah, but no one ever mentions syntropy...

except some guy named Albert Szent-Gyorgy, or something like that.

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2PacksAday wrote:

In Missouri, if you actually use the word "Synergy"....you will be taken out back and shot....with great celebration.

Well, verbally of course, it's use otherwise, in print and such forth, will only draw a standard ass whoopin with a medium to large size stick....the large stick being reserved for those instances in which a child or woman are insulted by the offensive word.

Hallelujah.

2Packs, here is an excerpt from an email, which upon rereading makes me want to fly to Missouri and organize said celebration:

Like Love, I can get money from anybody but I want commitment to a vision and to creating success with a grassroots in doing what I have passion and love for and that is rescuing the very animals that their company exist to provide with nutrition. I will try and sync with you more than anyone else that I know because you may be the key to unlock a new reality into animal rescue for children and the future. Keep the vision, purpose and goal within the context of that writing.

Grateful

Allheart

Does the statement "Like love, I can get money from anybody" seem more than odd? Grandiose, bizarre.

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I read that 3 times, and I still don't know WTF it means.

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Yeah the guy sounds a bit odd to me...grandiose fits him well.

In the next town over, there was a guy that used to hang out at the bowling alley...he always spoke in a manner similar to what you might hear in a sci-fi/fantasy movie...Lord Of The Rings for example.

"So, I see that you have ventured into my lair, this disturbs me deeply to have you tread on the same ground as I, it feels as if the teeth of hell are nipping at my soul...a bad omen has been bestowed upon you this night!"

He pointed at whoever he was talking to, the entire time....and he had crazy eyes. Creepy. Anytime I read about or hear someone that comes across as Allheart does...I think of the bowling ally guy.

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Chai Tea wrote:

I read that 3 times, and I still don't know WTF it means.

Funny Chai Tea. With an emphasis on WTF.

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2PacksAday wrote:

Yeah the guy sounds a bit odd to me...grandiose fits him well.

In the next town over, there was a guy that used to hang out at the bowling alley...he always spoke in a manner similar to what you might hear in a sci-fi/fantasy movie...Lord Of The Rings for example.

"So, I see that you have ventured into my lair, this disturbs me deeply to have you tread on the same ground as I, it feels as if the teeth of hell are nipping at my soul...a bad omen has been bestowed upon you this night!"

He pointed at whoever he was talking to, the entire time....and he had crazy eyes. Creepy. Anytime I read about or hear someone that comes across as Allheart does...I think of the bowling ally guy.

You know 2Packs, I think every town, city, place has its version of the Bowling Ally Guy. He sounds more annoying than Volunteer Man as I've described. 1) Science Fiction/Fantasy groupies are embarrassing. 2) Anyone who uses the word lair, much like synergy ought to be flown to the Show Me state and shown your particular brand of hospitality as mentioned in your other post.

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"Lair" in the sense of "fetid den of wild animal" is an accurate description of the bedrooms of many teenage boys.

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