Fun and Not So Fun

This past weekend was the final big push in getting ready for the Reception and Workshop this weekend.  I am truly blessed to have lots of wonderful support and helpers from my Chapter and from all over my area to truly show that many hands make light work.  Two work parties later, we are all ready to go, at least on all the things that can be done ahead of time.  The "day of" tasks and the thousand and one "punch list" items is still a little daunting.  Still, we've got four evenings to get the punch list done, well, okay really three because I have my nail appointment on Thursday, well okay, really two because we may have a practice or run through on one of those, okay, really one because Friday has already been eaten by "day of" tasks . . .well, maybe I can get stuff done during my lunch hours. :-)

Of course, the rest of the Eastern Star world isn't holding still while I get through this count down either.  There are other receptions for other Grand Officers on the weekends that follow my weekend of events and so I also owe some people scrapbook pages for those, but on the other hand, there are loads of empty evenings after this weekend to do that, five whole evenings, well, okay, maybe four because I fly out on that Friday, and well, maybe three because I have to pack on that Thursday, well, okay, maybe two because my Chapter meeting is that Wednesday, well, okay, maybe one because I have to work late one of those nights to make up for leaving early on Friday, so okay, yeah, one night, three scrapbook pages.  That can be done, right?  I mean who needs to buy groceries or clean house or any of those other silly things, yes?  I can eat fast food and do scrapbook pages, sure!

So maybe I've gotten to the point where nothing gets to get on my task list without a time estimate and yes, sleep is highly overrated anyway!

So, honestly, the preparation part is stressful but it can be fun too.  Having a great bunch of people help you get great things done is awesome! So while sleeping every now and then would be nice, I will just have to catch up on that another month.

What is not so fun is the number of people who keep telling me that they "know" who I've chosen to go with me and that they've "known" since last year or they go to some guy that they think it might be and tell him that they "know" it is him and how much they will enjoy his year.  I keep reminding myself that it would not be polite to say a bad word to these people.

If people want to guess on their own, or even in their Association or social group, that's fine and that can be fun as a game.  I have one group who told me that they discussed it at an Association meeting and wrote down their guess in an envelope and they are going to bring the envelope to the reception and see if they guessed right.  That sounds like great fun as long as they are happy whether they are right or wrong.

But people telling me that they knew last year, when I didn't even know last year is just annoying.  And teasing one of the eligible men is just plain mean.  It hurts people's feelings A LOT!  If they are the guy, then you force them to lie to you, which is awkward and embarrassing, and if they are not the guy, how much more embarrassing to be thought of that way and then to have everyone find out that it isn't you.  I don't want to spoil people's fun of guessing, but if anyone out there thinks it is fun to be teased "I know who you've chosen, I know who you've chosen, ha ha ha-ha ha, neeener, neener, neeener" then they have a very weird sense of humor.

It also causes hurt feelings because there are rules for the timing of asking people to do certain things and breaking the timing makes it look like you don't care about others.  A Grand Line lady is not supposed to ask a man to serve with her until she is Grand Conductress.  Has the rule been broken in the past?  Yes.  Is that good? No.  Did I ask my guy before the proper time?  No.  So anyone who "knew" when I was Associate Grand Conductress must be precognitive, since even I didn't know.

The same is true with asking people to serve as Grand Officers.  You aren't supposed to ask anyone until you are Associate Grand Matron, but I've got people starting rumors that I've asked a Grand Marshal already.  Reality - I haven't asked anyone and won't until the right time and truthfully, I haven't even made a final decision on who I am going to ask, so anyone who says they know is three steps ahead of me.  And the discomfort of teasing people is just as bad for the Grand Officer appointees.  They aren't supposed to say anything until they are announced and so asking people forces them to either lie or get their feelings really hurt because if they say no and they really aren't one of the ones chosen, how hurtful!

So if I could make one wish, not only for myself, but for those still before me and for those that come after and for every person that some day may find themselves considered for any Grand Officer position, it would be for people to spread the word that asking ahead or teasing ahead is just not fun.  Guess among yourselves all you want, but don't tell me or any other Grand Line officer that you "know" their choices for AGP or Grand Officer and please, if you have any mercy at all, don't ask people if or tell people that they are one of the "chosen".

Next weekend, I am here in San Jose for the Conductresses Reception and the combined Conductress/Associate Conductress/Associate Patron designee Workshop.  It promises to be an amazingly fun weekend and I will probably be the happiest person on the planet next Sunday afternoon.