I'm currently not eating for a day for religious purposes. That means I'm Were-add all day and grumpy. That's fine though. I've lived for a good long time before I found out what was happening and I can be just fine... well... I can survive. Problem? I got little sleep last night. May the sweet woman and man I woke up at five this morning for never read this blog. It was very little sleep. I have since had a nap but I'm getting a head of myself.
I have been asked to be in charge of a group of people who transcribe old documents for family history purposes. We are asked to work on at least one page of a census document every week. It's a huge, world-wide project so our part is vital. Every first Sunday of the month we have the great opportunity to meet together and talk about problems we're having, how important the work is, and how we can do better.
The favor: Be in charge.
What I don't know: What I'm supposed to do as a leader.
Task at hand: Lead the meeting.
Problem 1: I've never been to a meeting.
Problem 2: The woman who is supposed to be teaching me is MIA.
I get to the meeting after trying to contact this woman all week especially yesterday in hopes of planning something to do today so that we can make this work better. I really just want this to go smoothly and get as many people to participate as possible. We have some people who have been asked specifically (they signed up and were asked to be on the committee, basically) to transcribe these names (50 each week). They aren't paid... They are students just like myself and the other woman and I'm supposed to make transcribing over 50 names every week (what could very well seem like a simple task but really comes out to be very arduous and painful sometimes) sound as important as it is while admitting that it can be a bit boring.
She isn't there. I just barely found out where the meeting was before it started. We waited and hoped. I asked if anyone had seen her yet that day. No response. She left me completely abandoned at a meeting I've never been to with absolutely no idea what I'm doing and a group of people who don't even know who I am trying to sputter on about something I know so much less than them about for an hour.
There was a whoosh of wind and a sputter of inspiration. I felt like I was throwing up on them. I was already light headed from not eating and residual effects of the medication not to mention the incredible lack of sleep from the night before. I tried to reach out to them and said things I wasn't expecting. I think I did some good but I have to really just give all the credit to God. Thanks!
It ended really well and we got some good things done. She abandoned me again later that day when we met up one last time this week to do some practical application stuff with the transcriptions. I've done that and there's no leadership needed for it. I passed out on my couch after the meeting and was out cold until 15 minutes after the meeting was supposed to begin. Nobody came looking for me (that I know of) and she responded to a text from me as soon as I woke up asking her if she was able to attend as is her assignment (which she only does on occasion so far). She did not. She was sick.
Just a note to all you great people in blog-reading-world: If you have to bail, at least let someone know before you do. Just not showing up is rude and frustrating. To a person who hates being the center of attention (if you know me this may be a surprise, I REALLY HATE being the center of attention) it's just down-right cruel.
Nobody deserves to be left out in the cold. Nobody.
