Tuesday, October 23, 2007

I really wish this is where my feet were right now. They be tired and wanting some TLC.

After working all day I spent from 4-9 at a bookstore passing out bookmarks I designed for my theatre group. We were doing a fundraiser at the bookstore, and if people tell the cashier they want their purchase to help our group, we get about 20% back from their purchase. My school has done these for years, so I'm not new to the whole thing. I'm annoyed because we couldn't even get enough people to volunteer to stand there for an hour and pass out bookmarks and explain to people what to do, and only three of our whole group even came to buy anything and support the cause. So... I got to stand there for almost the entire time and do it-- we usually have 2-3 people passing them out, tonight there was a good chunk of time I was there by myself. I organized it, I created the bookmarks, I got them run off and cut, I was there the whole 5 hours. I feel like the little red hen..."Who will help me make the bookmarks? Not I! Not I!" "Who will help me pass them out? Not I! Not I!" I feel like saying "Who will get the profit from this fundraiser? Not you! Not you!"
Three people from school took time to stop by and make a purchase-- I was very happy to see them. 1) It helps the group. And B) It's boring to stand there and make strangers take bookmarks, so it's nice to see a face you know.
I'm pretty assertive when people walk in the door-- "How about a bookmark tonight? If you show this to the cashier when you check out, our group gets a percentage of your purchase as a fundraiser". I don't hesitate--I just walk right up to them as they come in. B said "How do you do that? I have a hard time doing that". He also pointed out that when we go to the stage door of some show we've seen, I walk right up to whoever we are there to see and stick out my hand and introduce myself (and him). He says he's glad I do that because he doesn't think he could do it. Ummmm.... okay, then we'd really be in trouble if neither one of us did it.

And I find this all really weird because I'm not great at small talk and I don't feel particularly extroverted. I guess I just feel like I don't want to regret later not stepping up and doing the talking or introducing or whatever. And besides--I'll probably never see most of these people again anyway.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think you and I are the same in that way (the same? WHAT?!)

We are both quite gregarious with strangers and staff in stores and restaurants but are uncomfortable trying to sit and chat with people..I hate it, and I'm terrible at it. I always feel like a phony, or that I am being judged.