Tabling

This evening I had the pleasure of tabling with Ludi at Crumley Hall. Ludi was awesome to work with.  She was professional and is a real asset to our organization. We talked to several people and many passers by asked why we were making pinwheels. Nov. 11th is national pinwheel day and it is the day the Board of Regents determines whether the new stadium will have wind turbines to generate clean wind energy. We are filling the green space near the business college with our hand made pinwheels so that we can make a clear statement advocating the use of wind power on campus. Ludi was really good at grabbing people's attention and getting them to ask some questions. Today I say hats off to Ludi.

Tabling is always a challenge from my point of view.  I can offer someone free candy with no catches and they will refuse it out of assuming they are signing their life away just by taking the candy. This is unfortunate and hinders communication. We had a small snafu trying to find the table to table with. That issue  was quickly and pleasantly solved.  We got folks at Crumley to make 13 pinwheels. I felt proud of this small accomplishment. Just being noticed while tabling gets the scent out into the wind.

I came home to SF to try and finish the last 50 of my some 400 pinwheels that I personally made. I am not pleased with the way they all turned out but each is another one for the cause.  I like to be of use...of help so this was nice.  Unfortunately, this didn't last.

On or about 7:30 pm, after normal business  hours, I got a knock on my door from someone with housing. I think it's great when we can all be on the same page and cooperate but this evening was awkward. I was frustrated because one of the representatives was less than kind in her stop by my domicile. The housing representative told me about an event they have tomorrow night. That part was fine but I'd prefer not to be bothered after standard business hours as my schedule demands that I get up early so it also means I go to sleep  early.  The housing representative was in my doorway demanding Go Green swag for their event tomorrow. I find it highly unprofessional to assume that my only function is to provide swag. The event for tomorrow night is not about sustainability in any way. I was given no notice that they would want items.  I find the method of demanding rather than asking if supplies are available via our organization quite tacky.

I bit the big one and explained to her that I have had an event planned at SFT for 3 weeks now for Tuesday the 16th which is about a week away.  All of my available resources are going toward my own programming and so I told the housing rep the truth and that  is that I have nothing to give at this time as my resources are tapped out due to my own planned event.  The housing rep responded that people have tried to contact me before but without luck.

Your humble blogger has had a rough few weeks with deaths in the family and other unexpected goings on. I am really pushing myself to get school obligations in classes, Go Green obligations of tabling pinwheel making and prepping my own event. I am not sleeping much and I am pushing myself hard to get through all of this.
I seriously have no time, energy, or other resources to deal with anything else people could pile on right now.

I have worked on educational initiatives for school children and had supply drives for the homeless here in Denton. I am a soft hearted compassionate soul but even I have boundaries that are not to be crossed. In to to if you want something from me don't try to guilt me into it and don't ask last minute. I am more than happy to help if I just know at a minimum of four weeks in advance.

This week tabling has been much more fulfilling than being badgered by housing representatives making demands.