The Silent Auction

It was organized and pretty and snappy and people said, "Wow"

A couple days before the Big Show

Well it's two days till the Big Silent Auction....and I have goosebumps I'm so exhausted and nervous.

Things haven't been going well for the past couple weeks....I take that back....some things have gone well....other things have not.

I'm getting items and donations and they have been logged in...and all is well with the growing stack that will go to the auction.

What hasn't gone well is that I have been stiffed...Yes....stiffed. Someone who I thought was a friend....who was supposed to be my partner for this last month and help me with this phase of the auction...suddenly said "oh sorry" I can't help and went off and did other things. No illness...or family crisis...or pressing problems.....just gee I've lost interest in doing all this work now.

So in the last two weeks I've written 118 narratives ...little write-ups on the donors along with graphics and other things. Things that were supposed to be a job split 50/50.

I've been dog-tired at night......but unable to fall asleep as my adrenaline is high and my hurt meter is also high. It's hard to be stiffed by a person who you thought was a friend....this abrupt...so sorry I'm out of here....without an explanation....has been tough. She has done a few thngs .. probably out of guilt and probably cause some people who have told me I look like shit....have wondered too why she dropped this project to work for someone else.

I have my theories...but even in a somewhat anonymous blog ....it's best to keep my lips glued....as we know....flapping lips can cause a problem.

And to top things off tonight....my wild kitty has not come home for the first time in 2 months. She has grown a lot....made it through freezing temperatures....and today two big dogs where roaming around the neighborhood. She took off and is still hiding or has wandered off and is lost or is hunkered down. She has never missed an evening meal....so of course I am worried...and just lately she has allowed me to touch her more and more....we have a real bond going...and now...I'm worried. And I just said to myself this morning....when this auction is over I'm going to get her a small collar so people will know she's not a stray.

If she doesn't come home for breakfast....I'll be a wreck...just what I need....being a wreck on top of being a wreck for the auction.

I've been looking forward to the day after....but I know in the back of my head there's a lot of paperwork to do....and a lot of followup....including writing up 120 thank you notes by hand.

I've got to remember not to do this again.

The salad that wasn't so innocent.

It's always nice to know no matter how smart you are....or how cognizant you are of your time or lack of it....you can always overextend yourself with no way out.

Meet the new chairman of a major Silent Auction.

How did this happen?

I was taken to lunch by an wonderful woman....and somewhere between my 26th and 27th bite of salad....I think she asked me to chair the auction....how wonderful if I would say yes....how easy it would be for me because I had good organizational skills.

I know I must have paused....but somehow....before the salad was gone....I had said yes.

Now I feel like I'm walking around with a sword hanging over my I head. I have to gather 100 "interesting" items. This is a major fundraising event for a very good and deserving non-profit organization...so it's important to get a wide variety of items that would excite people to open their checkbooks.

I just started ....I have a committee.....and I have 14 items....that means I have 86 items to go. 86 interesting items or donated services.

The sword above my head goes poke poke poke.

The auction isn't till Feb....but no matter....I feel the need to harvest the stuff all now.

Preferably by tomorrow at noon....which ain't gonna happen.

What was in that salad....that made me think I could do this?
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