Changes Have Happened

Well, after nearly two years (and possibly more) of concern, and the threats of this previous January, I finally completed the decision I made last year May.

I resigned (nearly) all of my positions in my astronomy club.

Officially I was the President/CEO, but over the years I had accrued other "duties" that people were not willing to do, but had to be done. I was wearing so many hats, my head threatened to cave in. Here is a list (possibly not complete) of what I was doing for my astronomy club:

Officially - President, and webmaster (I designed the website years ago, so it's "mine.")

Unofficially - setting up monthly meetings (and sending out monthly postcard reminders of the meetings), doing publicity, maintaining and updating the membership database (and sending out renewal notices, welcome letters, etc), setting up public events, editor of the newsletter, sending out communications to the members for everything. I also had to listen to people bitch, and whine, and moan with others - who had the responsibility - didn't do what they promised they would.

There are supposed to be individuals who take care of all of these things. The club's Vice-President is also the chairman of the Programs Committee, and he's supposed to set up meetings, get speakers, do publicity for them, send out reminders, etc. The club's Treasurer is supposed to take care of all membership stuff, including the database and all mailings to members (where their membership is concerned). There is a Publicity Committee, but no one on it. The committee to take care of public events at the observatory has a chairman who doesn't do what he promises. The committee that oversees the observatory has a chairman who doesn't do what he promises. There is supposed to be an editor for the newsletter. There is supposed to be a Membership committee.

But none of this gets done, except by me. Well, not anymore. I've had it. It is now up to the people running the club to get these things done; I'm out. I will continue my membership, use the observatory, maintain the website. But that's it. Don't call me, I'll call you. I plan on not coming to meetings (if we have them - there aren't any scheduled), not coming to public nights at the observatory (or other places). I am going to be like 99.999999% of the membership in our club - I'm not doing to do a damn thing.

The board of directors - and the membership to a lesser extent - brought this on themselves. There's only so much you can expect someone to do before they burn out and need to get away. And now I've gotten away.

There are many reasons why I did this. Perhaps someday I will write about it.