When it comes right down to it… Despite all of our bitching and whining… Our bemoaning the long hours and how little we get to see of the rest of the convention… When it comes down to it, every single staffer is a bit of a masochist. No matter what we SAY, we love the pain. We enjoy the waking up early and the long hours, we revel in trumping each other with stories of how late we partied, how few hours’ sleep we got and how damn early we had to be at “work”.

We love it, every last one of us.

And yeah, we all need a break eventually, there’s no point in burning yourself out. But as much as we claim that we’re forced into slavery, as much as we grin and nod when a fellow peon tells us about how Duncan wouldn’t take no for an answer… We all know there is no “safe word”. We are all comfortable with actually saying the word, “No.” But we also realize that saying the word, by actually saying No and meaning it, the fun will end. You’ll let us off without question, with but a smile and heartfelt appreciation for all we’ve done. And that would be it. We’d be free to “enjoy” the con.

But we all know, there’s a line between “us” and “them”. Between those who run the con and those who simply show up. (We call that line the gophers.) But in truth, it’s an actual barrier, a social divide if you will. We don’t look down at them, they don’t look up at us; we all stand on equal ground… But we accept that without us, there would be no them. They know it too. And to have been on this side of that divide, to receive their appreciation, to know the power that comes with being “in charge”, well… it’s an intoxicating thing. Because as much as we bitch… We LOVE what we do and we love who we do it with. To walk away from that, would to walk away from everything and everyone that makes us enjoy the con. Yeah, we’d be “free” but what exactly we’d be “free” to do is something that, well, is beyond most of us.

As I always say:
When a masochist says, “Hurt me.”
A true sadist replies, “No.”

You sir, are as much a masochist as the rest of us. And we love ya for it. Because we all know you’ll never tell us, “No.” And so… we happily return the favor.

I suppose my point being is, thanks for just reiterating yoru points of confidence and how you feel about staffing and volunteering. It eases my own guilt slightly of “but that’s what I’ve ‘always’ done!” (And double-besides, I think Rooth who effectively ‘took my spot’ is more than happy to hop in place!)

I’m sure you’ll do a smashing job as the Chairman! I know you have the determination to get a crew of willing staff and volunteers and make that con a hell’ve a fun time for all attending.

Other conventions, that I’ve tried to help with – no such chemistry. In fact, felt more left out when I tried to help… and decided it wasn’t fun, and not worth it either.

So while I congratulate you highly on being selected as Con Chair, I also offer you this perspective, from a leader in my own field: “Don’t forget that not every team works the way you expect it to, and real leadership is about not only those who put forth 100% – but that they would be willing to do it again, and then put forth 110% next time – because they want to work that much better for you.”

For years and years as I was growing up, people always assumed that I would do something in computers or IT, but as I started college I realized that I liked computers as a hobby. I did it for fun, and as much as I enjoyed them, I didnt think I would enjoy working on them..because that just makes it work.

No one in my family seemed to understand that.. you summed a lot of that up perfectly.
Bravo!