PORCH PONDERINGS

Update

It's over! OctoPrep is finished, and it went well, I think. My records show 31 writers finished within the time limit, plus 4 went over the time limit but finished the assignments. So 35 writers did all the work and are now on to NaNoWriMo and are busy with their novel writing projects, I pray.

There were some good ideas and I hope they develop into viable books.

Things here in Roundup are relatively quiet. Halloween is always a big deal, but not for me. I think it's a waste of time and money on my part, not to mention my faith doesn't think kindly of the witches and goblins, but that's my belief. Lots of folks don't worry about that, and that is their decision. The paper wanted me to cover the Halloween parade, the 'trunk and treat' thing, which is now some kind of big deal. When did that come to be so hot? Well, anyway, she was a little miffed when I said, no, I wouldn't do that. I didn't even hand out treats this year. I will do just about anything else, but not Halloween.

So now the emphasis shifts to the annual Christmas Stroll. The town gets vendors lined up for one night of shopping and events along Main Street. This year the organizer has grand plans. She wants shopping to start at noon and run til 9 PM. I argued the case that it's too long, and people sometimes have to drive at least an hour home. So, fine, we changed it to 8 PM stop. Then she wanted people to start organizing their booths at 8 AM. Well, another problem. The Catholic Church is a venue and they have a Mass that day plus confession and are busy til 11 AM. Another venue, the Baptist church, has an event each Saturday morning til at least 11 AM. So, that isn't available till after that time.

Her grand plans of a 'Hallmark holiday' night are slowly being crushed back to the way it has always been done. Tradition is something you don't want to mess with sometimes. Now I am, as treasurer, having to deal with people all wanting to be in one location. Not paying their booth fees. Not giving me their information. Not getting up-to-date information from the event leader.

Gracious sakes. It will all work out. Somehow it always does. But come January, I have already decided I will no longer be treasurer for the chamber. Enough is enough.