[Penguicon-Concom] Bylaws bullshit - oh, give it up already!

[Matt Arnold]

On 8/12/06, Ron Blanchett <rrcb21 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Recently does not even come close to it. In the two years that I have been
> volunteering to work with you all on this convention I have seen nothing but
> bitching, bickering, fighting, complaining, etc, etc, etc...
> I wonder more and more every year how in the HELL we get anything done with
> just about everyone carrying on the way they do all of the time. If it isn't
> everyone jumping on the band wagon to complain about someones latest comment
> on one of the mailing list, which are supposed to be used for collaberative
> discussion by the way not fighting over updating the bylaw, getting in a
> argument with Rob because you misunderstood something he said,or celebrating
> his departure from the convention. Then it is everyone getting bitching
> because they don't think that someone isn't doing there job the way they
> would have done it. Sometimes even somepeople choising to micromanage
> everything to the point of people not wanting to work with them. I have seen
> all of this over the last two year and I am discusted by it.
>
> I hate to say this but to me it is starting to look like Year 5 might be the
> last year the Penguicon will be in existance, only because right now we are
> effectivly down to a two person board and no one is stepping up to fill in
> the gaps. Also at this very moment I am starting to feel just like Rob and
> Tracy and it is only because none of you seem to be able to get along with
> each other long enough to get any real work accomplished. If half of you put
> the time that you but into bitching, complaining, fighting, etc, etc, etc
> into getting something real accomplished then maybe just maybe we would be
> able to put on that much better of a convention every year.
>
> Ron
> Webmaster (but not for long if this shit keeps up)

Ron,

Let's try to keep in mind the large number of Penguicon volunteers who
don't have conflicts with each other. It's difficult to keep them in
mind because they don't speak up in tempestuous email threads. Most
remain silent, but they are there. A disproportionate number of emails
have concerned complaints or arguments, because people are more likely
to email when they see a problem that needs solving than they are when
they see something good to praise. But that is not an accurate
representation of Penguicon, the people who run it, or the people who
attend it. It's just the squeaky wheels getting the grease, and that
skews the perception so that it seems as if it's typical of us all.

It's possible that the problem here is too much email, creating this
mis-perception, and not enough in-person meetings where we see the
happy people as they sit there smiling silently, not having anything
bad to say.

As for having effectively two board members, there are people who are
willing to step up to that, and they will be instated.

-Matt