December 1, 2009

The Great Divide

On Sunday, I spent almost the entire day at the country club, helping to decorate for the holidays. We put up four Christmas trees, yards and yards of lit garland all around the ballroom, and decorated the bar room. When we were finished I was exhausted and I'm pretty sure my surgeon would not have approved of my ladder climbing. However, when you're the youngest one, the job sort of falls to you.

Decorating was interesting to say the least. There were several board members there who are pretty obviously sour about a younger gal like me getting elected. One of them couldn't stop telling me about the 12 years she's been on the board and the hard work it is to be a board member. She was referring to my dragging a Christmas tree across the floor for her. She was also talking about how it's difficult to be a board member when you have young children because they have activities and how younger people just don't have the time. I think I prefer it when they're so sour that they won't even talk to me.

Needless to say, I set the tree up and went to hang out with the men. I was trying to stay polite and I was about at my limit. The men don't seem to mind me very much. In fact, they were more than happy to steady the ladder for me so I could hang the garland at the very top of the wall. At one point, I drove across the street to get some pipe cleaners to fasten to the garland. It will make hanging up the garland next year a piece of cake and perhaps there won't be as much bickering.

Good God the bickering.

When I returned, one of the guys had already told everyone there what a genius I am and how I had such great ideas. He whispered to me when I came back, "This better work. I've been bragging about you." I'm happy to report it worked, perfectly.

I realized a couple things while I was over there decorating. First, I don't think there's any way these older women will ever like me. It seemed to me that they spent much of their time discussing my decorating and trying to supervise me. Some of the guys told me they were talking about me in the other room. It didn't stop me from only hanging six bows on the bar instead of the standard eight. It also didn't stop me and another younger woman from hanging Christmas balls from the garland surrounding the bar. They've never done that before. I'm pretty sure people were about to have a heart attack, but it didn't stop us. One thing they'll learn about me quickly is that I don't back down and I don't like being told what to do. I'm no baby. I figure they'll hate me worse after a couple meetings. If they give me too much trouble, I'll start bringing my 92-year old grandmother with me to the club. She'll give them the smackdown alright. I'm like her favorite person on the planet. Scratch "like;" I am the hands down favorite.

Second, there is much tension at the club between warring factions. I decided that I need to do my best to stay unbiased and objective. I need to look at each decision that comes up individually.

And finally, there is so much to be done, and it is not going to be easy. When you're the youngest person on the board, I think it makes it that much more difficult to convince people you know what you're talking about. I'm going to do it though, or I'll go down trying.

Scratch that "trying" business. I'm just going to do it.