As of last Sunday, I no longer consider myself a Secular Hub Board Member.
No, it's not because something awful happened. I did not have a knock-down-drag-out fight with anyone. There was no 'come to Jesus' moment for me to leave my hedonistic ways.
My term ran out. And, I decided that, after three years on the Hub board, that it was time to step aside and let others run things. New board gets their official votes and take over on Saturday.
Will I miss it? Of course! I love being in a leadership role. Especially for something that I care so much about.
Will I continue to be a Secular Hub member? Absolutely! There is no way I can walk away from the Hub. It's where all my friends are and I love being a part of the community.
What will I NOT miss? Dealing with whiny bullshit.
Seriously. I did not mind putting on events. I did not mind ordering and restocking supplies. Answering questions about who we are and what we do. Sitting in endless board meetings. Greeting new people. Taking payments. Answering emails. Keeping the calendar. Being a face of the organization.
I didn't mind all those things.
I hated having to deal with people who whined about the organization and how it 'reminds them of a church' or 'it's too liberal' or 'there's not enough women/LGBT/non-white men, etc.'
I agonized when people complained that there were too many events, not enough events, not enough kid-friendly events, and too many kids at events.
I loathed dealing with complaints form the older community that too many things were digital, i.e. emails, social media, electronic billboards; not enough things on paper and written down.
I despised having too many pieces of paper everywhere that the younger generation wouldn't take 'because everything is online now.'
The speakers are too loud!
I can't hear anything!
The lights are too bright!
I can't see anything!
You don't stock my particular off-brand soda that you can ONLY find in Boulder?!
It's too expensive to make a soda purchase at the Hub!
This location sucks!
I'm not paying more for my membership so you can buy a new building!
She called my kid an asshole!
Her kid was acting like an asshole!
I love that I can speak freely here!
I can't believe you allow such foul language from your members!
Why don't you take my suggestions?!
I'm not going to help with what I just suggested! I expect you to figure it out!
All the things I've wanted to complain about for years but haven't because I figured that a member would one day read what I've written and get pissy. Then I'd have to deal with it.
Well, fuck off. I'm done. I've never been so appalled at how 'members of a community' could be this childish. People who are supposed to be more intellectual about life and they still have the same petty issues that everyone else has.
I've had to bury my annoyance at it for a long time, like working customer service but, it's no longer my problem.
I'm officially just a member of the Hub and I can write about it as such.
To be clear: I love the Secular Hub. I love most of the people who are members. I love that it's growing.
And, I especially love that I will no longer be the one that has to field the 20 emails a day about happenings, requests, complaints, and issues.
Good luck, New Board!
