Broke from Taxes
Because of out-of-pocket Penguicon expenses, I have been scrimping and saving all week waiting to get paid today. And then I e-filed last night. I owe my entire $750 paycheck to the government, and they are undoubtedly using the e-filing electronic automatic debit as we speak. It's a good thing I can eat in the Consuite for free next weekend, because my diet will consist of breakfast cereal and peanut butter sandwiches for about a month.
{edited to add: I just filled out the form for Michigan taxes. It is $850. Is there anything I can do at this point now that I've already filed taxes federally?}
Not to mention the fact that my cries for volunteers to the penguicon-general list go unanswered. No one will mount the maps on foam core. No one will take even one shift on the hardware checkin in the computer room. Is fandom universally GAFIAting in a critically-understaffed crisis, or am I just going about recruitment wrong?
Comments
elizilla on Apr. 15, 2005 2:04 PM
The best way to get volunteers is to press gang them one by one, by personally asking specific people to do specific tasks. If they turn you down on the first task, but seem receptive, offer them a different task. When you post things like that to lists, everyone goes into "shopping" mode and waits until an exciting task or fancy title comes along, instead of taking on less exciting things that just need to be done.
I would go to Tracy's move tomorrow and try to get people there to do stuff.
Unfortunately I'm going to be out of town starting Wednesday and will miss the con. And I don't have any more time before the con due to other things I need to do before I leave Weds. But I'm sure people can be found.
Maybe Sharon Myers would mount maps on foam core? She's a graphic artist, she probably knows how.
netmouse on Apr. 15, 2005 2:16 PM
I don't see a message out to the Stilyagi list... have you posted a call for volunteers prominently on the web site? do you have someone in charge of recruiting volunteers? that should be its own department...
mounting maps on foam core is also something we can do Thursday evening after the concom meeting when people gather back at the hotel (you guys are planning to have us do that, right? as I recall, we did last year, but it wasn't much of a working party - it's not hard to make that into a working party if you plan easy work for people to do.)
good luck!
netmouse on Apr. 15, 2005 2:20 PM
I would also comment that a call for volunteers that sounds like a cry for help in a too-sparse overstretched stressed organization will get poorer response than a call that sounds like "come join the fun party and do fun stuff with cool people!" it's a bit of a catch-22, but it's true.
matt-arnold on Apr. 15, 2005 2:38 PM
That's why when I was asked which computer room shifts were still available, I said:
Ron, good news! For your convenience, we currently have time slots from 3:00 PM Friday until 3:00 PM Sunday available. So, this is your opportunity to sign up while hours are still flexible!
Beat the rush!
-Matt
They don't call me Penguicon's Minister of Propaganda for nothing.
netmouse on Apr. 15, 2005 2:41 PM
*grin* although I would hope you also told him how long a shift is...
jeffreyab on Apr. 15, 2005 2:23 PM
Like Katherine said approach people individually.
Also post on LJ and Michigan Fandom and ConFusion Talk.
sarahmichigan on Apr. 15, 2005 2:43 PM
I'm not signed up for Penguicon, but I'll be around the hotel. If there's something specific I can do to help, let me know. I'm planning on spending most of my time relaxing, but I wouldn't mind some kind of time-limited volunteer gig for 2-3 hours on Saturday some time.
tlatoani on Apr. 15, 2005 3:02 PM
On the Michigan taxes thing: you can send it in without the check, suck up a relatively small penalty, and pay it in a few months when they get back to you.
matt-arnold on Apr. 15, 2005 7:37 PM
One of 's co-workers says I can file an extension and make all the claims I need to make, so I might avoid the poorhouse after all!
uplinktruck on Apr. 15, 2005 8:21 PM
We'll pass the hat for you during the con. Why I'll bet we could raise at least three quarters, a couple dimes, some pennies and Chinese Planchet.
ded-guy on Apr. 15, 2005 9:35 PM
I'm pretty sure I have a One Yuan bill lying around somewhere.
treebones on Apr. 18, 2005 11:28 PM
While the PenguiCon General list is, in theory, the equivalent of the Stilyagi list, I do not believe it is actually as well-subscribed or as well-read. Hasn't been around as long, and isn't used as much, I suspect. May not be GAFIA...may be that you're not getting the word out to the right people.
Or maybe they were all out doing their taxes. Or moving. (:
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