Just a Camp Counselor Life

Every time my boss brings up something new or asks a question about something we do, I get to regurgitate Girl Scout lore that even her boss doesn't know.

Me to membership manager: So how many troop do y'all usually make in a month?

Manager: well, it depends, but we made 48 new troops last year.

Me: Sooooo, my goal of making 20 new troops in the next 2 months isn't realistic?

Manager: *stares*

Hey y'all, well, it's been a wild month. I was supervising a FT staff member, last week was her last week, and now I've been informed that we aren't replacing her. I will take on 6 troops (like as the leader), all the admin work, curriculum writing, and recruitment from her job, plus all of my old job, plus all the new elements of my promotion this fall.

In other news, I did a recorded interview last weekend. Not connected at all...

We'll see what pans out. I would have a really hard time leaving Girl Scouts, though I know that I wouldn't truly be leaving, I'd come back to volunteer or be a event staff or whatever.

I tried to explain the guilt I would feel, leaving [council] in the state I would leave it in. Because they would absolutely need to cancel things, or significantly decrease them. And I know I'm not the only person considering leaving.

If the entire program team quits, what will they do?

Anyway, that wasn't the point of this point. The point is that things are actually not horrible. Things feel doable. I'm exhausted, but I'm going to trade cookies for troops, and still get it all done.

I am grateful that my boss seems eager (and actually willing) to help. A welcome change.

I'm doing my best in a mess of a situation and everything will be ok.

Me: sitting in a meeting where I am highly nervous

My cat: jumps into my lap

Me: sweet, kitty snuggles for soothing

Demon cat friend: plops in my lap and starts smacking my chin, then claws on to me when I try to remove him

I'm gonna start a jar.

It's called the sewing badge jar.

And every time someone asks me about the "sewing badge" (hint: there is one (1) badge for 9-10th graders that could maaaaaybe be considered sewing/sewing-adjacent), I will add a quarter.

And when I finally get a new job, I'm going to buy so much ice cream with my quarters.

I have to cold call people tomorrow (for work) and the social anxious gremlin in my brain is already howling about it.

My camp/council is currently experiencing an uptick in parents being like, oh, we don't allow sleepovers in any way. Not that this is new, there's always been parents who are like that, but since COVID there are more.

I can't think of anything witty to say, but I'm trying. I did some lettering last night of a favorite quote:

(Mary Ann Radmacher)

I am sorry to say that my glasses disintegrated (couldn't spell this word, took 3 tries for spell check to guess what it was) on my face this morning. The internal string broke & the metal snapped and they fell off my face as I was grabbing my car keys like some sort of nightmare.

But I was awake.

And trying to take the cat to the vet.

Read on if you'd like the full saga + picture

Volunteer who is former staff: So you still doing STEM too?

Me: Yeah?

Volunteer: And outreach, and what else?

Me: *lists out my major areas*

Volunteer: Ah, so [council] hasn't changed...

Friends, a few weeks ago I made a nerve wracking call, but it gives me great joy to report that it was to deny the GOP convention a GS flag ceremony.

Boss: I was 5 minutes late and [volunteer] looked at me and said, this started 5 minutes ago. Didn't even greet or smile at me! I'd never even met her before!

Me, internally: Yeah, my friend, not everyone is bubbly & smiley all the time... similar to your problems with me not being constantly social & bubbly like you, not all the volunteers are like you... and they're still good volunteers.