Why I may not go to Expo this year

For the past two years I volunteered at the Expo. I liked volunteering. When I went I didn't know very many people in this town and the Expo was an excellent opportunity to meet them, particularly last year when I ended up on the inside of things.

So this year I contacted the new group running the Expo and asked if they needed some help. A woman called me and we talked and she was very interested in hiring me to help run the program this year. I even had a personal recommendation from last year's volunteer coordinator, the fantastic John Wolff. I was excited. I would now get paid to run around like a maniac fixing things for four days.

First off, I should have been concerned when she cheerfully ignored my first suggestion. I told the woman about the rooms in the basement and how much everybody hated them and that we really should make sure they weren't in use this year and she said, "Oh well we have to use all our available space." Which means those rooms might be back. She never did ask me for any more suggestions.

But I thought, they will. They promised me a job.

But then they didn't call back. I finally emailed the woman who had been so friendly before and asked what the situation was. I received a very curt response simply stating that they weren't looking at volunteers yet. No acknowledgement that we had ever spoken before.

Whatever. I still want to volunteer. I had so much fun last year.

But then I learned that my first day back from vacation will be Friday of the Expo. It's a day filled with stupid meetings, but it's tough to get out of. And then I realized that with Halloween the following week the parties will probably all be that Saturday night of the Expo.

Then I discovered that while in previous years you were asked to volunteer one day of the week to get credit, this time they're asking for two days.

Screw that.

I already know a ton of people in LA, including several who will be at the Expo. I'm not missing Halloween so I can spend my night cleaning up for people who promised me a job then completely forgot who I was. I do support the Expo, and I might still go as a paying attendee, but I won't be volunteering this year.

This does not bode well for the event to come. And I had so much faith in these people when they were nice to me.