Stitch in Public Day

I heard back from my "local" EGA president who sent me the tersest note. Hey, way to get me to join! It turns out that "the leadership" will be at the EGA meeting (the one that coincides with the EGA's planned stitch out) so "nothing is planned."

I've been saying that I start my new job September 2nd so often that it finally dawned on me that "Stitch in Public" day is a Wednesday. Basically this is something for the retired people and the stay at homes, isn't it? The soonest I could get to a mall after work would be 7pm. Have you ever been to the King of Prussia Mall on a weekday evening? We won't be stitching while the crowds go by. We'll be able to hear the crickets! And if there is no one around to see us stitch, what's the point? Basically people who don't work will be displaying that thing they do for...people who don't work. Retired people and stay at home people, no offense, but everyone already knows you do needlework! If we want to bring in new people, we have to find a way to stitch in front of all types. I could go out into the city to stitch on my lunch hour, but one person stitching is just one person. It's all about the group!

It seems to me if you want to attract new stitchers, you have to have this "stitch in public" day on a day when people are going to be out and about. When they have the leisure to stop by and watch or even learn. Better luck next time.

I will continue to stitch on my commute, on planes and in doctor's offices. But I do hope that EGA will reconsider their Stitch in Public day.

I Got Your Opinion, Right Here!

The EGA wrote to me the other day. They are sad that I didn't send them my $40 last September. Will I tell them why? Check all that apply:
[]I no longer stitch. []I have become involved in other activities. []My chapter dissolved. []Meetings are too far away. []Chapter was not welcoming. []Personality conflicts in my chapter. []I did not receive Needle Arts. []I did not read/enjoy Needle Arts. []I did not understand how to participate in educational programs. []Too expensive. []Did not receive a renewal notice. []Complying with EGA formalities was too confusing. []Not interested in class offerings. []Not enough time to devote to EGA. []Don't understand the benefit of belonging to such an organization. []I felt too inexperienced to fully participate.

Here's the sad thing, they are so out of touch my reasons don't even appear. How can I drag my sorry ass to a meeting when the local organization is completely perplexed by women like me; honestly a recent post on their website discussed how to include working women as if we were some new and strange breed. Also, the local chapters, hell dude, no chapters seem to be doing things that I find particularly interesting. OTOH, I don't want to be sitting in my house by myself all the time. (Nine days to camp!)

I spent several years floating about as a Member-at-Large, and I never really understood what I was a member of. What was I supposed to be doing? I know people will say I should join the Cyberstitchers, but honestly, I belong to a number of boards and listservs, and I don't feel particularly connected to those people either. Mostly I think, why do these people feel the need to share all of their thoughts with us? Why can't they just shut up? Everything everyone does is just super! Good for you! I feel like we should be getting stars pasted to our foreheads. I often have to hold my tongue because I think such antisocial things. Like, this is from a totally different situation, and I feel horrible saying it aloud, but it's totally been bothering me. On a list I am on, a woman's teenage niece was recently killed. The niece's obit said she wanted to open a shop in New Hope, PA because of the "diversity of people" in the area. Diversity in New Hope? I haven't been there in a while, but diversity? in New Hope? When you live a stone's throw from Philadelphia where there is a diversity of people? It's was all I could do not to ridicule a dead girl.

And that's why I didn't renew my EGA membership.