February 22, 2010

• How To Successfully Get Banned From A Charity Event

  A couple of you have been asking how I somehow managed to piss off the American Cancer Society…………………or more specifically, how I got banned from a Relay For Life event. Well, fortunately, it happened during my Xanga years and I posted on it on Tuesday June 7, 2005, which means all I had to do was copy and past what happened here:

  “Today at work, I found out that I fucked up a couple of weeks ago. Our work is participating in something called Relay For Life. I wrote about this a few weeks ago. Its a charity thing for cancer in which you hang out at some place all night and do shit.  They had a little seminar thing at work, in which you can ask questions and shit like that. Well, I was asking questions and in my own little goofy way (you really have to know me and know my sense of humor to understand) asked if “I raise enough money, can they bring my mom back to life?” (my mom died of cancer 5 1/2 years ago). They didn’t seem upset by this and just sorta laughed it off and said no. Well, today, I was told that I was not being allowed to participate in this because I was “rude to them.”. What I find amusing is that I managed to find a way to get banned from a volunteer charity thing to raise money for cancer. And it wasn’t just work. No. The American Cancer Society was there and heard me say this and said specifically that they did not want me to participate. Anywho, I thought it would be a good idea to apologize. I told this one girl who was in charge of the whole thing for our department that I was sorry and wasn’t thinking……….you know, all the shit you are supposed to say when you apologize. She said I should watch what I say, because sometimes I offend people and hurt feelings. She suggested that I go to the HR lady that was in charge of the whole thing and apologize. Not a bad idea. So, I had a couple of hours to think about this. I wanted to apologize directly to the people I offended. I walked into HR and repeated what I said to the other chick. I asked her if I could talk to the others I upset or even write them a letter, but she said she would just pass it on. I guess what I said was so awful, that she didn’t even trust me to make it right with them. Now, obviously, I didn’t intend on hurting anybody’s feelings. And maybe I’m being insensitive here, but you tell me. Are they over-reacting, or am I being insensitive? Or both? It was not a comment or joke about cancer. I would never make any joke about cancer, after all, I know how awful it is. It was merely my way of finding humor with every situation. I can understand them being a little upset, but to ban me from the whole thing is a bit much. I can, however understand that I would be representing my work there and whatnot. But, as is my understanding, the American Cancer Society doesn’t even want me to go even if I were to go and not be a part of my work…………you know, just go on my own. After all, the comment was about my own mother, and it wasn’t mean or derogatory at all. Damn, I’m a social fucking idiot at times.”

  I still remember exactly how it went down too. I was on the phone and a lady was part of our company’s committee came up to me to tell me. When she noticed I was on the phone she told the guy in front of me to tell me that I can’t participate in the event. When I got off the phone he told me and started laughing. At first I thought he was kidding because I’m a lot of things, but I’m usually not rude. So I walked over to where she sits and asked her and the rest as they say, is history. To this day though, a lot of people at work know about it and won’t let me live it down, and rightfully so I might add. One would think I learned from such a situation but really, all I’ve learned is that if what you are joking around about is not bothering at least one person, well then you are just not trying hard enough.
  

  • 10:25 pm
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