I've signed on with MoveOn.Org to help in their get out the vote campaign. Last week was my first session, and tonight I shall do another hour of calling.
It's not as bad as I thought it could be, although there were a couple of cranky old people who cursed at me and hung up the phone (my first call!!!). I don't know, I'm old and cranky enough myself and I have a great deal of experience of handing back exams to students, so it would take a lot for someone's anger to really hurt me. I did contact 3 people who are now going to vote who wouldn't have before, so I feel good about that.
I would like to say that I have now developed preferences for how to handle folks who are calling you that you don't want to call you. Just kindly say "Oh, thank you, but no" and hang up. It takes a split second more than just hanging up and it's, well, kindly. We have a button that we can click that says "hung up" so it's not like we're not expecting it. But it just makes everyone's interaction a bit more pleasant.
We also have a button that says hostile. Don't be hostile. It will come back and bite you in the butt. Not from MoveOn.Org, but sending that kind of random mean karma out there is just not good.
If you are interested in helping, sign up. The more volunteers who help, the more likely we can make a difference out there. If each of 30,000 volunteers gets 3 people to decide to vote in this election each hour they call, you can see how this program will work.
So there. Back to regularly scheduled cuteness soon. I have a picture of Conor in his Haloween costume that's going to make your head explode. In a good way.
Anita,
ReplyDeleteMaybe they hung up on you because they heard about how MoveOn.org knowingly and willfully welcomed racist, anti-Semitic, and anti-Catholic hate speech at their Action Forum until the scandal forced the forum to shut down on September 24. (By "hate speech" I do not mean criticism of Israel or pro-life politics, but statements directed against Jews and Catholics. Racism = calling prominent African-Americans "house slaves.") Needless to say, MoveOn sort of forgot to tell its grassroots volunteers like you about its dirty linen, of which there is plenty.
I am in fact trying to help elect a couple of Democrats to state office. I encourage you to help your local Democratic Party instead of MoveOn.org, which is bad news and a liability to the mainstream Democratic Party.
--Bill
Hey Folks--
ReplyDeleteBest I can tell, the previous comment is someone from PA specifically looking for people who've blogged about MoveOn.org.
Just an FYI; not a regular reader.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI found your site after googling "Breastfeeding" and "Insomnia"
I know that was an old post back in April but I have a 2 month old and I am nearing insanity with insomnia and wondering what you did to make it through or if you have any tips?
how can I give you my email?
Thanks,
Ariane--
ReplyDeleteYou poor thing you sound about desperate!
I will tell you how I survived this situation. (First is it you with insomnia or your wee one?) I have a feeling it's your wee one who won't go to sleep despite the fact that you (his wonderful mommy!) is desperate for it.
Here's what worked for me: *safe* co-sleeping. Here's my entry on my old blog at about the same age your wee one is: http://blogs.salon.com/0002504/2004/08/18.html
Also, check out Askdrsears.com for the safe way to co-sleep. I honestly tell you, it saved my sanity.
Ariane,
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with Anita here. Both my girls slept with me when they were infants. (Basically, until each started to be big/active enough that it was a pain.)
You don't have to get up or even sit up to breast feed on demand that way, and the baby doesn't have to get as worked up either, because you can get to him/her as soon as s/he begins to stir.
We pushed the bed against the wall, had the baby on that side, me in the middle and my husband on my other side.
Good luck!
Jennifer