09:51 - Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003
Abba

To help pay for the wedding I cashed in an IRA. I know, I know. One should not do such a thing. But, I had them withhold some taxes so I thought all would be well. Turns out I did not take out enough and now I owe about $400 in state and federal taxes. This comes at not a great time to have yet another debt to pay.

With rent at $1460 and laundry at $3.00 a load, it has gotten a bit too expensive to stay in this apartment much longer.

Of course the credit is pretty much maxed from the wedding, etc. so I am not sure we are the best candidates for a new lease.

Anyway . . .that aside, I am working from home for the rest of the week! My work is on spring break, meaning we are not having any students (adult or youth) so they are on reduced hours and don't need me there to do Administrative work. I wish I could charge the fundraising director rate during this week, but I know we don;t have the money to even venture asking. That's what I am for after all!

Does anyone else out there work for an arts organization doing development and fundraising?

On another front, the place I used to work is closing their DC offices. They royally screwed the pooch and I know they never learned to listen to their staff or to build an effective donor base. You see, when folks rely heavily on fat checks from mommy or on foundation support, they are not being supported by the community they are trying to serve. The people in that community are the most likely to have a high affinity with their group and the most likely to see them through tough economies, etc. Mommy gets tired of bailing your ass out. Foundations shift priorities or thin out their funding in times of economic challenge. And so many organizations find themselves without the funds to move forward.

I told these folks repeatedly that their Executive Director absolutey had to come to Washington and establish a national presence for our work. We worked on Capitol Hill, were building a national grassroots network, etc. But they refused to take it up a notch-- to get to the media and show a broader voice. They also refused to listen to the folks that were there trying to make things happen. New initiatives and bright sexy ideas for partnerships took precedent over planned strategies to grow and to strengthen the organization.

So they come in and lay everyone off. They tell them that the 6 weeks they will allow them to work full time before closing the doors counts as their severance pay. So ridiculous.

So yes, I am broke. But I got out! I feel for my friends that are still there and hope I can help them find jobs. They deserve it. Those folks worked their asses off for a petty misguided mini-tyrant for way too long.

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