I'm going to bitch about merchanting at Heartland. If you read my blog and you are on the HSA board or a dear, close, personal friend of a member of the board, then stop reading, because I'm not apologizing for being annoyed.
1) Entry day on Tuesday and only between the hours of 9 and 6? Really? WTF? Do people not have real jobs where they have to schedule their time off? Hell, the event doesn't even start until Thursday. I have to work that day. If I try to ask for that day off now, I may as well ask for Monday off too, but that will cut into the time I need to save for our mandatory office shut-down between xmas and New Year's day...
2) 3 hours of mandatory volunteerism? 3! For the merchant and his/her 'staff', (which means anyone who is on the early entry list). The regular participants only have to do 2. I have a booth to manage and a husband to keep fed and happy. I used to look forward to Heartland as a vacation-type event where I can relax, socialize and have fun, but now it is turning into a huge laborious, rule ridden pain in my ass.
3) Fire extinguisher, screw-down tent pegs, glow-sticks, safety-this, worry-that, rule blah...... Next thing you know there will be a lights-out curfew after everyone is required to attend the main ritual and mega-bonfire that can be seen from space that you must keep exactly 25' from at all times or a person with a pointy pole will poke you while making sure you aren't under the influence of illegal substances. Oh, and you must be fully clothed at all times for the off chance that an undercover officer will see you even though the camp is legally listed as clothing optional, it's just not 'respectful' to the nice officers (that actually happened to me one year).
4) I'm starting to get too old for this shit. I want to go to camp, sit around with my friends, listen to good drumming, bands, get a little wasted, dance naked a little bit, and maybe sell something. I don't want to be constantly wet, too cold, too hot, achy, grumpy, listen to achy and grumpy, and a half dozen other annoyances that I don't feel like listing. Why can't Heartland be as fun and relaxing as Fest of Tara?
