Oktoberfest

One goal that I have while working on my master's is to volunteer more than I have in the past. And since I haven't been doing a lot of that generally, a few hours a week will be a really huge improvement. I read in the Seattle Weekly last week that the Fremont Oktoberfest was looking for volunteers, so I took it as a nice way to jump start my goal and in the mean time experience something that is very "Seattle" or "Fremont" (a neighborhood in Seattle). I had the time (it's going on this weekend), and I love working events, so I thought I'd put in my application. I got a call back, and after looking over my application, the volunteer coordinator assigned me to...drum roll please...TICKETING! Shocker! I wasn't all that surprised, and in fact would have been a bit insulted had they not pegged me for that job. So I worked my shift last night which ended up working the entrance gates for about 5 hours. It was actually really fun, I didn't have to handle any of the cash (being just a volunteer and not on staff), and I just got to hand out the beer mugs and tolkens to people as they came in after they paid, and the wrist bands and tickets for people who were DDs (designated drivers), or for people who didn't want to drink and just came for the festival fun. It's the biggest Oktoberfest in Washington, and they say the 9th most popular in the world. They get tons of entertainment for the weekend, have lots of tents and vendors, and lots of stuff to taste. Attendance was REALLY high last night and everyone seemed to be really happy. It was fun, and I met some really cool other volunteers and staff. Not to pat myself on the back, but I was told I handled myself very well under pressure, and most of my co-workers were very complimentary. I confessed that I had a few years of working ticketing and festivals (Olympics, Sundance) and while I was explaining that, a customer overheard me and offered me a job on the spot as a manager for some arts festival somewhere in California. So....I'm quitting grad school and moving south, NOT! It actually felt REALLLLLY good to look her in the face, thank her for the offer, and then tell her that I was a grad student, and just wouldn't have time. It felt nice to be recognized for a job well done, but it felt even greater to know that it's not the path I'm following for the rest of my life. At that moment, it really hit me...I'm truly moving on, and it feels wonderful!

And since I volunteered, I get to go over today and get in for free!