Spring Bloodroot Moon
Conversation over lunch with a docent friend whose experience at the MIA has grown stale. The reasons are numerous in both our cases, among them: resenting the time for preparing for tours, no longer finding tours as nourishing (if at all), inadequate continuing education, uninspired leadership from the museum, lack of appreciation, lingering bad feelings over Allison’s sudden banishment.
I realized in this conversation that my dis-ease with being a docent began to blossom when I returned more seriously to writing. Then, I began to feel tour preparation, the drive into the museum, the time there itself all eating into my creative time. This changed over time into resentment (maybe too strong a word, let’s say begrudging) of the intrusive nature of the prep, the whole time involved. The payback no longer balanced the effort.
That has led me to a final decision, I’ve toured my last at the MIA, but I still want to hold up my resignation because there are a few loose ends. First, perhaps discovering a way those of us out of the MIA might co-operate. Second, securing some things, like exit interviews and continuing perks for honorary docents.
Like me my friend wants to retain the time commitment to art, just not have it eaten up by the MIA process. How that might happen is part of the conversation I want to have before finalizing my change.
