Poll: Do you volunteer?

[mateushac]

Unless you count donating blood, I guess I've only volunteered a couple of times.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

I donate blood frequently, but other than that, not really. But for some reason, I must have a face that says "Feel free to stop me any time, I'd love to know how to help children in Africa".

 

[mitchell271]

I donate blood and I volunteer with Bluesfest (not much blues, we get a lot of big rick names like Kiss, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, etc), the big music festival we have here every summer. It's not exactly altruistic because I get to see shows for free.

 

[Karhukonna]

I donate blood whenever I have the chance. I've missed the last couple of times due to work, but I make it a point to go whenever there's nothing better to do.

And by better I mean stuff like saving puppies from burning orphanages. That kind of better. You lazy slobs. ;D

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

Nah, to be honest, I'm pretty selfish. So volunteering and donating and shit like that isn't something that appeals to me. Though it's something I wish to change, so who knows? Maybe this time next year I'll have a change in attitude.

 

[tippy2k2]

It's not a big thing, I'm pretty sure it's a flaw with almost every poll that people put up on a forum, because there's always going to be some sort of bias on the people who are motivated to vote. The content of the actual thread will still be interesting

I only mentioned it, because this one might be especially weighted, I guess there'll always be a tiny bit of guilt (bit of a strong word, not completely what I mean) when asked about it if you don't volunteer, and I'm sort of interested to see if my guess is going to turn out to be right

Well now...that theory just got a kick in the teeth now that I'm waking up

Currently, No is winning

No, because I'm a selfish prick.

Really though, the thing is, when you do something to make the world a better place, like volunteer work, you get that nice feeling that you did something good today. Getting that good feeling might not be the reason why you do these things, but it is a payoff for your work. I don't get that good feeling, so what I'm left with is spending my time doing something I'm not enjoying and just having a shitty time doing it. It's just work with no pay of any kind, and I'm not doing that.

If I'm going to be nice to people I need to do it because I want to. Otherwise I just can't be arsed to put the effort into it.

Well sometimes it's just about finding a gig that you enjoy doing. I don't get a nice and squishy feeling about being nice when I volunteer for soccer (in fact, due to my hatred of kids, I'm probably the last person who should be there) but I absolutely love soccer. Coaching allows me to stay in the game, scratch my competitive itch, and hand down the skills that I never really got to learn until it was too late.

 

[Patrick Buck]

I donate money, and plan to donate Blood as soon as I'm old enough... (18? I think?) But apart from those things, not really. If someone were to ask for me to help them at a charity thing then I might, but I probably wouldn't of my own accord.

Although I have done Silver DofE award, so I did vaulenteer for a total of 2 hours every week for a year and a half, so... I guess yes actually.

 

[Aedrial]

I regularly donate money and I also have an orphanage in Cambodia I visit and work at for a month every few years when I have the cash.

 

[Llil]

Well sometimes it's just about finding a gig that you enjoy doing. I don't get a nice and squishy feeling about being nice when I volunteer for soccer (in fact, due to my hatred of kids, I'm probably the last person who should be there) but I absolutely love soccer. Coaching allows me to stay in the game, scratch my competitive itch, and hand down the skills that I never really got to learn until it was too late.

Unfortunately the things I enjoy doing are mostly the kind of things that I can do at my own home.

I can actually think of a few things that I might like doing, if someone with a bit more initiative and enthusiasm for organising were to set them up first. So far I haven't come across anything like that, but I haven't ruled it out entirely. Still, for now, no volunteering from me.

 

[BrotherRool]

It's not a big thing, I'm pretty sure it's a flaw with almost every poll that people put up on a forum, because there's always going to be some sort of bias on the people who are motivated to vote. The content of the actual thread will still be interesting

I only mentioned it, because this one might be especially weighted, I guess there'll always be a tiny bit of guilt (bit of a strong word, not completely what I mean) when asked about it if you don't volunteer, and I'm sort of interested to see if my guess is going to turn out to be right

Well now...that theory just got a kick in the teeth now that I'm waking up

Currently, No is winning

Yeah I'm shocked but looks like I was completely wrong. It's nice to see cynicism not pay off

 

[Little Woodsman]

does giving blood count?
it takes a fair bit of time every couple weeks and it's basically me volunteering my services as a blood manufacturing machine and added bonus i hate needles!!

You know, when I worked at a blood center we always told the people who hated needles
"Well if you were the sort of person who *liked* needles we wouldn't want you to come in!"

 

[tippy2k2]

This moderating thing is volunteering, right? I mean, we don't get paid, so...

That would be all, though. I'm not a good enough person to do actual volunteer work (apart from that one time I volunteered with Rogers to help shoot a hockey game; that was way too much fun to count).

Not that my opinion dictates if you count it or not but since it is my thread, I figured I'd give you my "official" response

It's actually taken me this long because I had my own internal debate about whether I would think that would count and ultimately, I decided....*drum roll*

Yeah, I would count it. Instead of sticking yourself out there to moderate someone who doesn't understand why calling someone else a giant cock weasel is grounds for a warning (and then questions why they got another warning for calling you Hitler), you could just step away from it and do nothing but play on the website.

 

[Little Woodsman]

Well done on giving blood. I always wanted to do it but then I had a nurse try for about 15 minutes to find a vein on me. My Dad also went to do it around that time and they inserted the needle wrong or something fucking up the valves all the way down his arm leaving him in pain for about 2 months. Then there's our neighbor who does it regularly and they accidentally stuck it in an artery and he ended up filling the bag in like 10 seconds.

Wow, those are some pretty awful experiences.
I can assure everyone that those sorts of things are not the norm.
In six and a half years working at a blood center we never had an arterial stick, or anything that
left a donor in pain for two months. In all honesty we did have some bad bruising on a couple of
donors, and people would occasionally faint.
I'll actually second your opinion on nurses/doctors though....I once had to repeatedly explain to
an MD (a *surgeon* no less) that his patient would not be getting his transfusion performed at
our blood *donation* center.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

During the summer, I help coach the neighborhood swim team. Ive also donated some blood (whats the minimum wait time to do it again?)

It's fun, I should probably look more to do...

 

[Risingblade]

Nope and I'll do everything in my power do avoid so. I do give out a dollar to charity when they ask for it at a store but that's it. I really hate it when they call me and ask for 20 bucks for kids with cancer.

 

[Little Woodsman]

I give blood pretty regularly--a few infections and an irregular schedule have kept me from being
right on the 56 days mark lately but I'm still pretty good. (Only 2 or 3 donations to the 100 mark!)
I do volunteer massage for members of charitable organizations, so I volunteer to help the volunteers!
I used to volunteer/staff our local anime convention, thing was that actually cost me about $250 every
time (having to have a hotel room) and as my finances got harsher I just could't do it any more.
And of course being a single dad I don't have very much available time any more.

 

[Little Woodsman]

During the summer, I help coach the neighborhood swim team. Ive also donated some blood (whats the minimum wait time to do it again?)

It's fun, I should probably look more to do...

In the United States the minimum time between blood donations is 56 days.
In very rare cases exceptions can be made to allow someone to donate in less
time, under close supervision by an MD.