Remember when I posted about bouncing some checks

[Critters2]

and how pissed the food co-op coordinator was? Well, I just got an e-mail from her, saying she's kicked me out of the co-op. One of my complaints about this "co-op" has been that it isn't a co-op. Doesn't have a board, members have no say in anything. It's just a way to buy health foods that are hard to get around here (like the vegan dog food I need for my dog, that I'll now buy online). There's nothing "co-operative" about it!! There were never any meetings, little communication. And now, the b*tch can kick me out by her own decision, because I ACCIDENTALLY bounced a check--and I've already more than reimbursed it!!

Just one more reason I hate this place. I live in Iowa, get hooked on the idea of co-operative buyer's clubs, locally grown foods, etc. Then I move to Illinois, and find they don't understand the concepts. And everyone is angry all the time--still not sure why.

Anyway, she seems to think it's some kind of punishment that I don't have to deal with her anymore. Me, I feel differently about it.

[WCGreen]

1. Fucking Sanctimonious Hippies....

Seriously, their is nothing worse than that...

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. Not everyone running co-ops is a hippie. Actually, most of them are not

hippies. Not even fake hippies.

[WCGreen]

3. In here, most of the Co-op's are run by aging Hippie's...

And I myself am one who has aged very well, thank you...

They adopt the feel good qualities of the Co-op way of doing business and run it like republican main streaters...

[Critters2]

4. Here it seems to be a bunch of rich, white women

who don't work outside the home, homeschool their kids (because their kids are all too gifted for the public schools to deal with), and wouldn't deign to feed their kids what other people eat. They all claim to care about the environment, but they ALL live in the big mcmansions in subdivisions that are eating up the best farmland in the world. There's no sense of community to it at all, which was one of the things I loved about the one in Iowa.

That co-op was an interesting collection of, yes, aging hippies (our cordinator there liked to refer to herself as "queen of the granola birkenstock people"), crazy fundie Christians who had some issue with scanners and bar codes or something that kept them away from supermarkets, and older women who needed to buy nuts and carob chips in bulk for baking (many of them became like surrogate grandmothers to me). And people like me who needed foods we couldn't get locally--like vegan dog food for a dog allergic to eggs. Different as we were, we had this great little community. We had a buyer's meeting before each order, and people would ask others to split orders, ask for opinions on foods, that sort of thing. I decided I'd always help with splits, so I ended up getting to like some pretty interesting foods that I never would have tried otherwise. At the meetings, we'd also let others know if there were a chance we'd miss the delivery, and someone would commit to getting our order if we weren't there. There were three clergy, and because our schedule can change at the drop of a hat, someone always volunteered to get ours in case. We'd share news as to who was ill, and other community news. I often went to buyers' meetings even when I wasn't ordering, because, well I liked these folks.
There was a board of three people who set policy, which had to be approved by the whole co-op. And trust me, no one was ever kicked out.

I used to laugh that the crazy fundies would come to events at my church--even though they were pretty sure we were going to hell--because they liked me personally. And one such family would just GIVE me free-range eggs. Because "you're nice".

Not here. There are no meetings. What little communication there is happens via e-mail and it's all one way from the coordinator. I've learned that many members don't even know each other's names. And you're simply not allowed to miss a delivery. Oy! You should have seen the coordinator when I told her my mother's funeral was going to be on a delivery day. I kid you not, she said "You need to set priorities". And so I did. Don't know what happened to my order, but I didn't get it, so I didn't pay for it.

So I've been kicked out of a club I didn't like belonging to. Not such a bad thing, but it still pisses me off.

[radwriter0555]

7. It's amazing how far a bit of grace can go.

Sometimes the lack thereof just hits one in the face like a mackeral.

[Kickoutthejams23]

12. Power Trip

And you're simply not allowed to miss a delivery. Oy! You should have seen the coordinator when I told her my mother's funeral was going to be on a delivery day. I kid you not, she said "You need to set priorities".

I love this. (The idiocy of the co-op of course sorry about your mother)

The less power people have over their own lives. The more they abuse what little power they have. This happens in all walks of life and all sides of the political spectrum. (Though churches and schools seem to breed the worst of the bunch)

I feel bad you have no convenient place to pick-up nice fresh food. Looks like someone needs to start a competing co-op.

[Critters2]

13. I'm considering that.

I'm thinking of contacting the warehouse in Iowa City to find out how one goes about it.

[datasuspect]

10. if they were REAL hippies

it would be like free, maaaan . . .

[Critters2]

11. Like yeah, dude

I think it's cool to watch checks bounce, maaaan.

[pitohui]

5. i hate people when they're not polite

seriously be glad you're rid of the bitch

[ComerPerro]

6. we are vain and we are blind...

[hippywife]

8. ...

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

9. ...

[mad-mommy]

14. Did you...

This was an oversight? And she got all crazy about it?

my husband deposited his pay in savings vs. checking, and all of our checks bounced, including one for a speeding ticket(we caught that in enough time and he went in and paid cash, otherwise could have been in big trouble, and he fought that ticket and won...but the District Mag. office was very polite about the problem). Not one person charged us a fee, or gave us a problem after I explained.

start your own co-op.

[skygazer]

15. Sounds like a power trip

Some people have no business being in any kind of position of authority.

Years ago, I bounced a check for ten dollars or something at a local supermarket (New Hampshire). It was an honest mistake - I'd forgotten to record a purchase and so didn't have enough money in my account to cover the check.

The store never called me, or wrote to me, or contacted me in any way, though my address and phone number were on the check. Instead, one day when I was home alone with my three small kids, a cop came to the door and told me he had a warrant for my arrest! I said, "Are you sure you're not looking for my husband?" (I could imagine him being in trouble but not me)

For ONE bounced check at that store (for a very small amount), I had to post bail, appear in court several times and pay a large fine. It was extremely bizarre.

[Karenca]

16. How many checks did you bounce?...... nt

[Critters2]

17. 5 or 6

Here's what happened....I moved a few weeks ago. Some parishioners helped, and in the process found a box of checks from my old bank account in Iowa (I thought I had destroyed them all). They set up my desk, including setting out the box of checks. And I started happily writing checks--on a closed account. When I realized my mistake, I contacted everyone I had written checks to. Most were very kind about it. Papa John's said they were sorry but it would go to a collection agency--corporate policy (I sent a new check to the collection agency Saturday). But the coordinator of the food co-op made a big effing deal of it, screamed at me about being irresponsible, and now kicks me out of the co-op. As I said when this happened, I'm generally a well-organized and responsible adult, but if I'm gonna screw up--it'll be something to do with the food co-op. And the coordinator will go all "Who do you think you are?!" on my ass.

First time I ever bounced a check in my life, btw. Not that she cares.

[mduffy31]

18. Want me to burn it down?

Just kidding