Speaking of sound systems, I'll never forget the times, in the 70s that CBs were the rage and a few times we got interference and the guys were talking about F'ing some girl they met and this went on for half a minute. The "Sound Servant" went scrambling to remedy the situation but could not.
Did You Get To "Handle The Microphones"???
by minimus 61 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
eyeslice
Interesting. When I was an elder I once suggested that all the elders should take turns in doing microphone duty and being on the front door to welcome those arriving. I found being at the front door easy enough to do on my own - you didn't really have to be assigned that but non of the elders thought the handling of mics was their job.
When I stepped down, note I was not removed, about 6 months later, they deemed me 'qualified' enough to handled the mics. It was over a year before they asked me to open/close in prayer despite the fact that I argued that I was always in good standing. I also argued that as neither a ministerial servant or elder that I should be able to chair the public talk - you have to go back a long way to see what the responsibilities of the chair are. All to no avail.
It was then that I began to realise just how hypocritical the whole set up is.
Eyeslice (no longer a mic handler because I am never there) -
jaguarbass
I was a ministerial servant. I didnt do the mikes very often. I never cared or wanted to do the mikes so it worked out good. I was the literature servant. I guess that was enough.
-
Gregor
I remember in the 70's when we started to use audience mikes for comments. Being a 'Mike' attendant was a big deal. It was usually given to young brothers, never sisters. These mikes were on about a 3 ft. long boom so the attendant could reach those near the middle of a row. Picture this, it happened about three times in one WT study. A long winded pioneer sister was sitting in the middle of a long row and had her hand up on nearly every question. The young mike handler would have to stand with one leg right up against the leg of a middle aged sister in the end seat and lean way over to reach sister blabby. The only problem was that this young man, about 17 yrs old, wore those super tight stretchy polyesther pants and he was hung like a mule. Honest to Jah, you could easily see he'd been circumscised. So each time blabby was called on he's standing with his crotch about 18 inches from the face of the end seat sister for a minute or two that seemed like an hour for those who could see the situation. The middle aged sister flushed bright red from her neck up to her ears each time. Before the end of the meeting she got up and moved to the back of the hall. I've often felt she should have tucked a dollar bill into his shirt pocket!
-
Tired of the Hypocrisy
I was suppsoedly good enough to rove a mic, run the soundboard, set up the stage and ush.
That is until I spoke my mind and told them to butt outta my private life.
-
Honesty
I was in charge of 'Sound' until I got 'promoted' to Accounts and CBS Conductor.
Then...
I got deleted for 'wrongdoing' and that was the end of my meteoric climb up the organizational ladder.
Cults don't take too kindly to anyone who asks too many questions.
-
bonnzo
yes, still do at 50 yrs old. once, i had a broken middle finger and the roving mics had 3 ft. booms on them. since i couldn't bend my middle finger, i gave everybody who commented the "bird".
-
wozadummy
Oh yes the cleavage view it was embarrassing for all concerned ,but there would fun times like pulling faces at kids seated next to their parents ,and then the kid would laugh and a parent would elbow them in the ribs. Once I was standing with the mike at the back waiting to move when an almighty fart was on it's way down ...what do I do? give the mike to someone else ?no, all sisters around me. oh jeez don't ask anyone to answer ion my side of the hall now!!!cheeks tightly clenched....oh no not my side ..move forward ...braaaaaah!!!! too late! oh hell the embarassment and fallout .I'm totally red right now!
-
zagor
Did You Get To "Handle The Microphones"???
Yes, but apparently I was having too much fun with it so they wanted to put a stop to it. Such killjoys.
-
WTWizard
I had that burden a few times. Back when the mics were wired, they wanted me to point the microphone down when not in use (citing feedback). The problem: Friction was all that held the mics in the holder, and I have seen them fall out on occasion. If the volume is correctly set, you have to place the mic quite close to the speaker to produce feedback. No matter--they still insisted that the mics had to point down instead of up when not in use. (I wish one would have fallen, hit something hard, and busted while making a loud pop that blew the whole sound system).
The wireless mics were a bit easier. You just turn the mic off when not in use to prevent feedback problems. And you didn't have to worry about hitting anyone in the mouth or correct distance between the mic and the mouth. Either way, it was a complete waste of time.