Committee Member, or Audience Bench-Warmer?

THIS WOULD BE TORTUROUS IF I TOOK MYSELF SERIOUSLY
Sunday at this meeting I heard about the start of a big new project. It sounded good, sounded like something I wanted to be in on, sounded like a winner. I heard the details, saw the plans, and got the low down.

But something sat backwards in the scene, and I came away confused. All three people in on the plan had my phone number.All three had known ( I think ) of my desire to be in on the ground floor of this idea. Details of conversations came to mind, and I had spoken of this idea in the germination phase more than a month ago. The original idea wasn't mine, to be honest, since it came from a public web-site, but our group had decided to participate. I had volunteered to be the guy on the ground for this initiative, and with my job situation the way it is now, I have the time. One person had mentioned a related phone call 2 weeks ago, I guess I didnt realize that was when the switch was made. When I heard about the phone call I said "okay", and must not have realized that was the moment of just handing over the reins. I had no idea that one small topic implied the whole project in their mind.

So somehow, some time when I was gone to Katrina Land, the person giving the presentation had taken over the idea as their own. Someone else had given them the go ahead. And the others who knew what I planned had nodded along with them. And thats fine, like I said, the idea came off the web, not my intellectual property, anyone could do this job. Yet none of these people had emailed or phoned me along the way that whole month. So there I sat, in the audience instead of on the committee. I just couldnt figure out why I was so far to the right, way off "the loop".

Yes there are no names, details or clues on this rant, I know. But the details have to be fuzzy so no one gets offended.
I'm still trying to figure out if I'm offended. After if all, if others are doing volunteer work I would have, doesnt that give me more free time?

What a Liberty!

Anyways, I'm going to continue with my plans, which are to volunteer as much time as my boss gives, to go back south to assist others screwed over on the Gulf Coast.