In case you’re jealous of those savvy Obama fans who volunteered to help out at the DNC (and thus increase their proximity to The Hopeful One), here's something that should make you feel better.
It’s an orientation video that a friend of mine was required to watch as part of her volunteer training. Actually, hundreds of people had to experience it live a few weeks ago. The video version -- more than an hour long -- is just for those who couldn’t attend the original training session. But it also provides us with endless cyber amusement.
My favorite character is hospitality trainer Josh Davies, who teaches the crowd about "energetic greetings," positive body language and other skills. "When people come here," he says, "we want to take them an extra mile high."
Throughout the video, Davies has the uncanny ability to make his hair flap whenever he gets excited. About halfway through the tape (30:32 or so), you can see him practically hurting himself as he exhorts listeners to "look somebody in the eye when you’re making a greeting."
Other helpful tips: Avoid rolling your eyes, don’t be rude to disabled people, and oh yes, try to remember why Denver is a cool place.
"Denver is an amazing city," Davies says at one point. "There’s so much unique stuff here. The problem is, we’re not always aware of it."
So true. For more insight, watch the full tape here. -- Lisa Rab