dealing with the drama

As with any group of people you always have a certain level of drama or politics going on, I've always believed that I could go to any fire department or rescue squad in the country and find basically the same kinds of people. There are roles to be filled and while the names and faces may change deep down it's all the same. You can always find the know it all, the rookies, the ones who have been there done that, the ones that haven't been there or done that but feel that they know it all, the overachiever, the one who overextends them self and the ones who majored in trouble stirring in college.

Over the years of moving up the ranks from the "wet behind the ears rookie" to "in charge of more things than I can even remember on a good day" I have learned the two step shuffle that is required to survive. It's a tough step to learn, you have to know how to talk to this person and that person without upsetting them or sometimes, stooping to their level. Sometimes it is exhausting. Scratch that, most of the time it is exhausting. You can only please so many people per day and my quota sometimes fills up by 9am. (and believe me, I am NOT a morning person) For the past few years my two stepping hasn't been all that bad but we had a major shift in operational officers a few months ago and I feel like I am stuck in one of those horrible techno dance clubs where the songs supposedly change but you can't tell where one ends and the next one begins. (and you can only chant "only 9 more months, only 9 more months, only 9 more months" so many times before your significant other starts to look at you funny)

What I have never understood is why some of the trouble stirrers spend so much time upsetting people. I am in a volunteer organization, we're not collecting a paycheck to be here every day so WHY do they come by, normally at the worst times, to spread lies and rumors? Why not find something that truly interests them? I am told that obviously stirring up trouble IS what interests them but I can't wrap my mind around that. Maybe the problem is I can't shove my head that far up my butt?

Tell me your department has these people and please tell me I am not crazy since I can't understand their game.