Hello bloggers.

So can you guess what day of the year I nominate as my worst day of the year. It is worse than going to the dentist and worse than going to get my driver’s licence renewed.

So while I give you a few seconds to guess the event that could cause me such anxiety. I want to mention what happened in June so that the story can unfold chronologically and you can ponder with me what happened yesterday.

In June the company I work for moved to a bigger premises. I am now situated in an upstairs office. I am in my fifties and the rest of the staff members are downstairs so anything that cannot be done over the phone I must go down the stairs and then up again, sometimes several trips a day.

Their are a couple of kitchens for different sections but I find it boring to go down the stairs with my mug and then to wait in line for my turn in the small kitchen. The boss insincerely half promised to give us a kettle so that we would not have to do this. I told him going up stairs with hot liquid in mug is not a very good idea. He taunted me like this for  3 months when I finally thought bugger you pal. I went and bought a kettle and setup a neat little table with a kettle for me and another staff member. It saves time and is more convenient.

Now to yesterday. The day which I dread the most each year is the year-end function at work. I would rather just say cheers have a good holiday and get home safely but oh no – no such luck for me.

In the morning we wrapped up a little business and then we were summonsed to the entertainment, which Johnny the owner. reminds us is for us, for our benefit, for our ‘enjoyment’. Oh boy – I want to smack him in his face.

For two hours you have to drink alcohol, or if you are like me who prefers not to drink and drive then you have to watch others drink for 2 hours.

Then the entertainment starts with a game of musical chairs …. I get roped in – against my will … here in my fifties I am running with youngsters half my age around 6 chairs to win a prize.

Ooo such fun!

“Come on” the MC encourages us “you can win this awesome prize” he announces, running now the 4th lap around the chairs my ears prick up as I hear that there is a prize.

he continues “Jip you can win this beautiful kettle”

Schreech! …. halt … I am doing this for a kettle. Well needless to say I did not find a chair to sit on that round and was kicked out of the game, to my tremendous relief.

After a few more silly drinking games and realising that I failed at a drinking game because I could not blow up a balloon I literally felt deflated.

The speeches and prizes followed. The sales department congratulated themselves as usually as if they are the only part of the company that works hard.

This is the 3rd year at the company and I work really hard. But like someone said to me once don’t work harder work smarter, but then he was a thief and his kind of ‘smart work’ does not appeal to me.

At previous year-end functions the accounts department did not get a mention at all.

Suddenly I hear my name and I walk to the front because everyone is looking at me, I must admit that I had not been listening to the proceedings because I switched off and was trying to figure out a way to escape.

I get to the front and a gift box is shoved into my arms and photos are taken and I get back to my seat to see best admin nomination certificate in my hand. Admin! I am not admin surely my prize should be for taking abuse from people who do not want to pay their accounts.

Fast forward another hour of watching silly people drink some more.

I go to my office and respond to emails that had come in during the morning. I decide to open my prize. Yes, you might have guess it …. a beautiful kettle.

Now I am pondering on this.

  1. If he wanted to give me a kettle, why did he not give it to me in June?
  2. All the extra hours I put in and use my own data for work – is the recognition I get only worth a kettle?
  3. Is he a successful business man who fails at choosing presents & prizes?
  4. Am I pondering on something that is petty?

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