Embarassing Award
May. 2nd, 2006 09:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livingdebMy employer gives out awards each year to staff who have accumulated years of service that are both a multiple of five and are greater than five. There is a ceremony held at the Erwin Center (an arena, though we used only a small part of it) and you get a certificate and a lapel pin. Your department can pay to have your certificate framed and, until you hit the thirty-year mark, you get this from your department.
When I was first eligible, having worked there ten years, the ceremony did not take place until after I had switched to a job elsewhere. I still went to my department's ceremony where they ironically thanked me for my dedication and loyalty. I had a nice time and enjoyed seeing my old co-workers. Also the free munchies. And the frame is made in the machine shop, and those guys are really good. The corners are perfect.
I never did find out when the big ceremony was, so no lapel pin for me.
I had been to one of these big ceremonies in support of a co-worker once. I mainly remember two things. First, some people had worked there for insane amounts of time. Like fifty years. And it seemed like most of the old-timers were custodians, so I felt like they might all have such low salaries they couldn't afford to retire. Depressing.
Second, there were chocolate-covered strawberries. Mmm.
This year I became eligible for the fifteen-year award. Again, my department had its own ceremony (yesterday) where they gave out framed certificates and provided breakfast. And people's bosses gave little speeches about how great the winner was. I have since learned that some of these speeches actually involve lies, so it's a little creepy now.
My boss pulled out a long list of jobs I've had at the university. I always think of myself as having worked in zoology and where I am now. But he also pulled out Rec Sports (life guard one summer), the student union (serving pizza one fall), the law school (where I worked two weeks and one day), and biological sciences (after the reorganization, there officially was no department of zoology). He may also have mentioned the learning center (tutor one summer). I told him he missed when I was a TA.
And this year I got to go to the big ceremony, too. At first all the old-timers looked like tiny young women, but then there was more diversity. I didn't see many custodial workers, but now I'm remembering that I think their jobs were privatized. Even more depressing. And I also overheard some folks behind me saying that Erwin himself had so many live oaks planted because he didn't want students demonstrating in all that big, empty space.
But I also sat between a co-worker and a total stranger who kept congratulating us and was really fun.
I got my lapel pin with a tiny logo and three tiny ... what? Dents? Engraving mistakes? Oh, some kind of tiny gem chips stuck into carvings of shininess. You know what I mean, where they carve out rays of sparkle because the gem is too small to sparkle on its own?
The label on the back of the box explained that the fifteen-year pins had citrine. The ten-year pins had gold. Does that mean no chips? If so, that would be a much more tasteful pin.
Part of me is embarrassed by this award. Fifteen years at the lowest-paying major employer in the city. Pathetic. What a loser.
I was more embarrassed last time because I really had wanted a better job. And it took me nine years to find one! (But then it turned out to be an even worse job. At the second-lowest paying employer in town.) Now I have a plan and I like my plan, so it's okay.
Also last time I had a job that didn't require a college degree, but currently my job does require a degree. That helps me feel less pathetic. (Not that my current job requires any college learning any more than my other job or anything.)
The part of me that is not embarrassed is a little tickled. I have a new shiny thing! I'm going to wear it on my black jacket. At least until people start throwing tomatoes or something.
When I was first eligible, having worked there ten years, the ceremony did not take place until after I had switched to a job elsewhere. I still went to my department's ceremony where they ironically thanked me for my dedication and loyalty. I had a nice time and enjoyed seeing my old co-workers. Also the free munchies. And the frame is made in the machine shop, and those guys are really good. The corners are perfect.
I never did find out when the big ceremony was, so no lapel pin for me.
I had been to one of these big ceremonies in support of a co-worker once. I mainly remember two things. First, some people had worked there for insane amounts of time. Like fifty years. And it seemed like most of the old-timers were custodians, so I felt like they might all have such low salaries they couldn't afford to retire. Depressing.
Second, there were chocolate-covered strawberries. Mmm.
This year I became eligible for the fifteen-year award. Again, my department had its own ceremony (yesterday) where they gave out framed certificates and provided breakfast. And people's bosses gave little speeches about how great the winner was. I have since learned that some of these speeches actually involve lies, so it's a little creepy now.
My boss pulled out a long list of jobs I've had at the university. I always think of myself as having worked in zoology and where I am now. But he also pulled out Rec Sports (life guard one summer), the student union (serving pizza one fall), the law school (where I worked two weeks and one day), and biological sciences (after the reorganization, there officially was no department of zoology). He may also have mentioned the learning center (tutor one summer). I told him he missed when I was a TA.
And this year I got to go to the big ceremony, too. At first all the old-timers looked like tiny young women, but then there was more diversity. I didn't see many custodial workers, but now I'm remembering that I think their jobs were privatized. Even more depressing. And I also overheard some folks behind me saying that Erwin himself had so many live oaks planted because he didn't want students demonstrating in all that big, empty space.
But I also sat between a co-worker and a total stranger who kept congratulating us and was really fun.
I got my lapel pin with a tiny logo and three tiny ... what? Dents? Engraving mistakes? Oh, some kind of tiny gem chips stuck into carvings of shininess. You know what I mean, where they carve out rays of sparkle because the gem is too small to sparkle on its own?
The label on the back of the box explained that the fifteen-year pins had citrine. The ten-year pins had gold. Does that mean no chips? If so, that would be a much more tasteful pin.
Part of me is embarrassed by this award. Fifteen years at the lowest-paying major employer in the city. Pathetic. What a loser.
I was more embarrassed last time because I really had wanted a better job. And it took me nine years to find one! (But then it turned out to be an even worse job. At the second-lowest paying employer in town.) Now I have a plan and I like my plan, so it's okay.
Also last time I had a job that didn't require a college degree, but currently my job does require a degree. That helps me feel less pathetic. (Not that my current job requires any college learning any more than my other job or anything.)
The part of me that is not embarrassed is a little tickled. I have a new shiny thing! I'm going to wear it on my black jacket. At least until people start throwing tomatoes or something.