A post in which I am crabby

Crab, crab, crab

Today was employee appreciation dat at work.  We have enjoyed 100 consecutive profitable quarters.  Let me start by saying that I understand that this is an accomplishment, and that I am indeed glad that I work for a successful company.  I am glad to have a job, and glad to be able to pay my bills.  I understand that there are many people in this economy who would be tickled to change places with me.  Having said all of that...

They decided to start empolyee appreciation day by dragging us out of bed a half hour early to go to the quarterly meeting, where they thanked us for making them so much money, and extolling us to continue to make them lots of money.  This during the course of an hour-long, butt-breaking meeting.  They did provide breakfast.  It was interesting today that they didn't feed us a passel of sausage biscuits (as they ususally do during the quarterly meeting).  Today's repast was tasty, and more healthy than bisucuits, but not terrifically filling.  We had one quarter of a piece of flatbread, sprinkled with some fresh spinach, tomato, and feta cheese, a cup of fruit, and some juice.  Tasty, and notably better than our usual fare thanks to the company's new focus on living a healthy lifestyle (which I applaud - whether motivated by health insurance costs or not), but I was hungry within the hour.  They fed us lunch too, which was fine, but again not really a stick-to-your-ribs portion.  There was an afternoon snack of a small serving of gelato, which I dived on like a crazed weasel, despite the long line.  So I was pretty much hungry all day.

There were raffles for prizes, and a car that they were giving away in a sales-specific drawing.  Since I am long used to sale being the star-bellied sneeches (and since I recognize that they pay for such privilege), that really didn't bother me.  But I couldn't help but reflect that I would have appreciated my usual half hour of sleep and a small bonus infinitely more than anything done today.  They have programmed the flat-screen monitors scattered through the office to radomly flash employee names below a banner telling each of us how much we are appreciated.  Perhaps it was cynical of me to think of the possible money to be made by writing a book called Cost-Free Employee Motivators for Dummies.  In fact, I'm pretty sure that was cynical - many companies don't even do lip-service to employee appreciation.  But being forced out of bed early makes me crabby.

By the end of the day, I was ready to put away some serious groceries.  But I was also fat and broke, so I decided to go on home and eat what was there.  I remembered about half-way home that I had a container of gorgeously delicious Fresh Market pimento cheese in the fridge, and that it needed to be eaten, so I didn't even have to feel particularly guilty (well, except for the fat thing) about scarfing it down. 

As I pulled in to the driveway, I had a text from Miss Kat.  She was coming by for a short visit.  But first things first.  I raided the fridge and ate like a white trash king, if there can be such a thing.  Fancy crackers, the aforementioned pimento cheese, and fresh Cherokee Purple tomatoes.  Just one of my favorite meals ever.  I got through in time to run over the bathroom and clean the table in the living room that Crooner has been living on for the last week.  His apprent strategy is to pick one place and see how digusting he can possibly make it before moving on to a new perch.  As soon as Miss Kat came in, both cats were immediately glued to her person. 

After she left, I lolled around in lazy splendor until time for bed.