The Service Awards Banquet

[tenaya]

I've been at the same job for 30 years. On the five year anniversaries of your hiring on, you get invited to the Awards Banquet. Prime rib dinner, fancy chocolate moussy thing with raspberries and lots of wine.

This year, they really fancied it up. The invitations were of a winter theme (stark bare white branches on deep blue with white snow flakes.) They took an unused area of the hospital (was the Chemical dependancy unit but insurance companies don't cover that any more) and decked it out in the same colors and icy crystals and had a cocktail reception where we got our photos taken. They had live music (percussion, keyboards and a sax.)

There were 90 odd people who had been there 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years, and one that'd been there for 40. For the 25 and ups, they gave a little bio while you went up on stage to collect your hugs/handshakes and little bonus ($500! Hey, it's a community hospital that is still independent and solvent. Those are hard to find anymore.) I'd had some wine and was trying not to trip up the stairs so I didn't catch it all. They did mention stuff like my extra credentialing for the NICU and that I like to work with the babies. I also heard something about skunks and raccoons...and being a Trekkie. :::sigh:::

When I got to the table I shook my head at my director who had wrote the bio. He said, "What?" I said, "Trekkie? Not for YEARS!" He just pinned me with a look and said with conviction, "Trekkie." So, I suppose if one still knows the T stands for Tiberius and that Spock's mother's name is Amanda, one will always be a Trekkie. It's an indelible label and will appear on our obituaries. At least he didn't add, "Slash Writer." *g*

And the skunks. Even I, who think they are very cute and entertaining, still cringed when I heard the word. Talk about words having baggage! BTW, the guy that did the repair work on the house a few weeks ago said he had a descented skunk as a pet when he was kid. He loved them. Nevertheless, I still kinda think they're a secret and was shocked to hear it in front of all those VERY professional people.

So, we got to go to the fancy party, eat, drink and be merry, AND come home with some extra dough. The bottom line is that those that know me, know me. Those that don't, probably think they didn't hear it right...or were daydreaming on where the $500 was gonna be spent.

So, what was name of McCoy's nurse? What rank was Chekov? What was the Enterprise's source of power? Uh huh. Trekkie!

Comments

[margec01.livejournal.com]

Ah,yes. My work friends (who have known me for over 25 YEARS--eek!) still ask if I'm going to one of my Star Trek conventions when I go out of town. It may be StarGATE now, but to them I'll always be a Trekkie!

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

For me, somehow, being a Trekkie is more respectable than being a Star Gater. Don't know why... perhaps because at its heart, Trek was always "serious" entertainment that stuck with issues and generally good writing.

But yeah, once a Trekkie, always a Trekkie.

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

I guess I think I the mundanes think of people dressing up in Spock ears when I hear "Trekkie" used in the general population.

Stargate is my fandom, but most people still haven't heard of it and I've never heard of people calling themselves Gaters except by the press.

And for me, I liked the closer to reality of SG than ST with its modern day technology and setting. All SF is a mirror to reflect issues that affect us here and now, so even though I think of "Spock's Brain" it's probably a tie between the shows for dealing with issues.

It was a reality check. *g*

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

Yep. You got it in one. *g*

[moonchildetoo.livejournal.com]

Chapel, Ensign, and dilithium crystals?

Glad you had a good time at your dinner. I'm up for ours next year, but ours isn't nearly as nice and personal as yours, and I'm sure they don't serve wine!