Second verse... same as the first!

So, for the second year in a row, I've been denied the opportunity to go to the much-anticipated company retreat.  This time I highly suspect due to "budget cuts" and also due to the recent acquisition/merger.  Originally it was for the top 3% of the company's performers in each venue for sales, retention, and business markets.  Now, suddenly its not even the top 1% that were selected.

All I can say is that I am trying to look at this in a positive perspective, and instead turn my frustration into a constructive energy approach and take every advantage of my job benefits and other opportunities.  I'm no longer going to hold stock in anticipating winning any contests at work, or promises of a different job/responsibility within the company.  If it happens, it happens.  And I'll continue to do the best with what I have at hand and use the tools they give me to work with.

Also, I'm planning to enroll in an online learning course through an accredited school and have my work reimburse me then for the tuition after completion.  It may mean sacrificing some of my fun time during nights and weekends, but in the end we hope its for the best over the long run.

Nice guys don't always finish first - the full story...

I know the universe doesn't revolve around me, but we were (mostly I was) so hoping to surprise the wife by winning a vacation contest at work for being in the top 1% of sales performers during 2011. It was an honor being nominated in the top 40 people in my department company-wide for the last 3 months and striving to be better - but for judging criteria I hadn't made the top 1% cut apparently. (Sigh, no sunny beaches in Florida.) Well, maybe next year.

What really got my goat was that 2 days later, another co-worker approached me and asked if I would trade shifts on my day off I had previously scheduled due to an emergency so that one of the finalists could be "satisfactory" in their attendance record enabling them to go on the paid trip.  After swallowing my pride, I conceded to switch shifts for this once.  Honestly, it felt like a kidney-shot after being shot in the chest.  I told the finalist that #1 I was totally jealous of them and #2 just to have fun for my sake.  It was nice that as a thank-you they brought a 12-pack of my favorite flavor root beer.  But it doesn't quite compare with an all-expense paid vacation.

I just hope Kharma comes around one of these days...