And the same goes for life at Berry. This past week has been touted as a week of holiday fun and surprises. Monday, there was some local coffee shop set up in the "Hibachi" where we could buy special coffee. Tuesday, there was lunch provided from Spudz 'n Stuff and giveaways. Today (Wednesday) is popcorn for free munching in the Hibachi. Thursday is free donuts (if you bring in a new toy for Toys for Tots in exchange). And I'm hoping that the week will end with us receiving our semi-annual bonus.
I'm all for free food, but you have to put it into context. First, all the fun stuff will be in what I lovingly call "the big house," i.e., the main new building on First Avenue and Franklin Street. Now, Berry is BIG and I work, as discussed before, in the old cigar factory building behind Willard Library. There is no really convenient way to get from one building to the other - there is a very circuitous route up/down stairs, through the factory OR there's the outside route.. The building I'm in has no elevator, only four LONG flights of stairs which I have to go up/down every time I need to go out. So in order for me to leave my bat cave on the third floor, the reason has to be "stair-worthy."
Reminding me of a Seinfeld episode (Season 7, Ep. 9) where Elaine's preferred form of birth control, the sponge, is discontinued so she stocks up, buying all that are left, and consequently has to decided from then on out whether or not the guy she's dating is "sponge-worthy."
Each day, if I'm not required to be there (e.g., our monthly legal team meeting), whether or not I leave my cave to do something/go somewhere totally depends on whether or not it is stair-worthy. So the few of you for whom I am willing to leave my perch to go to lunch with, feel honored. Yesterday, being the first Tuesday of the month, was our monthly meeting, so I'd already had to be in the big house once that day, making my desire to go back over, even for free food, plummet.
But I decided to go, mostly because one of the giveaways was a "winter parking spot." The parking at Berry is, shall we say, less than ideal. I get to work each morning at about 6:30 am because I want a decent parking spot and not to have to walk multiple city blocks to get to/from my building. On good days, I get a spot in the parking lot in front of the Big House. On bad days, I could be parking re-e-a-l-l-l-y far away.
I was lucky enough to win a parking spot a couple of years ago and let's just say that April of 2017 was a very good month!
When the time came, I and a co-worker (Jennifer) made the trek over, taking the outside way. It was in the low 40's outside (or high 30's), and it was more preferable to us to go out in the cold and take the elevator at the Big House than to take the rather circuitous route through the buildings and have to take all the stairs.
Once we arrived, we got and fully decked out our baked potatoes - ugh, it was so good! (And I ate far too much of mine - I didn't even take a cookie, if that tells you...) And when the line got relatively short, I went over to put my name in the hat for the parking spot. They were also giving away a day off, a TV set, and something having to do with the Purple Aces (U of E's basketball team.) My preferences, in order (1 being the most desirous to Rose and 4 being "ugh" and not in a good way):
1. Parking spot
2. Day off
3. TV - although I don't really need one, the one in the living room is 10 yrs old and could possibly die any minute
4. Purple Aces thing - I attended U of E for three years and never, not once, attended a basketball game. Therefore, if I won something, THIS would be what I won.
After lunch, I made the long trek back home to my cubbie and never gave the drawing another thought. After all, the odds were probably not "ever in [my] favor."About 3:30 pm, we got an email announcing the winners. First thing - parking spot - dagnabit either they spelled my name really wrong or I didn't win. On to the days off... bummer, no. I almost closed the email at that point because, well I think you know why, but I stayed the course and looked further - Purple Aces thing - nope. Whew! Dodged a bullet there! Then just for shits and giggles, the TV - "Rosemary Barger" - Wha??
Yes, I won a 40-inch TV set. For a heart beat, and only a heartbeat, I considered contacting the guy whose name looks nothing like mine who won the parking spot to see if he'd like to trade, but then I remembered that the TV at home is 10 yrs old and decided it wouldn't hurt to have a new one waiting in the wings.
So I'm looking forward to the upcoming Doctor Who marathon for Christmas - it'll look great on the new TV!
Congratulations!!
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