So you're all set with a Christmas gift for your dad, then?

(lol)

Timelies all!

We docked at Grand Cayman today. Went to the turtle center and saw many turtles. Gary and Mr. S went to the pool area where people can hold little turtles. Mr. S may have touched one, I don't know.

Laura, unfortunately activities for kids his age require them to be fully potty trained. He isn't.

Well, that's pretty crappy, msbelle. Condolences.

Our company party isn't until January and I am deciding whether or not to go. It's the Friday night before I'm dancing at a Hafla on Saturday. I already got my 5-year jacket and certificate (at the department holiday thing last week) which was my big motivation for going. They got feedback that the speeches that went with awards went on too long (which they did), and there wasn't enough time for socializing and dancing, so now it's an hour of drinks and appetizers, an hour or so of buffet dinner and raffle (I have not won anything at the raffle in 3 or 4 years and the quality and quantity of the prizes seem like they are declining), half an hour of "announcements", and then dancing and "Casino Royale" which is a new thing to me, although I guess they used to do it a lot and the longer term coworkers who like gambling and bingo and bunco are excited about it. I don't really like gambling, so, eh. I do like dancing, but I don't know popular music anymore. On the plus side, free wine and dinner. And I do like many of my coworkers. but my introversion goes to 11.

Turtles! Tater tots! Yay!

Tim's new company does their Christmas party during the day, for employees only (no spouses/partners), which I wouldn't really care about, except -- they go to Dave & Buster's! I could play skee-ball on his company's tab! I am being deprived of skee-ball!

Otherwise, man, office holiday parties have always been so damn awkward, in my experience. Though *I* am so damn awkward, so I bring that to the table.

The only thing I'm sad about over no longer working for the awful job is that they did send kick-ass holiday presents. Good wine, super-nice fleecy throw blankets, and to remote employees, a Visa gift card to "make up" for us not having an office party to attend.

Our company Christmas party has become "family friendly" due to a combination of having several hundred employees and finding a venue for a nice dinner and entertainment was problematic and of people continuing to say "can we bring the kids?". So now the holiday party is renting the nearby small college's basketball arena, arranging a family-appropriate singer or group, and giving us free access to the arena's concession stands. Hardly anyone in my department went. So what had been a moderately spiffy night out has turned into "Yay, another opportunity to feed and distract the kids for free!"

Apparently a lot of people think that having kids running around and shrieking is the very soul of Christmas cheer.

Yay Tater Tots and Turtles.

That is a truly shirtty Christmas party, msbelle.

At a place I used to work, the first year I was there the Christmas party lasted about 20-30 minutes and consisted of supermarket cheese and crackers ... I think there may have been some cheap wine, but most likely not.

They got longer and more elaborate later but I still remember that first one.

So, they are promoting all the "junior analysts" to analysts in my department, they'll all be salaried starting 1/1. And that's great, but I kinda feel like those of us who have been analysts for let's say 5 years should also get something, title-wise? Well, maybe we will eventually, but I'm not holding my breath.