21 December 2013

Getting into the spirit

Off for the holidays.  As usual, I wind up the year with a boatload of accrued vacation days.  I could blame the system validation we were dong over the last 9 months or the plethora of road trip I took this year, but the basic problem is that I didn't manage my vacation time and didn't take off enough days.   The company used to have a policy of "use it or lose it".  Basically meant if you didn't take all of your earned days, Sorry Charlie.  Made for some unhappy people at year end and a bunch of people taking most of December off.  

A few years ago, they changed the policy and now allow you to cash out your vacation if you do not use it all.  For the old farts who have been around for a while (moi), this  alleviates some of that urgency to burn up the vacation by year end.  The old Purchasing manager before me had so much accrued vacation that he would start taking off every Friday staring right after Halloween.  

So I find myself in the same boat.  I am going to cash out a bunch of days but still need to burn some days or run the risk of losing them.  Tough life, eh?  I realize not everyone has this opportunity and I, for one, am immensely grateful to have that kind of dilemma.  One of the perks of this company.  

One of the other things the company does is throw a good party on occasion.  I mentioned the new CEO came on board a few years ago and set out to energize the company and promote the esprit de corps among the troops.  Lots of really good motivational things to inspire the minions.  

One thing is the annual Christmas party.  Every year they hold the party at a local venue.  One year it was a a big five star hotel near downtown, one year it was at the local country club, last year it was a local Hilton a few mile south.  This year they decide to "up" the ante a bit.  We held the shindig at Space Center Houston.  This is the information/tourist center adjacent to NASA and houses a lot of history from the space program.  Life sized versions of the lunar lander, the command modules for various launches, actual rockets planned for launch, a shuttle simulator and even a shuttle mock up.    


And there the an exhibit on Leonardo Da Vinci

And a shuttle simulator



And lunar lander



Of course, the party was pretty interesting awesome depending upon what mood you were in and how well you enjoyed the music.  Plenty of food, drink, a band and, of course some dancing.  There was a fair amount of slide dancing and booty shaking, but, alas, no twerking.




Of course, there was some other interesting displays of techy geekness.  Anyone recognize where this was used?  {Hint:  To Boldy Go Where No Man Has Gone Before}      




6 comments:

ShadowRun300 said...

Definitely a tough dilemma to be in. I am the opposite. I work every day up until Christmas Day, including the night of Christmas Eve. I'm feeling a bit stressed, but can't wait to enjoy three days off in a row after Christmas. :)
What a great idea to have your holiday party at the Space Center! I'm geeky, but not in a techy sort of way, so nope, don't know where that was used.
Enjoy your time off, Agg! You certainly deserve to have some time to sit back and take it easy. And have a terrific Christmas! Your SIL still doing okay?

agg79 said...

Shadow - Thanks! I added a hint in the posting to give a clue of the shuttle's origin. I should note that craft is the real McCoy - actually used.

SIL doing much better. Will post up her progress next. Thanks for asking.

Abby said...

What a great venue for an employee holiday party! Even if the shuttle was just a mock-up - I'm still in a huff over how Houston got dissed getting on the the shuttles!

Enjoy your well-deserved time off, get your twerk on!

Glad to hear sis-in-law is making good progress!

meleah rebeccah said...

"I am going to cash out a bunch of days but still need to burn some days or run the risk of losing them.  Tough life, eh?"

Good for you, Agg. You bust your ass all the time and you're forever traveling - so enjoy those Vacation days!!


"Of course, the party was pretty interesting awesome depending upon what mood you were in and how well you enjoyed the music.  Plenty of food, drink, a band and, of course some dancing.  There was a fair amount of slide dancing and booty shaking, but, alas, no tweaking."

Aahahahahhah! That's awesome! You're lucky your office knows how to throw a good holiday party!

ShadowRun300 said...

A clue! A clue! I had a slight suspicion, but not enough confidence to take guess. I've actually never seen the series or the movie. (Am I okay to admit that?)

terri said...

I am heading for a similar dilemma in a few years if things keep going the way they are. Being in a department of three people, I was forced to choose time off before or after Christmas, but couldn't do both. A whole week off would be nice, but I took one day before Christmas and another next week. Good enough. I'll carry a bunch over and try to take a real vacation sometime next year.