Stay away scrooge

For those who asked about the car, it's a Hyundai Santa Fe. It is actually a 2009 model, but it was previously a rental, so it isn't new, but has very low miles so it's as good as new but less expensive. :-) We were looking something with good cargo capacity for camping gear, and decent towing capacity for the hopeful eventual purchase of a popup camper. We also wanted all wheel drive/4 wheel drive, and this vehicle met all those wishes, as well as being a Consumer Reports recommended vehicle. We are thrilled with it!

~~~~~~~

One of my bosses came up to me yesterday and said "You got a new car? We must be paying you too much." And walked away. Isn't there some old saying about if you don't have something nice to say don't say anything at all? Yeah. Well, anyway.

~~~~~~~

For segue from car to crabby people to Christmas, I'd like to talk briefly about my place of employment. As many of you know, I've been working on a forced reduced work schedule for most of this year as a result of the economy and slower business. Everyone here has been. I have worked here for over a dozen years and am the newest person here. Basically, we've all been here a long time. For most of that time, the economy has been good. The current owners, as well as the previous one, have always been very generous with us during good times. When things are good, we get really good bonuses. We get good wages and benefits.

Last year, things were not good, but somehow we still got bonuses. Not as big as before, but still wonderful - and unexpected. This year, things are worse, and basically I am happy to get a paycheck.

That being said, each year, employees have contributed a decent amount toward gifts for the owners. No one initiated it this year, and I didn't figure any of us really felt we could contribute like before, but remembering over a decade of generosity, I still wanted to do something. I suggested a baked good platter of sorts, where each of us contributed some sort of homemade goody and we combined them for a tasty gift. Most of my coworkers were receptive (acknowledging that their spouses would probably be doing the baking), but one in particular was surprisingly negative: "I don't bake and I don't want to do anything."

Sigh. I know he doesn't bake. His wife cooks/bakes by vocation. As far as not wanting to do anything? I have benefited from many years, as has everyone else here, of goodwill and generosity. The situation stinks a bit right now, and one of the owners in particular tends to take his frustration out on us, which I can't stand. But? I really don't appreciate them any less. When it comes down to it, they are sacrificing to keep us here as much and as long as possible. They were the first to have their own hours cut before anyone else's were touched. They pulled a bonus seemingly out of a turnip for us last year. If they have poor attitudes from time to time - Well, that's not for me to judge. I have choices. I choose to stick it out. I choose to be thankful, and I choose to celebrate Christmas. If that means making a batch of cookies or something to share with them, and making our homemade goody bags for coworkers - Even the scroogey one - Then bring it on.

I do bake, and I do want to do something.