Breakfast with the President-Dodged the Bullet

I had breakfast with the president last week, and despite all of my nervousness it went very well. They should change it to "Mini Town Hall Meeting With the President" as the breakfast portion of the meeting was more of an afterthought.

First let me say that this the first time I have actually met and spoken to the president of our company, and I must say I was impressed. This is actually a very intelligent man, and he definitely has a passion for the business.

I arrived at the meeting place almost an hour early since I didn't know what to expect for traffic, so I had all that time to get my nerves in a tight little ball. I don't like change. I like routine. I am perfectly happy to go to work and do the same thing over and over. The more routine, the better. I walked into the room, and there was a sort of a "round table" set up. While we were chitchatting I mentioned my gag order to the assistant. That was when I found out I was sitting to one chair away from where the president was going to sit. I knew I sat in the wrong chair. Now I am going to have to talk.

The meeting went very well, and he was very informative. He shared information with us on how the company was changing and growing, and he asked for our input and questions. I even managed to speak around the lump in my throat, and I didn't sound ridiculous, I think.

Best of all, afterwards I went back to work, and it wasn't to pick up my last paycheck. (Insert cheers from boss here.)

Little Things That Make Me Happy Part I

This entry would be subtitled, "Hooray for medical advances!" This week I went in for my..used to be yearly, but now will be every six months..bloodtest. I hate needles. I hate them with a passion, and having a lab tech jiggle a needle in my arm while they change out vials..not exactly on my top ten list, so imagine my joy at this exchange:

Blood sucking vampire lady: "Please look over the label, make sure everything is correct, and initial on the line."

Me: *looks at label, initials, and looks up* "Is that the only one?" Inside I am thinking, "Because I'm not coming here again for at least 6 months. I don't care what they say."

Blood sucking vampire lady: "Yes, that's it."

Me: "Are you sure? Because usually I have 4 vials taken."

Blood sucking vampire lady (turned angel): "Oh, we are doing about 30 tests on this one vial. We have better testing now."


Cool! Only one vial instead of 4. I was in and out in a matter of a minute, AND.... I got a Snoopy bandaid!

Breakfast with the President

So, next week I am supposed to have breakfast with the president, not of the United States, though, I asked. This is a breakfast with the president of the company I work for. They want one person from each store that is articulate, smart, and full of ideas. Apparently everyone else said no, and I am going.

I was chosen to go my store manager (Who insists I was her first choice. I have a great boss, she knows how to work flattery). When my direct manager found out there was immediate panic.

1st of all I am a bookkeeper, not only am I a bookkeeper, but I am the head bookkeeper.

2nd of all I have ideas. Ideas that are not so "home office friendly". I don't feel that home office supports the store the way they should, and I feel that many of the people there have been away from store level too long, and have forgotten what it is like to actually be the ones that are face to face with the customer on a daily basis.

3rd of all she wants me as her bookkeeper, and she is "afraid" that if I express my ideas she will be short 1 head bookkeeper.

Because of this, I have been issued a gag order. I can go to the breakfast, but I am not to speak. I am to go eat and come back to work.....still employed, not to pick up my last paycheck. I really don't know what she is so worried about. Unlike my husband, I went to tact school. I have ideas that don't include me getting fired. Some of my ideas have even been implemented in our store. I can share those ideas, right? I wonder how enforceable this gag order is.

Now, all I need to do is decide which ideas I should bring up if I am actually given the chance. Who knows, maybe I can make a change.