Employee of the Month?!

I was in for a surprise at work today. I was chosen for Employee of the Month! This is going to sound like a big gloating post but I don’t care! I’m a winner!

Both a business client (Fleet training) as well as my supervisor nominated me for employee of the month. I was taken completely by surprise. Surprised because I’ve never been recognized for my work or diligence with something like this before, I’ve never been chosen student of the month or any of that kinda stuff. Especially in a company of 1500 people shoreside! It feels really good because I always try to help everyone with their work and projects to help them get the best solution and product. I also try to go the extra mile to make sure it turns out perfect… which could be a downfall and probably has selfish reasoning behind it (if my name is going on it… ). Sometimes I meet people with the attitude of no one appreciates it, so why even try. I’ve always believed the reverse- work hard and do the best you possibly can, but don’t expect anything in return. I guess it does pay off somehow in the long run

My boss pulled me out of a meeting/conference call with offshore (India) and said I had to work on an urgent project that just got bumped up in priority. Of course it was a project that I had just received on Friday at like 2pm and still didn’t have all the content for.. so I was a little perturbed. So I go to my desk working away and then hear a little commotion but I thought nothing of it because we had a new ship debut today (Queen Victoria)… so I thought they were going to do a little announcement or something. The IT president called into my cube asking me to join everyone.. I was just going to blow it off, like I have time for that! hah.. but felt embarassed when the president singled me out. Then I heard it was an employee of the month ceremony and still thought nothing of it. Then they started reading about the “winner” that was still anonymous and mentioned CBTs one too many times (computer based training). One of my major job responsibilities is building/coordinating computer based training modules in Flash for our shipboard employees. Then I realized shoot this has to be me… there’s no one else doing this except contractors that are ineligible! I’m having a bad hair day! I woke up late and didn’t have time to iron my pants! Yes this all ran through my head so that when it was time to walk up and do a speech.. my mind went absolutely blank and I mumbled some kind of thank yous and left a lot of people out I’m sure (I didn’t thank my Mom and the Academy!). I was just so surprised even after I realized it must be me.

The Employee of the Month program includes a plaque with name hung in one of the buildings, a t-shirt, mug, etc. that say Employee of the Month and a check for $500! Employees of the Month are also eligible for Employee of the Year which comes with a whole bunch more recognition, $$, and swag. In the “ceremony” I even got one of those cool huge checks, 2′ x 5′. I want to take it into Citibank and try to cash it Sign in really big sharpie on the back to endorse it. Totally.

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