A Meal...I Waited 20 Years For

Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I remember a line from a show (or maybe it was a joke from a comedian...). I can't remember who said it or what exactly was said, but it went something like this. A person was talking about a charity event where dinner cost $10,000 a plate. He/she said at that price, the food had to taste spectacular, the best food he/she had ever eaten.

I thought about that quote/joke yesterday when I attended an awards banquet put on by my employer. Those invited included winners who best represented the attributes of the company's four cornerstones, and for those employees who have worked for the company for 20, 25, 30, 35, and even 40 years.

I was part of the biggest group, the two decade-ers.

It was the largest group.

Back when I first began, everyone was invited to this luncheon (they fed us more back then...). There was a worker in my team being recognized for his 30 years of service (not really "service," but you know what I mean...). He began working the year after I was born. That blew my mind. This time, even the one guy who had put in 40 years--double my time--began ten years after I was born. This time, my mind was not blown.

It's becoming more and more rare to find workers who have stayed with the same employer their entire careers, and if trends continue, there will be fewer and fewer people working for the same company in ten years.

I waited twenty years for that meal, and it tasted really good. Did it taste 20-year good? I'm not sure since it was my first awards banquet meal. I'll let you know in five years, so I'll have something to compare it with. ;) Thanks Jon and everyone for the invite. See you next time.