fuck this job.com

I thought I'd depart from my usual job-specific rant (yes, I'm still in the job from hell and fully expect to drop dead in chair there) and talk about something I really hate... the pointless office luncheon road trip.

So, you've got a hellish job where you are overworked and have to get stuff accurately completed by the end of the day or else (because you have to do the exact same thing tomorrow). Phone calls to make, writing to submit, problems to solve, people to spam. What could be MORE fun and productive than being dragged to a two-hour luncheon at a shitty cheap restaurant with all of your non-nearest and non-dearest friends??? Yes that's two hours of your work day you're not getting back... AND you get to be bored out of your fucking skull and eat lousy food. Oh, AND you still have all your work to do when you get back.

Oh, and you can't just say NO. You can't make up an excuse or even tell the truth ("No, I'm busy, you assholes!") or else they get upset and think you're putting on airs, or that you are strange because you would rather finish your PILE of work than spend time with them and then have to come back and tackle the pile anyway. No, you are expected to attend.

You know, far be it from me to criticize free food, but wow! Whoever dreams up these time-wasting expeditions, really knows how to pick the worst restaurants in town. Today we went to a steakhouse that smelled like the drapes hadn't been washed since the mid 1960's... coincidentally, that was the era of the decor. I have a bad sense of smell so if *I* could smell the mustiness, it must be pretty bad. It smelled just like an old lady's living room. I have to assume that our departmental expense account is the only thing that keeps this establishment in business (there was no one there but us at lunch rush) because it's certainly not the stylish ambience or the food...

It was so lame! You could tell nobody really wanted to be there. Conversation was stilted and nearly nonexistent. And yet they dragged it out for two whole hours. Waste of fucking time... especially MY time. Must be nice to have a job where you can lounge around and not have to worry about deadlines.