02 February 2011

I'm a Winner

World peace!  CREDIT.
Somehow I totally forgot to mention that I am in fact a winner.  This could be due to me being such a winner all of the time that being a winner again totally slipped my mind.  I'm a permawinner.

So those of you who made it through that total crap above might remember that we had a merchandise contest at Hooters during the month of December.  As a recap, the contest basically amounted to seeing who could be the most awesome at selling shit. 

The following prizes were offered:
  1.  Trip to Vegas:  free room at Hooters Hotel and $100 towards airfare
  2.  Purple Hooters velour tracksuit
  3.  Four Maulers tickets:  local farm hockey team full of young boys
So basically, no prize was worth winning but first place.  Unless you're really into tracksuits.  I was gunning for first.

And then I went to Europe missing eleven days of the contest.  So even though I was ahead when I left, it was pretty much a certainty that my lead wouldn't last for a third of the contest that I'd be missing.  I might be good, but not that good.

Upon my return from my fabulous Amsterdam adventure, I was greeted by the final tally posted in the back room.  There it was.  I'd finished third and had won a quartet of hockey tickets.  Lame.  What was lamer was the fact that I'd missed second by less than $100 and first by less than $400 - a margin easily made in eleven days.  I would have won.  But I'll take Europe over Vegas any day.

My competitive streak was wounded, but life went on.  It was just a contest after all.  So I kept working and forgot about it for a few days.  Soon payday rolled around and the envelope that accompanied my check quickly reminded me of the hockey tickets I hadn’t yet received.  Obviously this was the tickets.

It wasn't until hours later that I actually opened the envelope and saw not four hockey tickets, but a voucher for a free room in Vegas and a check for $100.  These were accompanied by a note saying that my hard work was being rewarded and that I too had received first prize.  Even though I hadn't actually won, it was acknowledged that I indeed would have had I had the same amount of time as everyone else.  I was totally floored.

So, kids, the moral of the story is you should always try your best because you may get the chance to go to Vegas and be a total sloppy drunk for four days and three nights.  That's what being an adult is like.

5 comments:

  1. Remember when I asked how sad it would be if you missed eleven days and *still* won? Heh. Really, though, it's awesome to be appreciated by the folks who sign the checks! Congrats! Again!

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  2. Awesome. First place accolades for a third place finish.

    Agree, you probably would have won had you not made the decision to voluntarily go to Europe and removing yourself from the running.

    All that was proven is someone felt sorry enough for you to give you the Vegas hookup.

    It also proves to the first place winner that despite their effort, their first place standing is shared.

    So, ultimately, no matter how hard or not one tries, all are winners. I wonder how you'd feel if you did not go to Europe, worked your ass off to win, only to find out the third place winner was given a first place prize as well. Methinks you'd not like it so much.

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  3. While I see your point, Chuck, I think had I been a truly sucky employee I would have gotten shitty Maulers tickets even with going to Europe. What the post fails to mention is the fact that I do a LOT of extra shit for my boss. This included creating and maintaining our Facebook page, orientating all new employees, teaching image classes and doing a bunch of other crap I don't have to do and am not otherwise rewarded for. You may ask why I do this. Well it's just me and it's just what I do.

    I think all of that probably has more to do with it simply than the probability me winning had I been there the whole time. That's what I mean by "hard work" - in the contest, but more importantly in general.

    And for the record, the girl that got first knows - and agrees - with me getting the same prize as her.

    Finally, if a girl who worked as hard as I did was rewarded with the same prize as me I really wouldn't care. Why do I care if I still get to Vegas? That would seem really catty and entirely a waste of energy. Spread the love, dude.

    And as far as voluntarily going to Europe - my grandpa passed away while I was there. I didn't want to share that, but thanks for bringing it up!

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  4. Congrats on the trip!

    Sorry about your grandpa. :(

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  5. That's awesome!!! :-) I'm so glad they did that for you! I was all kinds of disappointed for you when you posted that your trip to Europe was going to keep you from winning. If you haven't already gone to Vegas, have a great time when you do!!!

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