Today, much to my eternal gratitude, after having to put it on hold last year like virtually everything else in 2020, the PCC central office returned to the traditional Thanksgiving Feast. Or, as they called it for the first time this year—and I like this way better than "Holiday Potluck" from other recent years—"Harvest Potluck."

This was my 20th Thanksgiving since starting at PCC—the same number anything annual, in fact, until my 20th anniversary happens in August of next year. Last year was the only year since I've worked there that we did not do this, although I did still create a small photo album, for select Thanksgiving-themed online screenshots and a photo of myself working at the Central District store. I'll be doing that this year on Monday next week, so this photo album will get one or two more photos from that day probably.

Still, I have no photos from the 2003 or 2004 feasts, just because I wasn't as prone to workplace photo taking at the time. I have only one shot from the one in 2002 because Janice took it. And in 2008 I missed it because it happened during Shobhit's and my trip to Las Vegas that year. Thus, I have seventeen photo albums covering this history.

I am well and truly thrilled it happened today, even though it was a much smaller crowd—not just than usual, but literally ever, in my own history with this potluck, anyway. We still have many people continuing to work from home. Kwanteria sent out an online RSVP and dish signup page, and I was one of 22 people who signed up. She had also sent out an Outlook calendar event just to get an RSVP count so she would know how much of the main dishes to get (turkey, stuffing, etc). Around 30 people signed up. Mind you, we have an office staff of about 120, so that's roughly 25% of us.

Which, under the circumstances this year—even with those of us at the office vaccinated—is still pretty ideal. Past years attendance was probably around 85% on average, I would guess. We packed both the dining area of the kitchen and the adjoining large conference room. This year the conference room wasn't even needed, and the group of us in the dining area fit quite comfortably. As much as I missed the people who couldn't male it, I quite liked it. I was far less crowded and far less hectic. Not that I ever had any complaints about other years, mind you.

Within the context of 2021, I would call this a great success. Adrienne, the Executive Assistant, and Kwanteria (pictured below), who until only recently was our receptionist (she moved to a new role in Community Relations), were essential parts of organizing and it and hanging charming Thanksgiving decorations.

Plus, even with far fewer dishes than we've had to choose from in years past, we still had enough food that I truly stuffed myself, and felt compelled to skip dinner. I mean, even 13 entrees and 9 desserts was more than enough. Marie told me later during the meal, when I sat at a table with her an Tracy with my dessert plate, that she wasn't going to join us, just because she had not brought a dish. Apparently Adrienne had told her, "Don't be stupid, there's plenty to eat!" Indeed. As I keep mentioning, we actually never want everyone at a potluck to bring food. Even if only half the people there bring something, there will be more food than everyone can eat.

Some people still wear masks regularly at the office. A lot of them kept their masks on even while dishing themselves up, taking them off to eat once they sat down. It was a lot like current protocol at restaurants and bars. I am vaccinated with a booster shot and I work only around vaccinated people, so I only ever wear my mask through the building until I get into the office. I never wear it while working and haven't since returning to the office at the end of June.

I did feel a little bit awkward at the "holiday bagging bootcamp" that occurred before the potluck today, as when I first entered the conference room where the tables were set up for pointers on bagging groceries during Thanksgiving shifts at stores, all of the few others in there had masks on. No one seemed to care that I didn't have mine on, though. I'm rather hoping that once again I just get tasked with walking the aisles and helping customers find products, but, I figure it couldn't hurt to get some pointers on bagging just in case. I tried my hand at it and was clearly just okay. I really fear that I'll get distracted by everything going on at registers and wind up bagging stuff poorly.

Anyway, I never have any shame about being first in line, and as soon as Adrienne said we should go ahead and eat, at about 12:15, I was indeed first to grab a plate. I sat at one of the long tables in the center of the dining area, and people slowly filled up the rest of the spaces, taking a while for people to come sit by me. Marianne, the woman from HR I used to sing with in the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Chorus and who first told me about the open position in 2002, sat to my left. Tao from Accounting sat to my right; Craig from Accounting across from me. I talked a little with these people but not much. I saw Tracy had sat at a separate table by herself until Marie joined her, and I went to join them after I got up to get my dessert plate.

I'll have to get to captioning the photos later. With fewer people there, it did wind down faster than in years past, after only about an hour, except that Andrew from IT came and sat at my table after Marie and Tracy left it, and we wound up in pretty engaging conversation for several minutes. I always enjoy talking to him. But then, it was back to work.

[posted 6:45 pm]