To be raging at shortbread instead of pastries?

I hauled arse out of bed for a Very Important Work thing (first time I've left the building in months as its rather awkward for me at the mo)...

High quality grown up cake - rhubarb and frangipane tarts, lunch (our choice off the hotels menu) - tea and biscuits. I could have stayed for dinner too but I was knackered, 7 hours peopleing and watching presentations and asking sensible questions is quite a lot for a fully qualified Hermit.

I guess it does pay to be a contractor for a global billionity squid company sometimes :)

Yes. They meet on the first Friday of the month in the MN Pedants' Corner lounge. The catering people know to provide Danish pastries and mini bacon butties first thing, and proper coffee.

Yet another pro-Danish, anti-Scots thread. This is dog-whistle racism.

I shall alert the moderators.

I was a day long meeting yesterday.
Academia.

Morning break. All types of tea, an urn of coffee, water and slightly melted biscuits.
Lunch. Sandwiches and wraps of all types, 2 lovely salads, fresh fruit and a selection of tiny cakes/desserts.
Afternoon break. As above with the remaining fruit and desserts.

The only issues were that the paper plates were a bit too flimsy and the salad was not chopped small enough so with just a fork and eating standing up there was some inelegant shoving of watercress into gob!

@Toddlerteaplease that‘s shocking!

I’m on a study day run by a healthcare company. They offered accommodation and a dinner last night. (Couldn’t go
as was working) The email mentioned refreshments at the start. So expecting pastries I had no breakfast. Not even a biscuit!!!!!!!!!!!!

It definitely varies by sector. There was no consternation at my meeting either. I’ve been thoroughly spoilt in the corporate world.

So I was a bit not impressed earlier in this thread at the pastry rage. But i could understand someone today being miffed on arrival thinking can I have a glass of water (no fountains to refill, no vending machines at the venue). I did tell the organiser (as I was kind of involved) the coffee has run out and do you know there’s no water. Shrug. But as I say. Everyone seemed to survive. But maybe social workers are more hardy ❤️

Yes. I attend a regular meeting which is not catered at all. Not even a jug of water. Shocking.

I ask you: what has happened to the world? It’s the little things that make it all worthwhile, normally.

Thought I’d pop on here with a tale to tell. Conference today. Social workers. Full day event. I didn’t organise the catering. If I had, I’d happily be shot to pieces. Coffee ran out before everyone had one. NO biscuits or any food of any description on arrival. No water even. No one seemed bothered. Maybe they’ve got bigger worries 🤷‍♀️

It used to be that our LA had a Teachers' Centre (a former primary) which was used for various training days.

If it was a morning or afternoon, you got a coffee and biscuits. If you were there for the day, you got a rather satisfying old-fashioned type school lunch. (Custard! Yum!)

Eventually, this was all cut back.

By the time I was a HoD/Faculty Head, the lunches were no more. Most training days were cut back to a training morning or afternoon.

We got word that there was a mandatory training day for secondary NQTs - half those in the LA one day; the other half the next.

On the first day, the NQTs discovered that there was no lunch available, but - for some reason - they'd not been informed.

The former school was in a coalmining town currently consisting of nothing but dormitory housing, barbers, nail salons and pubs. The pub across from the former school was open for lunches, so most of the NQTs toddled across the road for lunch.

The next day, the Education Officer in charge of the training day sent a strongly worded email round all secondary schools in the LA - half the NQTs hadn't returned for the afternoon session.

Ha. I’ve never been called that before. However, someone moaning to me about pastries I’d find ‘a bit of a wet blanket’ 😃

I’m allowed an opinion 😃

Exactly, if they want people to engage with it, network, take info in then they need to provide proper refreshments. I do wonder who organises the shit ones, like the welsh cake to last all day.. who would think that’s okay

I think I would cry. I feel hungry every 2 hours and need to be fed adequately and caffeinated regularly or I either wilt or go on the rampage depending on my mood. I hope you wrote a strongly worded letter as feedback!

That would fucking irritate me aswell. 🤣

If you go, and you're looking forward to something, then some twat changes it.

we've had bacon butty's for 30 fucking years, thank you very much. If you now want to now offer a vegan version alongside it, great. But don't dispose entirely of the original.

Twats. 🙄

This thread is responsible for making me go to the bakery yesterday and getting some croissants, pain au chocolats and also cinnamon swirls which weren’t even mentioned 🤣 we are so lucky living in this age and this place where we can have anything. It’s the little things in life that make the days better!

👏👏👏

If it was proper decent buttery rich Scottish shortbread, I’d be delighted as it would be more filling and satisfying and keep me going much more than a couple of tiny pastries.

However, being a work conference, I’m sure it’s very basic cheap shortbread and that is Not Good.

As a fellow teacher who PAYS termly for shitty instant coffee, I feel your pain! A paid conference for a teacher is a thing of excitement due to any little luxuries we don’t pay for ourselves. The lack of pastries would have annoyed me too OP! My DH, on the other hand, who regularly has work provided pastries, freshly brewed coffee and other treats, wouldn’t have minded I’m sure. I, on the other hand, can feel your disappointment!

I love Pain au chocolat. Microwave door 5-7 arcs cut up and dipped in milky coffee or hot chocolate.

Delish

I'm allergic to sesame, and always notify conference organisers in advance. At a conference I went to last year, there was only one vegetarian main course dish on offer, but it looked and smelt delicious. I was about to dig in when an organiser buttonholed me to warn me that it had sesame in and, um, there weren't any alternatives. I had a fascinating dinner of rice and lettuce leaves. I was NOT impressed.

I used to go on conferences which had sumptuous offerings, including free barita coffee all day & lovely buffets etc.

Since DC I'm working in the finance industry. I went to my first 'catered' PD day two weeks ago. The promised barista coffee turned up at 11:30am (was supposed to be a 10am coffee & morning tea start) as the organiser hasn't ordered it. She then proceeded to put out lollies and stale shortbread and some weird gherkin things she'd bought on her way there, from the supermarket, onto paper plates. Lunch was sandwiches I couldn't eat because they'd put the one salad item on every single one of them that I am allergic to. She brought a gluten free salad for another participant she knew, though.

Don't get me started on the useless content. Couldn't operate the tech, either.

It was a sh*t show, but a day away from the office, at least! I did leave wondering why these people get paid so much and concerned they are the money brains of our operation!!

Deans of Huntly do the best shortbread.😋
If you ever get the chance to try them I would do so.

It’s the “again” that makes this so funny 😂