Office potlucks

One of the great things about having a job is getting to go to office potlucks. Today we had one at work, it was football oriented and was called a tailgate potluck. People were expected to show up in football jerseys or t-shirts and bring food to share. I brought chili. I realized now I was supposed to put the chili in a crock pot and not just microwave it. I had to warm it up twice.

My chili was dwarfed on all sides by better offerings. Fortunately, one of the office managers pushed the chili. "You should try Mr. Mustache's chili" he exclaimed. "It has a real bite to it!" That helped it along but there was still a lot left. Tomorrow I guess I'll be eating chili.

The purpose of potlucks is not just to give the staff indigestion. The purpose of the event is to allow people from other units to socialize and get to know each other. It worked out that way today. The Mom's talked toddlers and soccer games. The older men talked about their golf games. Luckily, I travel, so occasionally I can mention my recent trip to Ireland or LA although I didn't get a chance today.

One thing I hate is people who grab food and run back to their offices to eat. They miss the point of the thing. It's supposed to be a social event. Nobody is that busy.

It wasn't a bad potluck. Now, next year, to make it a real tailgate potluck we should have it in the parking lot and there should be a keg of beer. That would be a real tailgate party

the Roosevelts

Just saw six of the seven programs on the Roosevelts. I've been to a few places mentioned in the show. Hyde Park is worth seeing. On display is FDR's wheelchair, a rather primitive thing, a chair with wheels attached. I also went to the Teddy Roosevelt home in Oyster Bay, a nice visit, especially if you like bear rugs and lots of trophies. You can get to Oyster Bay by the Long Island Railroad, if you don't mind a walk.

On a trip to Georgia a few years ago, I went to Warm Springs. Nice place and up the street I ate the best southern fried chicken I ever had.

Americans lack ambiton

According to a recent report by Career Builder employment agency. Ambition, like acne, is one of those things most of us leave behind by age forty. The problem is ambition leads to supervisory jobs and since most people lack ambition, supervising people can drive you batty. As I was told in the break room years ago, "If they see you are a hard worker, they'll just keep piling on the work and nobody ever gets promoted around here."

So let's get out there and ACHIEVE!

Editor's note: Someone gave me a whole book about having no ambition. Pete Jordan has made a career out of being a layabout. I guess that's his ambition.

Back to school shopping

When I was in school I would go down to Modell's and buy a few pens and pencils, a few notebooks and I was finished. The next day my mother would take me to the mall where she would buy a couple of plaid shirts, a pair of slacks and I'd be all set for school. The whole expedition came in for under fifty dollars.

Today things have changed a bit. Nowadays, kids have to have Kindles, computer pens, IPads, and other high tech necessities. Of course, children learn a lot more in school than we did. It's amazing how erudite kids are today.

Editor's note: I wrote a new blog on the Sixties about clams.

The bucket hysteria

Unlike most mass hysteria's in history, the bucket challenge comes from the top town. The head of the organization does it then he challenges his minions. Then the minions do it and challenge their minions. For those of us low on the totem pole there is the hope that the hysteria will have played out before it reaches our floors or God forbid, our offices.

So what should I do now with my portfolio

Well now the market is going down. As of Friday afternoon the Dow was $16493, lower than my prediction for the year ($17,250)  although the Dow peaked at $17.151 not long ago. I predict we're still going to hit my prediction but there will be rough riding ahead. So, I recommend,  if you are brave, keep your money in stocks but take some profits too.

I'm ultimately optimistic because the market today is scary enough to discourage most middle class Americans. Only people with great pensions or significant resources can play the game now. That means times will be good. Like restaurants, tourist resorts, stores, music venues and parties, the best things in life are only accessible for the few and not the masses.  "Oh yes, as a boy we had a summer place in the Hamptons, before it was discovered."

Being lousy at sports

I have always been lousy at sports. As a kid, no one wanted me on their team. I blame that on the fact that I had very few friends as a kid. At summer day camp I had to sit on the bus with the mentally disabled kid who also sucked at sports. As an adolescent I listened to the radio for hours with my poor coordination and skinny frame.

Now I am an adult and I don't have golfing or fishing buddies calling me up on weekends wanting me to make up a  foursome. I still suck at sports.

I drive around the area and suddenly come upon traffic jams in front of the high school. Everybody is watching their kids who are playing sports, and presumably, are good at it. After the game there will be barbecue and beer for the parents and baseball for the kids. Later the parents will engage in a little wife swapping  while I'll be at home watching Turner Classic Movies.

Today I sat down with a group of babyboomers and found out that people who shine at sports when they are young get arthritic and decrepit after they hit forty. At least that's what the lady drinking a Pinot Grigiot said. Apparently, if true, people who sucked at sports look better and have better health, at least comparatively, as they get older. That knowledge put me in a much better mood. Look I can sprint to the mailbox to retrieve my Netflix dvd. I'm so happy I always sucked at sports.