The Company Christmas Party

Well, I took a lot of cheeses, crackers, meats out there for hors D'ouevres.  Well liked, yes, but some of the dishes that other people brought were absolutely amazing.  Think of 20 dishes that are family secrets handed down for generations all showing up at the same place, think the party I was at tonight.

I freely admit I WAY overate.  Fried turkey; Beef rib rack; Pasoli; all kinds of stuff that was absolutely amazing. The highlight, though, was the second annual Corn Hole competition.  I figured my team - 2 people to a team - would nail this one.  He's very good at the game, I'm not too shabby.  Today, my skills greatly increased.  I was nailing it right in the hole, or pushing another bag into the hole, even got 2 bags into the hole at once by hitting a bag that was right on the edge of the hole and the one I threw to hit it both going in.

Net gain? $130 to be split equally.  My partner shook hands, the Ops manager pulled out the earnings, he walked off and said: "give it all to Ben".  Ops manager comes to me, counts out $130 in bills and that was that.  Not.  I am not going to just take the whole till.  I could certainly USE the till, but I wasn't even going to say that, that would be tacky at a Christmas party.  I found him, had his $65 in hand, he refused.  He is an outside salesman, he has made a lot of money in his life, this I am pretty confident of.

So, I put the money in my wallet, thanked him for a great game and walked to another group of people.  Someone made a comment about my team - being paired up with an ex-pitcher from the Seattle Mariners.  Huh?  I chuckled, thought they were joking.  No joke, he actually DID pitch at one point in time for the Mariners!! I don't know what years or even if he actually started or played in any actual MLB game.

Somehow, I had it in my head that today is Sunday.  I only just in the last half hour have readjusted that thought: it's Saturday night, enjoy the rest of the day with a very full belly, go to bed, get up in the morning and get some house cleaning done.    Pleasant, enjoyable day.  The money won at the competition should pay for the diagnosis on the car.  Hey, I didn't say anything to anyone there about what I am doing with the money, but blowing it on something is not in the equation.  I mean, the thought of hitting the casino hit my mind, but I dismissed it.  Don't feel like going there tonight and I only do that on weekends nights, it would have to wait  until next week.  But, it isn't waiting for anything, I would rather be guaranteed that I spent the money on something I needed to get done - though it is sometimes very tempting.  I don't go that much any more and when I do go, it's usually a good night.

I also am tempted to go on Tuesday cause they are giving away 9, brand new cars that night.  However, the giveaway STARTS at 6:00 pm.  I think they are drawing names throughout the night.  I can't really spend all night long at a casino and then expect to go to work the next morning.

Ummm, well, I think I'll dismiss that thought, at least for now.

That's it.

G'day.

ben

Saturday 12/11/2010

So, did they get it?  Did Washington come the conclusion that we don't want them spending more money?

NO, is the definitive answer, they did NOT.  Another almost TRILLION dollar bill that is getting loaded with useless junk.  $857,000,000.00 was the "current" estimate and it sounds like even more is going to be loaded into it.

Nope, they didn't get the message.  We cannot continue to spend this kind of money, period.  This kind of spending is, in a word: unsustainable.  This isn't what I voted for last month.  I don't know what the House is going to do with this bill, but - if they don't vote it down and quash it, smash it and pulverize it, then no, they definitely didn't get the message and -- what are voters supposed to do?

Some economists are making statements that eventually, this whole thing is going to crash.  We will end up in financial/monetary crisis and then what?  The collapse of our government?   How does government function without money?  You think employees are going to work for free?  I'm just musing here - what kind of low is it going to take to "get there" - to have our hand forced back on us?  How about if China stops buying all the bonds?  I'm all for getting it over with.  Simply meaning that when our hand is forced back on us, there will be no choice but to incorporate massive cuts in government spending.

If the current House doesn't stop this madness, then the only truth that has prevailed all along anyway is:  it doesn't matter who you vote for, it all ends up with the same outcome: spend, spend, spend like there's no tomorrow.

I'm not sorry to say that I am disgusted and repulsed by the actions of these irresponsible, selfish, greedy people that are running our government.  I will still hold out a glimmer of hope to see what the House does with this garbage.

Off of that subject, company Christmas party today.  I haven't started on cutting anything up - but that's intentional, I was waiting until sometime this morning to start that process.  I am going to slice up all the cheese and put them individually in plastic storage bags to be transported in such fashion to the party, which is about 50 miles away.  I guess I am going to have to use a cooler, too, since the high today is slated at 80 degrees, which is too warm to just let cheese sit out.  I figure to put out a platter with the stuff, but not all of it and replenish it as time moves forward during the party if needed.  That way, my expensive cheese won't go bad and perhaps I'll be bringing some of it back home with me.

Ummm, a lot of time passed.  Cut up everything that needed cutting, went up to the store for another 2 dips - they were on manager special, normally $4.99, $1.59 today - meaning it probably only has a couple more days shelf life before expiring.

Gotta get ready to go - later!

ben