Another office funny! Recent e-mails sent to all of Marketing Communications …

May 1, 8:00 a.m.:
Good Morning Everyone, Conference Room #517 has now been renamed to Conference Room #512 going forward. Reminder that if you had scheduled any meetings in room #517 you will need to resend your meeting invite to reflect room #512.

(We were all very confused by this.  We wondered why you would need to change a room number.  Room 517 is right next to room 518.  There was never any confusion about which room was which.  We got our answer before the day was through…)

May 1, 2:00 p.m.:
Good Afternoon Everyone, After several e-mails and questions, I received an answer about the reason behind the switch of Conference Room #517 to Conference Room #512. The answer is: This change was incorrect, and is now in the process of being changed to: #517.
 
(I love how long it took to get an answer in this e-mail.  It was reality-show style…. ‘We have an answer’ … ‘and the answer is’ …. ‘after the commercial break’ …. ‘nevermind, there is no answer.’  Ryan thinks they should have just stuck to their guns and changed the room name anyway after they caused such a brouhaha.)

Coney Island!

Hollis does feel like an island … he cut his paw and was subjected to “the cone.”  Martin will have nothing to do with him when he is in the cone.

This post needs no additional words.  The sad, sad pictures say it all!

 

TO ALL EMPLOYEE!

This notice is posted in our elevators at work right now.  It makes Morgan and me giggle everytime we see it.  The choice of ALL CAPS makes me feel like this is a very dramatic shift for our food service initiatives.  The spelling and punctuation I provide here is the actual spelling and punctuation on the notice.  A fun game is to read it aloud, only pausing for breath when the punctuation allows.

TO ALL

EMPLOYEE

THAT DRINK COFFEE

IN 2 WEEKS THERE

WILL BE A

CHANGE IN COFFEE

FOR ALL BREAKROOMS TO

MAXWELL HOUSE

THIS IS DUE

TO A CONTRACUAL AGREEMENT

WE HAVE

THEY WILL BE IN BLUE POUCHES.

THANKS

Cinco de birthday!

Yesterday was quite a cause for celebration.  First, it was Cinco de Mayo, the day where the US celebrates a Mexican holiday that Mexicans don’t really care about.  Also, it was Luke’s birthday.  We enjoyed a delicious happy hour.  Then, Morgan hosted “Shih Tzu de Mayo” because it was Elton’s first birthday (she made a doggie cake - put that up on Saltimbocca, Morgan!).  It was also Maya’s birthday (meow!), so we celebrated “Cinco de Maya.”  Whew!  Pet, people and Mexico birthdays all at once!

 

90 miles?

This weekend, Ryan participated in the “Great Austin to Shiner Pedal” - a bike ride benefiting the Lance Armstrong Foundation and celebrating delicious beer.  On Saturday, Ryan “I only mountain bike” Marchbanks rode (on streets) from Austin, Texas to the Shiner brewery in Shiner, Texas.  90 miles!  There are many people who made this possible:

1. Christine and Dave for signing Ryan up in the first place

2. Mike and Amanda for watching Hollis and for giving Ryan advice on how to survive a bike race

3. Kevin for letting Ryan borrow George Hincapie’s US Postal Service bike.  Kevin, employed at Lance’s sports agency, got the bike through his job.  The bike is so nice and light!

4. The ladies with me at the spiritual retreat I attended this weekend - I had everyone praying for Ryan’s strength and safety!

5. And of course - Ryan!  I am very proud of you for finishing this race after two weeks of training.  Congrats!

Baked goods vs. ethnic goods!

My old team (PR) is predominately made up of women who love to bake.  Cookies and brownies appear at least once a week.  Often, e-mails will go out to the whole team with a cheery message in the subject line:”Cookies outside of Trisha’s Cube!  Enjoy! (eom)”

On my new team, the edible goods left out for all to try are experimental.  When people return from trips, the e-mail subject lines say things like this: “Gummy candy from Taiwan - try some! (eom)” and “Palinka Chocolate from Hungary - enjoy! (eom)”

I can’t wait for someone to return with my favorite: Dutch Gummy Pig Faces.  YUM!

This is the first quirky difference I have noticed between jobs.  It’s my first day …  and India is out of the office on holiday… so …  that’s all I’ve got. 

Into the Woods …

Today I move desks and tomorrow I move jobs.  I’ll still be at NI (the calculator company), I’m just moving to the International Marketing Communications team.  In my new role, I will be serving as the marketing support for (take a deep breath - it’s a mouthful): India, Russia, the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey.  I’ll also serve as PR support for Asia and Australia.

I have many emotions … Excitement to work with the part of the world where so many religions originated. After being fascinated with the area’s past - now I get to learn about the region’s contemporary business culture … Fear because I really don’t have any idea what is going on.  I’ve been doing domestic PR ever since I graduated.  Web marketing? Sales? Eh?  … Curiosity about how what I learn will change me … Humility over how lucky I am to have such an opportunity … Enthusiasm to learn, learn, learn …

The best parts about this move are that a) I still get to work with my friends and work wife on the domestic PR team and b) I get to work more with my good friend Nathan.

Here’s to the future!

Bonnie and Clyde!

This morning, I was telling Ryan about the dream I had last night when I heard scraping in the living room.  Of course, Martin had knocked something off the table that Hollis was chewing on.  Before we had the baby animals, life was so simple!  Mercedes minded her own business.  Now, anything a cat can move falls (literally) prey to Hollis’ chewing madness.

They work in together.  Partners in crime.  Martin paws something off the table to the floor at Hollis’ feet, never to be whole again.  Martin will even grab things out from under refrigerator magnets with his mouth.  In that instance, both the wedding invitation/to-do list that was posted AND the refrigerator magnet are lost to the vicious jaws of our border collie.

If you put something out of the dog’s reach, you think it’s safe … but in our house, it’s not.  And Hollis gets in so much trouble when he eats stuff.  Come to think of it … Martin probably laughs.

I think the hardest thing is when they destroy your bills and or store lists.  Store lists can be a product of a week of research.  Gone!

Look at this picture.  Martin looks around for what he can give to Hollis.  Shameful.

 

Maybe I should just pick up things in my house more?  That’s a thought!

Back from Conference!

Had a great weekend attending the United Methodist General Conference and visiting college roommates Ginny and Becky.  Ginny and I got our nails done (to show off her ring of course!).  My nails are never done, so I feel very “Dallas” today at work.  All dolled up!

We had breakfast with Becky at Dallas-local favorite Breadwinners.  It is always fun to catch up with old friends. Ginny and I celebrated her engagement over sushi on Friday - thanks James!

Conference was amazing.  I am proud to be a part of a group so dedicated to human rights and social change around the world.  I witnessed the best sermon I have ever seen.  Tara walked me through the work of the legislative subcommittees.  I met clergy people from all over the U.S. and listened to their stories.  

This annual conference marked the 40th year (to the date!) that Methodists in the U.S. became the United Methodists, truly including people of all races.  It is painful to think that there was a time that we didn’t include people of all races into one church - but I am glad we are recognizing that pain and remembering it so that we can continue today to become more and more inclusive.

Continue prayers for Tara as she serves as an elected delegate until Friday.     

 

San Francisco Pics!

Ferry boat to Sausalito

Bottom of Lombard Street

Top of Lombard Street

Golden Gate Bridge

Silly in Sonoma

Early morning walk on the Pier