Holiday Party

Tonight was my company's holiday party. Kristin stayed home with Clara (abbreviated reason: I like to flit from conversation to conversation, she does not and can't tolerate cocktail party chit chat, so she stays at home). The party was held a The Clarendon Ballroom. We've had company functions there before. It is a great space with a roof-top patio, dance area, and plenty of seating and space to move.

I arrived about thirty minutes into the party and the place was hopping. They had three food areas: cold meats and cheeses, sushi, and hot food. I immediately got in line for the food. Why you ask? Because they had macaroni & cheese. That's right, macaroni & cheese. Apparently gourmet comfort food is all the rage right now. I've heard of mashed potatoes being served at nice functions. Why, when it came time for dessert waiters circulated in pairs, one with a plate of cookies and the other with shot glasses full of milk. I can now say I've done a shot. A shot glass of milk, that is.

I filled my plate full of the macaroni & cheese, but still had a little room for a few pieces of toasted bread topped with beautiful lump crab meat. I'm feeling happy feelings just thinking about it. I had a chance to catch up with the spouses and significant others of my co-workers, and meet a few that I had yet to met. One funny story from the night. While talking to one of the BIG WIGS in our corporation I recounted the first time I met him. At the time I did not know who he was and was on the verge of asking him "So who are you and what do you do around here?" when our CEO mentioned that he is the Publisher of The Washington Post newspaper. I almost wish I'd had the chance to ask my question.

After everyone had eaten, and the alcohol started having its effect on the crowd, the dancing began. I had a wonderful time; I love to dance. I even danced a song or two with our CEO. She is six feet tall and appreciates a tall man who can dance. I'm starting to notice, though, that I'm not as young as I think I am. My back started to act up again. I guess I'll just have to keep popping the muscle relaxants. (How I adore those things.) It was another stark reminder that I'm no longer part of the "young kids" crowd at work. You're kicked out once you start complaining of back or joint pain.

At 9:30p I told my coworkers that I had to leave, made it out the door by 9:50p (a near record for me) and drove home to my adorable wife and child. I must say, after the party I felt refreshed, rejuvenated. Such is the effect an energetic crowd has on a true extrovert.

Driven to....

Some people's jobs drive them to drink. My job drives me to Five Guys. A snapshot of my day yesterday:

7am - head to bus stop
8am - arrive at work
Before lunch - phone call alerting me to problem that could impact huge launch we have planned for that night, triggering phone calls, meetings, worried conversations; work on slides for big presentation; coworker calls in sick.
Lunch - return two books to library; grab Subway; scarf down.
Lunch to 4pm - deal with fallout from issue; board slides; photo shoot; meeting with Big Bad Boss Woman; issue resolved by IT team - huzzah!
4pm - head downtown for big bad launch.
5pm - system launch begins.
Launch until 9:30pm - wait to test system; start using Facebook (look me up and add me as a friend); blog a little; talk to various folks I haven't seen in years; wait to test system.
9:30pm to 12:30am - test system; deal with problems; test system; deal with problems; test system; all in all, a normal large-system launch.
1:32am - finish pulling reports, compiling list of test activities, sending to relevant parties.
1:47am - cab picks me up.
2:17am - cab arrives at house.
2:18am - fall into bed.

7:12am - Clara wakes me up.
7:30am - wife mercifully allows me to sleep.
11am - woke up for the day. Called Bruce & Julie from bed; recapped above.

Noonish - Met at Five Guys; indulged in greasy goodness.

Blogging from the team lunch

We had a team lunch today for Tina's birthday. Over dessert we discussed Tina's birthday plans. She mentioned a party (that her brother was bringing heaven knows who to) and that she wished I wasn't married and could come to the party. And I quote here, "my friends would turn you out. I'd be like. Get him y'all, get him."

I wouldn't have stood a chance.

Blogging from Thai

Overheard at my lunch with Diana today:

"Where's my wallet. I used it to get off the metro today. Maybe it's in my purse holder."

What, you might ask, is a purse holder?

I feel wholly unqualified to answer such a question as it lies so far outside my realm of expertise. Instead I've enlisted resident expert in over-sized female baggage, Alicia, our blog's first ever guest author. What some call a purse holder, she calls luggage. The names are different, the concept is the same. Without further ado: The Luggage Manifesto.

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The Luggage Manifesto

The Purse

People often ask me, "Alicia, why do you carry a bag so large?" I usually laugh because random people I don’t even know make fun of the very large bag. My usual response is, "I just have a lot of stuff to carry." I’ll let you in on the real truth. I carry a bag so large because for some reason, I feel naked without it. There is just no way I could ever leave for work with just a wallet in hand. Are you interested in knowing what I carry in a bag so large? For example, today I am carrying the following items:

• Make-up bag
• Two notebooks
• A book (you never know when you’ll have time to kill)
• Wallet
• 2 Business card holders that I don’t use
• Lip gloss
• Mini hair brush
• Various papers that I’ve been choosing to ignore
• Two parking tickets which have been paid
• Chapstick
• Gum
• A couple of pens
• Nail buffer
• Keys
• Hair rubber bands and bobby pins
• A roll of film that should have been developed over 6 months ago

The large bag often shields me from undesirable situations such as a very crowded bus or crowded metro. If I have to make my way through an angry crowd, I put the bag in front of me and forage my way through. Being almost 5'1", there is no way I would be able to make it through that kind of a crowd with a wallet; it just wouldn't be the same.

The Purse Holder

I remember back in February when I bought Luggage Number Two, I thought to myself, people are going to be pissed on a crowded bus. I quietly laughed to myself and brought my purchase up to the counter at Coach. I didn’t care, I got such a great deal how could I not have bought the bag?! I absolutely love this bag and I take special care of it. I brought it to softball one day, and instead of throwing it on the ground like other people’s dirty backpacks, I took a large map, unfolded it, and placed my bag lovingly on top. I was concerned, you see, about the bottom of the bag getting dirty since the leather is so light.

So to all those haters out there, the large bag is a part of me, kind of like my child, and I’m not giving it up anytime soon. You can continue with your comments and your dirty looks, but I’m not going down without a fight!

Lobsterfest 2007 (Updated with photos)

I have a coworker named Rob. Rob has been my coworker for over seven years. Rob lives in Maine. Rob telecommutes from Maine. Except for the one week a month that he comes down to the DC office. Rob has a very unique sense of humor. I'm rather fond of Rob.

One of the benefits of having a coworker who lives in Maine is that he can bring fresh lobster when he comes to visit. It is with fond memories I recall the first time, three years or so ago, that he came bearing gifts of crustacean goodness. He brought four lobster, one each for the three members of our team and one for Kristin. Kristin and I had Rob and our teammate, Jen, over and we cooked and ate the lobster. Two highlights of the evening were Kristin freaking out over the fact that something had now died in her kitchen and Jen getting a lobster tail stuck on her finger. In the recounting of the latter event, I must confess that I tend to embellish on Jen's flailing motions, lobster juice flying everywhere, and a huge chef's knife employed to free her finger. Even taking all this into account we had a wonderful time.

Last summer our technical manager, Dove, was gracious enough to open her house to our our tech, design, and product teams and Lobsterfest was born. As this summer approached, we decided that, as we had so much fun last year, we had to have a Lobsterfest 2007. Dove once again offered up her house and last night was the night. What a party it was.

Highlights of the evening:

• Appetizers on the deck with drinks, a fun herb dip purchased from a local vendor at a farmer's market, and Trader Joe's artichoke dip
• Dinner in one of the best kept gardens in the county
• Tim taking pictures of Oliver serving each person their lobster
• Getting to see new mother-of-twins Holly, who is currently on maternity leave
• The picture of Oliver dropping Dove's lobster (see below)
• The grilled vegetables, strawberry and goat cheese salad, and tomatoes and mozzarella Dove served as side dishes
• Hearing about the time she-who-will-not-be-named mistakenly sent her boss an instant message, intended for a friend, complaining about her boss
• Eating dirt for dessert
• Chatting under the stars until 11:00p with good company

Thanks to all who made Lobsterfest 2007 a success. Until next year, check out the pictures below and be jealous.

Meredith's lobster attacking her as Jen signals her approval


OOPS! Dropping Dove's lobster


Rob being shocked by either Oliver or the lobster. Who can tell?

Overheard during testing today

Oliver: Do you feel like that's a hostile work environment?
Kevin: No. It's just Meredith.
Jen: Whoooooaaaaa!
Meredith: I am a hostile work environment.

Plays by Eugene O'Neill for One Hundred (Updated)

The past two days we've had amazing winter weather here in the DC Area. Finally our forecasters cast off the habit of debating whether the weather, and earned the title of weather people by predicting something that came to fruition. They're sort of like Trelawney. They get it right once or twice in a life-time.

Yesterday we started out with snow of various intensities that changed overnight into wicked sleet and freezing rain. Luckily the freezing rain was mostly to the east of the city. I've learned that it is far more trecherous than sleet. Today we are featuring below freezing temperatures that are keeping the snow and ice frozen. Both Kristin and I awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of ice pellets on the bedroom window. By the morning we had streams of ice running down our window screen. In the first picture the water on the window screens is frozen in place. Similarly on the deck the grey box in the second picture has streams of ice "running" down its side.

Because of the weather I decided to head into the office a little late. This allowed me to ride in with Kristin and Clara. Ride in with Kristin and Clara, you say? That's right! Today was the fourth JCREM Cook-off and Kristin and Clara were the guests of honor. (I blogged the last cook-off here. ) After having done food from your upbringing, summer dishes, and a harvest theme, we decided to mix it up with a Valentine's Brunch. As always a strong showing by all with traditional breakfast dishes as well as some things that my mother would never have let me eat for breakfast. See if you can pick those out of the list below.

• Waffles made on the premises & Fresh Fruit (Sonja)
• Goat Cheese, Spinach, Tomato & Bacon Cups (Meredith)
• Breakfast Casserole (Kristin - my wife)
• Pecan Roll (Kristen - my coworker)
• Heart Cupcakes with a Surprise in the Middle (Diana)
• Better Than ... Most Things Cake (Courtney)
• Brownies (Jen)
• Pumpkin Bread (Brendan's Mom)
• Streusel Crumb Cake (Sheilah)
• Homemade Biscuits with Homemade Jam (Caroline)
• Bacon - four pounds worth! (Fang)
• Chicken and Apple Sausage (Daquaan)
• Quiche (Kim)
• And I know I'm forgetting something. If you know what it is, tell me so I can add it.

In keeping with tradition I tried every dish. They were all wonderful. I especially loved Meredith Goat Cheese cups. She had to track down filo dough in last night's bad weather. Harris Teeter came through. Nancy also had an adventure heading to the store in her almost-PJs to pick up eggs. We also had mystery judges, but they have yet to hand down their verdict on the winners. Once they do I'll update the post.

Everyone loved seeing little baby Clara. She was a good guest at the brunch and smiled and cooed at all the right times. She napped in Dad's arms whilst we walked around the ninth and twelfth floors. It was fun to have the chance to show her off. Everyone says she is a beautiful baby. I couldn't agree more!

Update: And we have a winner! Hats off to Diana for her winning Cupcakes. Honorable mentions to my adorable wife for her breakfast casserole and to Caroline for her from-scratch biscuits. Thanks to Joe and Jen for adjudicating.

Bowling for Bombshells & Commentary on My Age

Today my department had an offsite. Unlike someone I know, I rather enjoy some time outside the office with my teammates. I enjoy people - as a general rule - and welcome the chance to get and do something other than sit and breathe shallowly while I type.

Today's offsite took us to Lucky Strike in downtown D.C. It's a bowling alley with no smoking and good food. I don't think they serve corn dogs, though one does sound tasty right now. We arrived and a spread was served: Caesar salad, nachos with multi-colored corn chips, chicken and turkey sandwiches and these things called Chicken Bites. Chicken Bites are the true embodiment of goodness, deep-fried chicken nuggets tossed in one of four sauces: buffalo sauce, sweet and sour, honey mustard, and - insert sigh of nirvana here - ranch. A plate of the ranch ones somehow found its way to the table where my team sat. Sweet, sweet ambrosia.

After gorging ourselves, we began to bowl. Our four teams - High Rollers, Bowling Stones, Split Happens, and The Incredibowls - bowled three games. I never realized how tiring bowling can be. I bowled a decent game but lacked the bowling boost (beer) of my office mates. I was proud of the fact that I broke 100 in one of my games.

A group of us rode the metro to and from Lucky Strike together. On the way back to the office, while changing trains at Metro Center, Alicia received a phone call. "Hello?". I'm always jealous of those people who have cell phone reception in the tunnels and stations; drat that Sprint. "What!?! Anna Nicole Smith is dead!?!" Heads turn and audible gasps are heard. "Give me the details!"

For the next few minutes Alicia relayed what few details were known. All the sudden Diana receives a text message. "Anna Nicole Smith ... dead. Make sure everyone knows." Gina, a coworker in a different department, wanted to make sure we heard even while on our offsite. Another member of our group received a phone call, but I don't want to mention her by name as it was from her boyfriend. He would probably be embarrassed if everyone knew he was following celebrity gossip on the news. In his defense, he saw it on a news site.

Back at the office, the group split up, two people to thank Gina for sending the text and the rest to their desks to gather as much information as possible. As we walked by Sterg's desk she said, "I can't get on any of my celebrity blogs.".

Anna Nicole Smith : Celebrity Gossip Blogs :: 9/11 : News Sites

While discussing the day's events with Kristin that night, I realized that the fact that no one called/messaged/texted me means I am not part of the young & hip crowd. If that's the price to pay for a cute wife and daughter, I guess it's worth it.