Are you considered to be volunteering if you are volun-told?

In response to last week’s question, "Are you considered to be volunteering if you are volun-told?,"  my writing and sailing friend Rich and cycling friend Ted concluded, "If you have ever been married, you already know the answer."   My engineering friend Steve added, "Isn’t that like marriage… you volunteer to get volun-told."

My social business friend Andy explained, "Volunteering is a self sacrifice with personal meaning; volun-told is just another job.  I've got enough jobs, thank you."  My dad's beach buddy Bob then pointed out, "That would signal my departure date as I am not receptive to being told anything (except by my wife of course)."  And then my social media friend Mark concurred, "My deflector shield goes up immediately, when someone is volunteering me to do something. I will not do THAT volunteering for sure. In fact, I think THAT voluntwit should automatically be assigned the work."

 My neighbor Al replied, "I guess I'm not cool or hip.  I had to look up what you meant."  My friend Royce answered, "Volun-told is mandatory-ism" and then my friend Richard continued, "According to the Oxford On-line Dictionary, one of the many definitions of the verb “volunteer” is “commit (someone) to a particular undertaking, typically without consulting them.” So the answer is “Yes, you can be ‘volunteered’ and then ‘volun-told.’”  I think the classic example would be Jim Fowler on just about every episode of the old “Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom” TV series. I can almost hear host Marlin Perkins saying “While I bait the fish hooks, Jim will wade into the water to see if there are any piranhas in this part of the Amazon!” It’s amazing Jim survived that series. I just learned today that Jim is still alive (81 years old) and was born in Albany, GA."

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

What are the 4 food groups for the Super Bowl Sunday?

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

Is there any significance that Sunday is Groundhogs Day and Super Bowl Sunday.  Anyone going to visit their regional ground hog on Sunday morning?

     

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration.

Why is Twitter worth more than Boeing?

In response to last week’s question, "Why is Twitter worth more than Boeing?", my sailing friend Bradley concluded, "Twitter gets you around the world without the TSA (only the NSA), and the crashes don’t get as much bad press."    My pilot (and cycling) friend Ted and my friend Royce explained, "a Boeing crash is a tragedy indeed; while a Twitter crash can only piss you off."

My dad's beach buddy Bob replied, "Twitter may be worth more, but Boeing will be flying long after the Tweets are gone."  And my neighbor Gail noted, "This will be interesting to see, considering I have a small pension coming from Boeing (aka McDonnell Douglas)."

My writing and sailing friend Rich responded, "Beats me; birds fly and birds tweet.  The fact that they fly has always been the more impressive trick to me.  G-d bless a country where you can make a bazillion bucks by convincing people that communicating in 140 characters or less is something you can't live without."  To which my colleague Matt shared, "It's disturbing. If you are following a celebrity, then you are feeding their narcissism. Too many already think they can do no wrong because of 'who they are'."

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

Are you considered to be volunteering if you are volun-told?

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

My start-up friend Marc responded to my social media friend Mark about a recent Hmmm. "To your friend Mark who wishes gravy contained vodka rather than water:  In much of the European world, and particularly in Italy, red tomato sauce such as that served with spaghetti is called “gravy”, not sauce.  Some of these classic tomato gravies contain vodka as Mark desires.  Vodka tomato gravy is now widely marketed on most US supermarket shelves under the label "Spaghetti Sauce with Vodka".  And, so Mark will readily find vodka gravy and can delight in it poured in a glass (i.e., as a beverage) rather than over pasta."

Today, our nation celebrates Martin Luther King Day as a national day of service.  What will you do to help others?

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration.

Is gravy a beverage?

In response to last week’s question, "Is gravy a beverage?", my writing and sailing friend Rich explained, "Based on my southern heritage and the fact that I personally saw people I was related to drink a lumpy concoction of butter milk and cornbread and go yummy afterward I would say it is possible. My dad would probably would have said that "gravy is for sopping up, not slurping down."

My dad's beach buddy Bob advised, "I know a train when I see one and this gravy train will only add  another 5 lbs. on my already too round body."  And my friend Royce replied, "If you are a dog."

When my birthday bud Jon questioned, "After how many drinks?", my friend Richard shared, "I have heard it said that when someone is “in the sauce” or “sauced,” it means they are inebriated, as one would be after consuming an alcoholic beverage. Since gravy is defined as “a sauce made from cooked meat juices together with stock and other ingredients,” then gravy=sauce. Since being sauced comes from drinking alcoholic beverages, then logically, gravy=sauce=beverage, so gravy=beverage!"  And in the same line of thinking, my social media friend Mark added, "It does make me wonder if you could swap the water out and use vodka when making your gravy. I like the idea...any volunteers? That might help answer the question definitively.  Otherwise, I have not seen the gravy button on those new Coke machines with 100 million beverages available. So if Coke says no, I have to agree...being from Atlanta."

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

Why is Twitter worth more than Boeing?  from my friend and almost birthday bud Haim

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

Next Monday (Jan 20) is Martin Luther King Day, a national day of service.  What will you do to help others?

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration.

What's the next thing on your bucket list?

In response to last week’s question, "What's the next thing on your bucket list?,"  my friend Richard offered the following, which I believe we can all agree with, "Number 1 on my "bucket list": DON'T kick the bucket this year!"

My buddy Henry wrote, "To make a ‘bucket list’!" which my product mgmt friend Doug Johnson agreed, "Create a Bucket List."

My writing and sailing friend Rich shared, "To add just one more thing.  You never want to get to the end of a bucket list."

·         My neighbor Al: Does getting out of bed count?  After buying a motorcycle and hot air balloon, Elaine told me that I'm not allowed any more mid-life crisis toys.

·         My friend Bruce: Waking up tomorrow, yeah I'm a low achiever (although he bought a florist shop last year).

·         My dad's beach buddy Bob: Lose 15 pounds or die.

·         My cycling friend Ted:  You know this one -- it involves pedals!!  (across the US in 2018)

·         My sailing friend Tom: Sail to England to see the Harrison Clocks in Greenwich and sail back using Celestial Navigation with multiple GPS backups. http://www.rmg.co.uk/harrison

When my friend Royce replied, "Throw away the damn bucket," my social media friend Mark counseled, "No bucket list in my world. If I see something I like, I just do it. Come to think of it, everything is next on my bucket list. I want to do everything before I die."

My project mgmt friend KJ expressed her philosophy, "I’ll be honest with you, I don’t really have a bucket list. I’ve lived such a rich, full life so far. I’ve visited Europe several times with Switzerland, Southern Germany and Northern Italy being my favorite places to visit on earth so far. I’ve also visited Costa Rica, Puerto Rico,  Mexico, Jamaica, Canada and 41 of the 50 States including Alaska. I sowed a lot of wild oats when I was younger. I love where I live, how I live and who I am. I had my son at 40. All I truly hope for is to see him reach 40, so, hopefully there’s an 80 in my future, but other than that, I’m good. So, forget the Bucket List, just live life! If you think you missed something, hop to it! There’s no time like the present!"

And my birthday bud Jon presented this thought, "Not sure about next item; but I know the last one--death."

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “: 

Is gravy a beverage?  (from Erma Bombeck)

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

  

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration.