What is it not really necessary to add pumpkin to? and a Halloween question

In response to last week’s question, "What is it not really necessary to add pumpkin to?,"  my network management friend Andrew concisely wrote, "One word: October."  

My writing and sailing friend Rich advised, "The Juicer – No amount of vodka is going to make Pumpkin Juice work."

When my equestrian friend Royce suggested, "Coffee!," my transportation friend Chris expounded, "Coffee should taste like coffee and Whiskey should taste like whiskey."    And my temple friend Stuart added, "pumpkin should not be added to hard candies, scotch, whiskey, bourbon, vodka, scented toilet paper, air freshener, lollipops, and, oh yes, this conversation."

My birthday bud Jon essentially ended the discussion with, "Anything that is not pumpkin pie" except that my cousin Wes shared, "I am not a fan of pumpkin pie.  But those Costco pumpkin muffins are yummy."

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

When is one person's trick another person's treat?

Live. Love. Learn. Laugh .. Lighten up!  

Hal

Wishing y'all a safe, fun All Saints Eve, the only time you should use your kids to gather chocolate and then take it away from them for their own good.

And one note from my dad's beach buddy Bob, who responded to "Can you have incorrectly auto-corrected words?" by observing, "Isn't that how we created double negatives?"

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.  Stop NicheLabs to see what else I'm up to.

When do you use 'bye bye' instead of 'bye'?

In response to last week’s question, "When do you use 'bye bye' instead of 'bye'?,"  my writing and sailing friend Rich suggested, "After the third time you have said bye and you are still standing on your mother-in-law's porch."    

My videographer friend Ivan more kindly offered, "When there's a sale on salutations."   My PR friend Stan recalled, "When I have twice as much time."  And my IT friend Alan shared a scary thought, "When I play flight attendant! But then again that’s really 'Bah bye'!" 

My comedic friend Bruce wrote, "'Bye bye' is used at the end of phone calls.  My mom always, and I do mean always, ends every phone conversation with, 'Mm-hmm, bye, bye.'"  However, my dad's beach buddy Bob uses bye bye "when you really don't want to see them again."

My rock musician friend Bruce quipped, "When you are singing lyrics from a 60's musical staring Ann Margaret" to which my Millennial cousin Greg replied, "Then you are talking to birds........ insert rimshot here  :)  " 

And my Agile Project Management friend Andrew attempted to properly define the requirements.  "Bye bye" is used as follows:

1. Saying goodbye to children (accompanied by small wave)

2. When trying to get rid of annoying people, either in person or on the phone

3. When leaving an airplane (think David Spade on SNL)

4. When saying "bye" permanently (e.g., to a debt, a spam email, etc.)

Adding the second "bye" is an intensifier, a nicer way of emphasizing the concept than yelling (e.g., "BYE!")   And please don't say "bye bye" to me on this list since I look forward to it every Monday morning ("hello, week!")

My equestrian friend Royce avoided the situation by responding, "Being multi-cultural, I usually say 'adios.'"

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

What is it not really necessary to add pumpkin to?

Live. Love. Learn. Laugh .. Lighten up!  

Hal

My pulmonologist friend Steve is clearly working too hard as he just responded to the earlier question, "If Apple made a car, would it have windows?" by responding "Unlikely, as it would have a virtual hard drive to navigate in The Cloud."

Congratulations to our friend Sue for her URJ recognition yesterday proving that Sue is much more than an IT brain and quilter.

If you are in or near Cobb County on Thu, Nov 19, plan to attend this inspiring and humorous event!

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.  Stop NicheLabs to see what else I'm up to.

Can you have incorrectly auto-corrected words?

In response to last week’s question, "Can you have incorrectly auto-corrected words?," my pulmonologist friend Steve replied, "Not that I am beware." My writing and sailing friend Rich recalled, "Oh yeah, my auto-correct on text messaging decided to turn, “I will be here for ten more minutes” into “ I am a heterosexual” while this is useful information  I would hope my wife is already aware.  Needless to say I carefully review all texts before hitting the send button."

My temple friend Lesley lamented, "All the time. Lesley gets "corrected" to Leslie. Thanks Mom and Dad for the gift that will never stop giving."

My birthday bud Jon shared the following evidence, Of course you can.  Some great one:

• An IRS agent I was working with called to cancel a meeting, and later sent an email apologizing for “any incontinence I may have caused.”

• And going through the college application process, we were warned about essays in which the spelling was correct but the wording not.  One applicant wrote about how he and his grandfather used to go out and hunt peasants.  Another, meaning to discuss how she tutored neighborhood kids after school, wrote that she went home after school and “tortured kids in the neighborhood.”

 My writer/organizer cousin Sunny recommended, "Have you ever read "Damn You Autocorrect" or “Damn You Autocorrect 2”? Hilarious!"  (Note:  If that's not enough, here's a website for even more which also offers free app.)

My equestrian friend Royce, in response to the prior week's question, ' What things do you couch?,' my answer, 'mostly my touch' is a prime result of incorrect auto correct, it should have been 'mostly my tush.'  Apparently, Yiddish isn't part of its vocabulary."

Seems that my college roomie John knows the answer. "No, it's my smart phone that incorrectly auto-corrects my texts.  Yet, I find it the auto-correct guesses pretty well the words I want to use next."

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

When do you use 'bye bye' instead of 'bye'?

Live. Love. Learn. Laugh .. Lighten up!  

Hal

Thank you to all of the volunteers and the golden-lovers who attended yesterday's GRRA.com Rescue Romp.  There is something good and happy about so many goldens, and so many dog people in one place.  A great time full of great stories.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.  Stop NicheLabs to see what else I'm up to.

What things do you couch?

In response to last week’s question, "What things do you couch?," my temple friend Bob replied, "potatoes" while my equestrian friend Royce admitted, "Mostly my touch."

My friend Lon declared, "I cannot believe you are asking a single guy this question. The answer is way too obvious!"   And an unnamed friend responded, "my butt every chance I can, particularly when football is on TV."

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

Can you have incorrectly auto-corrected words?

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Hal

Two upcoming events that I'm involved with planning that may be of interest to you or someone you know

·         For golden retrievers, their families and fan, this dog party will celebrate www.grra.com's rescuing more than 3,000 dogs with lunch, family photos, agility course, grooming and creating a 100+ dog group photo.  This year's theme is Hawaiian Luau.   Click here for more info.

·         TAG's annual Social Savvy awards, recognizing the success of being social in small/mid size business as well as enterprise, will feature keynote speakers from Google, Kaiser Permanente, CARE and YikYak    Click here for more info.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.  Stop by www.nichelabs.com to see what else I'm up to.