Wicked Smart

During our staff meeting last month, I mentioned we would be having our annual company 'salsa off' on Cinco de Mayo and that there would be games. One of the older, well-educated gentlemen we work with asked how many of us knew the real history of Cinco de Mayo and why we celebrated it. As history is his forte, he proceded to tell us a condensed version of the Battle of Pueblo, down to what the soldiers were paid to help Mexico defeat the French. After he finished the lesson, one of the other older, well-educated (well-meaning) coworkers looks at him and goes "That really happened? It's verifiable?" Nope. He just made a major battle up for the heck of it. I guess it's funnier if you were there, or knew them, but trust me, it was pretty funny. Earlier this week, I sent out a reminder email about our celebration and got an email back from Carrie, who works from home on Wednesdays and would be missing the festivities this year. "Really we should celebrat...

The holidays are a joyous occasion. They bring the traditions that bring families together and provide unity amongst our fellow man. Unfortunately they also bring horrible music and lousy television programming. Case in point: “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” and 2004’s “Nick and Jessica Family Christmas”. However, these examples at least provide a good moral compass by which to live. Grandma was run over by the reindeer heading home from her family’s house on Christmas Eve. And although Jessica Simpson really could be the most annoying entertainer to grace Hollywood in the 21st Century, she tried to bring her equally annoying family into our homes on that obnoxious holiday hour. The real problem is in holiday programming which APPEARS to be wholesome, but in fact promotes something far more sinister: alcoholism. The show in question? Mary Poppins. Yes, you read that correctly, good ole Mary Poppins: seemingly innocent but like her trick bag hiding a much darker, deeper se...