Home > Holiday Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 29
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Helping the Empty Stocking Fund
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With the Empty Stocking Fund devoid of $50,000 worth of toys and gifts thanks to the thieves who swiped them out of a City Hall East warehouse, Project 9-6-1’s Giant Brian morning show is going to air for 50 consecutive hours starting at 7 a.m. with a goal of raising $1,000 an hour to cover the deficit.
Sure, it’s a stunt to help get Giant Brian Carothers and Shaffee some attention for the new morning show, but at least it’s for a good cause.
And it’s been awhile since a local show has taken the marathon route. Si-Man a couple years ago raised money for Hosea Williams on 102.5 by holding a marathon airing.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Charity
Fav scenes in ‘Enchanted,’ ‘Fred Claus’ and more
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s plenty to like about some of the family holiday movies playing right now in area theaters. But I was taught growing up to try and say something nice about every living and non-living thing. So here’s what pleased me most while watching these holiday features:
“Enchanted” — As the animated princess-to-be thrust into real-life New York, Amy Adams is as perfect as Cinderella. Plus, what moviegoer wouldn’t smile when she opens a high-rise window to “tra-la-la” to the local wildlife (as in roaches, rodents and pigeons).
“This Christmas” — You’d think I would groove to the family’s “Soul Train” line to Kool and the Gang’s “Get Down On It.” And I do. But the best scene is Chris Brown covering “Try a Little Tenderness” at a Los Angeles club’s open mike.
“August Rush” — I inadvertently sat in the middle of a row so there was no easy escape plan as the film quickly turned to sweet mush. The truth is: Most welcome end credits I have seen in years.
“Fred Claus” — Forget all the overacting and limp script and wacky nonsense, the set of Santa Claus’s toy-making village looks incredible.
“Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” — There’s no forgetting Dustin Hoffman’s insipid performance. Or the ill-handled special effects. Or the swarms of intrusive cast extras. But I will give the film this: The sock monkey was a nice touch.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: holiday
Holiday office parties: Love ‘em or hate ‘em
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cost cutting reduced my company office party to a potluck lunch in the conference room six years ago.
But many companies still observe the long tradition of elaborate, off-site holiday events, which employees either anticipate or dread as December approaches.
A recent American Express survey showed that 86 percent of the companies surveyed were planning to hold a holiday event for employees either in the office or at an outside location.
My personal experiences with office parties over the years have been thoroughly mixed. I’ve been to a few that ended up being a whale of a good time and others that were pure torment.
The American Express survey showed only about a third of the company employees are truly looking forward to the festivities. Twenty-seven percent of the employees surveyed said they find office parties “fun and interesting” and 4 percent view them as “the event of the year.” The rest could “take it or leave it,” or find them “to be avoided at all costs.”
Like most extracurricular office events, attendance isn’t really voluntary. You know that the bosses who set the budget and the cheerful employee committees who plan them know who came and who didn’t.
Unless you’ve got a great excuse - like, say, major surgery - your absence marks you as Not A Team Player for at least an entire year.
And once you’re there, the festivities are a glittering minefield of career-damaging possibilities like spilling a big glass of merlot all over the boss’s spouse or taking the last shrimp on the buffet with the person who approves your expense report right behind you in line.
What was the best or worst office holiday party you’ve been to? How do you feel about office parties, love ‘em or hate ‘em?
Permalink | Comments (56) | Categories: holiday
Services »
