A BCS bowl for USF??!!

I know, I know...it is still premature, but the University of South Florida has the opportunity to make their first ever bowl appearance a BCS bowl appearance. For those of you who may not understand what that means, in a nutshell, if USF earns the right to play in a BCS (Bowl Championship Series) bowl game (they can do so by winning their last two games) the university will be awarded millions of dollars it otherwise wouldn't have. I didn't even mention the national media coverage (yes, an opportunity for the Bulls play on the national stage in primetime). That would be a huge accomplishment for a football program that started in 1997. Well we have UConn (a game that we should win) and West Virginia (a game in which we will be home underdogs) left on the schedule. We will see what will happen. In the meantime, GO BULLS!!

The Office Christmas Party

I was talking to one of my folks, Mr. Ambitious. He was talking about his office Christmas party. He asked my opinion on who should he go with. His options were as followings: a friend, a fellow co-worker, or by himself.

The office Christmas party is not truly a party. It is an opportunity for co-workers to take a look into one another's lives. People want to know you (and know about you).

I told Mr. Ambitious that if he goes with a friend, his co-workers will speculate whether or not the young lady he brought is his girlfriend. If he goes with a fellow co-worker, other co-workers will wonder whether or not he and the co-worker he attended the party with are seeing each other on the down low. If he goes alone, his co-workers will speculate whether or not he is single.

The funny thing is that Mr. Ambitious knows all this. He is probably going to read his co-workers and the culture of the department to see what option would be the best option.

I told him ultimately, I would go alone. I think that is the option with the least amount of speculation factor.

It is different company to company and department to department, but co-workers love the opportunity to look into your life. If you don't believe me, why do you think co-workers love to hover over your desk and look at your pictures and desk knick-knacks?

The "Alt"

This is only my second car. I had my first car for 9 years. She was a 1990 Buick Lesabre four-door. I miss that car (even though she gave me hell at times). It is nothing like that first car.

I like my Altima, but I tell you what, I miss not having a car payment.

TGIF

Mountebanks

What is a mountebank you might ask? Merriam Webster’s dictionary definition is as follows: a boastful unscrupulous pretender. Do you know a mountebank or two? Well I do. These are the people that try to portray the image that they are "moving and shaking" when they are not doing either. These people's very existence and self-image are driven by what other people think of them. One such mountebank is a guy I know from high school. His younger brother graduated with me. He graduated two years prior. We all grew up in the same neighborhood. Well, I know he went off to college and supposedly graduated and made his way back home, but I did not know what he was doing with himself. I went in to Wal-Mart after work about four months and I saw him sorting fruit in the produce department. We exchanged pleasantries and then he started going into how he just started at Wal-Mart and they were going to make him a manager in a couple of weeks. He went on to say he told Wal-Mart management that the management position would not work because NFL mini-camp was going to be starting up and he would be leaving soon. Then he went as far as to take out a business card of a "friend" of his that is suppose to get him set up in the financial advisor business between football seasons. After that I politely broke away from the conversation.

It is a shame that people feel like they have to impress others. All I wanted to know was how he doing and how was the family. I don't care what is doing for a living. He is cool with me no matter what he is doing (as long as it is not hurting anyone). I got the impression that he was ashamed of what he was doing for a living. I tell you what that particular mountebank doesn’t know how he could use his powers for good and as a testimony. My mom was employed by Wal-Mart up until the day she died. I saw how hard she worked to make an honest living for her 5 children. My old sister is employed by Wal-Mart today. I don't know if he is still employed by Wal-Mart, but I hope he knows he is going to be in for a long, stressful life if he keeps trying to impress the world.

Uncle Trav and the nephew