Useless Conversation

[Trippy]

He did mention Maven and JUnit, though.

[Samwise]

Yeah, I guessed from that that he was probably talking about Java, but since he didn't mention Java explicitly in his query I was wondering if the term "homebrew" had been co-opted to refer to some Java-specific thing that I should know about.

[Trippy]

No, it's a Mac OS X Unix package manager:

http://mxcl.github.com/homebrew/

[Samwise]

 

[ezrast]

He's clearly making his own coffees. With a knowledgeable person. But only when there's no sunlight?

[Salamok]

Is it a web project? I'm not a Java fan but I think Selenium is pretty good for testing.

[Segoris]

Looking for ideas on team building exercises at work, and didn't think it really justified a new thread (maybe it will, but for now I'm throwing it here). What I'm trying to get some feedback on is how to implement a choose-your-own-adventure activity at work (most likely through emails, possibly before and/or after a monthly staff meeting), and looking for any ideas. Background below

So, as I'm being laid off soon-ish and the company is undergoing a lot of changes including many changes in leadership. As such, I've started having fun at work with messing with people even more often than I normally did, which was already quite a lot. One of the things I did recently was respond to emails for an entire day with choose your own adventure type responses. One path had the serious answer, one had an outlandish answer calling co-workers dragons, necros, executioners, or jail wardens, to more life-like reasons such as telling my director I didn't answer his call because I was under my desk hiding from debt collectors, etc. After being responded to, I'd either continue down their chosen story path, or I'd force them down a path of my choosing if they did not pick one.
This kind of backfired with one person. It turns out my director found it fun and would like to see if we could implement this into sort of a creative and imaginative team building exercise where staff are allowed and encouraged to participate in if they'd like (provided the response is not to some outside agency - so basically for internal emails of a low importance). The tougher part is that this office is mostly old ladies (for reference, all are mothers of older teenagers and over half are grandmas), with less than 4-6 guys at any given time on the roster. So it's not like an office of younger people who would have read and enjoyed these books. Quite likely, with this demographic, the only ones who would have really read these books, and enjoyed them, would have been the guys with very few of the ladies here (though there could very well be more than I'd expect, if so I'd be surprised). So trying to introduce these books to many and have participation may be a slight challenge.

That said, any ideas on implementation or even different sort of outside the box team building exercises besides the boring "what's your favorite......" types of things? Trying to keep it SFW, simple, and through emails or before/after the monthly staff meetings. At least something along those lines where we aren't taking up much work time at all. I'm guessing it will just be an idea at the meeting, and people can respond to an email later saying they'd like to try. Or there would be a comment on how on the X day of the month, feel free to respond in more humorous tones.

[HaemishM]

So, as I'm being laid off soon-ish

This statement seems incongruous with the amount of work you are being asked to do. Specifically, my first and last email for this choose your own adventure would be:

You see Segoris in his cubicle. You are coming to lay him off. His response should be:

1) Fuck you you shitsipping cockslapper
2) Go the store and buy a collectible doll, preferably one longer than your forearm. Turn it at a perpendicular angle to your body. Insert into rectum until bleeding occurs.
3) Happily commit to more work from a cockgobbler of immense proportions.

[ghost]

Rogue River blue cheese is ridiculously good. 

[Yegolev]

So, as I'm being laid off soon-ish

That said,

Find an interactive fiction that hasn't been completed and transfer it into email format.  People will email you for choices.  Don't reach the end before you are out of work.  Don't give anyone your personal email.

[Merusk]

Diabolical.  I love it, Yeg.

So it's not like an office of younger people who would have read and enjoyed these books....

We're in our late 30s and 40s now, we're not "younger" despite the Boomers hanging around still calling us kids.

[Segoris]

This statement seems incongruous with the amount of work you are being asked to do. Specifically, my first and last email for this choose your own adventure would be:

You see Segoris in his cubicle. You are coming to lay him off. His response should be:

1) Fuck you you shitsipping cockslapper
2) Go the store and buy a collectible doll, preferably one longer than your forearm. Turn it at a perpendicular angle to your body. Insert into rectum until bleeding occurs.
3) Happily commit to more work from a cockgobbler of immense proportions.

Hah  If I was leaving on bad terms I'd probably just quote that in an email. I knew the changes were coming though, and they're due to decreased grant and tax revenue. It's not like they're being shitty, and have actually been pretty good to me for about 7 years now. Additionally, for staying on for a couple extra months they're paying for some of my school beyond what the policy allows and I'm abusing the shit out of my insurance. That's why it's pretty civil still.

Find an interactive fiction that hasn't been completed and transfer it into email format.  People will email you for choices.  Don't reach the end before you are out of work.  Don't give anyone your personal email.

I dig it, that could be fun.

We're in our late 30s and 40s now, we're not "younger" despite the Boomers hanging around still calling us kids.

I said older since, besides myself, there is one person under 35. The rest are upper 50's to their lower 70's.

[Merusk]

Ah, government bullshit.  They'll keep the 70 year olds on, get rid of you and then hire 20 year olds when the 70-somethings finally do retire.

It's great being the generation sandwiched between two population booms. 

[Segoris]

Yeah, pretty much. Exceptions before the oldies retire would be needs for technology assistance and dealing with youth. Only because canings are illegal while telling youth to get off their lawns.

[schild]

Clutch just gave out on the highway. $1200 to fix. Still no job. 2013 already blows my ass. Fuck.

[Paelos]

Clutch just gave out on the highway. $1200 to fix. Still no job. 2013 already blows my ass. Fuck.

What kind of job are you looking for?

[Nebu]

Clutch just gave out on the highway. $1200 to fix. Still no job. 2013 already blows my ass. Fuck.

If it's any consolation, I love you for driving a car with a manual transmission.

[schild]

Feel free to cover the costs to sustain that love.

Paelos, mostly ux/ui design stuff but ive been looking into remote shit also. Austin is great for jobs if you're an engineer or sales douche.

[Paelos]

I'm assuming then you have no interest in relocating? I only know people in Dallas and Atlanta.

[schild]

Cant. Fiancee is embedded here. Like I said, remote work is ok too.

[voodoolily]

I got another book deal, five months before my first one hits shelves! And I think another one is getting approved, too. If so, I'll be writing two more books between now and February 2015.

The sure shot is Chilies: A Global History for Reaktion's Edible Series. The second would be Portland: A Food Biography for AltaMira's new Big City Food Biographies series. (I know Portland isn't a Big City but it's a trendy food town right now, and I think the publisher wants to strike while the iron's hot.)

I'm super excited! 

[Evildrider]

Gratz!

[WayAbvPar]

WTG VDL!

[Nebu]

Awesome news Voo!

[Paelos]

Congrats on your writing career! Will this be another textbook?

[Chimpy]

Cool, voodoo!

My friend and his extended family are going to be in Portland for a week in May. I know they are looking for good restaurants/eating things. I shall have to remember to ask you where is good.

[WayAbvPar]

Whatever you do, make sure to hit Stumptown coffee (several locations). 

[Merusk]

Congrats on your writing career! Will this be another textbook?

I'm guessing another mix of history and cooking like her new one, "Breakfast: A History"

Grats, VDL!

[Yegolev]

Yes, congratulations!

Next book:

Colons: History of Subtitles

[MisterNoisy]

Clutch just gave out on the highway. $1200 to fix. Still no job. 2013 already blows my ass. Fuck.

Damn - $1200 seems kinda steep.  German car?

[schild]

I called 4 dealers. 2006 civic si. Its because of the labor unfortunately.

[Selby]

Damn - $1200 seems kinda steep.  German car?

Labor and hydraulic clutch most likely.  Cars aren't easily serviced anymore so you end up with $400 worth of parts that take 2 days of solid work to change out.

[Sky]

I don't even know where to put this...

http://liveforlivemusic.com/news/matt-stone-and-trey-parker-to-produce-reality-show-starring-dean-ween-and-les-claypool/

[RhyssaFireheart]

Congrats, VDL!

[rattran]

Hooray, VDL! More books to go on the very small history of food shelf I have.