Archive for the 'Give me a break' Category
February 20, 2010
As anyone who has worked in an office will know, thoughts and conversations tend to wander. No one knows if it is the stress or the extended periods of time that you will spend with your co-workers but things tend to get a little strange.
One of the frequent subjects that the cataloging team here at Platrium discusses is what we refer to as the “Friday Night Fights”. A Friday Night Fight is a hypothetical, often mythical match-up of any number of contenders, real or fictitious. These contenders are pitted in a contest, to be discussed by us, in order to determine a winner. For example, the King from Burger King© against Jack of Jack in the Box© in a cage match to determine the real “King” of fast food (it was determined that Jack would win thanks to his rough upbringing).
Now we call for your help. We have been locked in a heated hypothetical match-up for quite some time and cannot determine a winner. The contenders; Dog the Bounty Hunter vs. Steven Segal: Lawman (he has a new reality tv show in which he is a street cop). In this scenario our contenders are both involved in one of the most notorious high speed chases of our time, OJ Simpson in his white Ford Bronco©. The question, which of the two would apprehend the alleged criminal and bring him in?
THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!
Kyle “Bad Kyle” Johnson
Posted in Give me a break, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Dog the Bounty Hunter, fast food, Steven Seagal
February 18, 2010
I love taking a break by playing games on Platrium and have racked up quite a few jacks in the last few months. In fact, I’ve got 2500! I’m really interested to see what other people’s high scores have been and what they’ve spent their jacks on because I’m having a hard time deciding.
I used to divide my winnings between charities and auctions, but was always out bided. In fact, I got so frustrated I decided that I would get so many jacks that no one would ever out bid me again. Guilt has overwhelmed me though and I’ve decided to donate most of my winnings to our four charities. Hopefully I’ll have enough left over for my potato gun.
Winning stuff is cool, but it doesn’t beat that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you help others. Don’t forget to visit our charities page and cash in on some karma!
Rich Quick Coutee
Project Manager
Posted in Give me a break, Platrium Rewards | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders, charities, world wildlife fund, Susan G. Komen for the Cure
February 12, 2010
Ever wonder why Godiva chocolate picked the name Godiva for their company?
According to Wikipedia, “Godiva (Old English: Godgifu, “god gift”), often referred to as Lady Godiva (fl. 1040–1080), was an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry, in England, in order to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation imposed by her husband on his tenants.
The name “Peeping Tom” for a voyeur originates from later versions of this legend in which a man named Tom had watched her ride and was struck blind or dead.”
So there you go. Some pointless knowledge to drop on someone on Valentine’s Day.
Taste Godiva Chocolate for yourself here!
Brian Tenacious B Shannon
Engagement Marketing Manager
Posted in Give me a break, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Chocolates, Godiva, Valentine's Day
January 28, 2010
I live in Seattle. January is usually a messy, wet, windy, some-times snowy mess. Gloomy Gus central. This year, we’re stringing together days and days of mild, sunny weather showering us with blue skies and snow-capped mountains towering above the city instead of cold, hard rain. It’s quite a treat, actually.
Yet, there is still grumbling. Just this morning a colleague asked “How’s it goin’ Val?” And I started to go down that slippery path into griping about something that actually didn’t matter. I caught myself and turned it around but still; the dark side loomed and I almost took us both over the edge and into the deep.
“Attitude is everything” is a cliché. It’s trite. It’s over used. And not really that helpful. Except, that it is. A smile and a positive attitude is infectious. It inspires others. And makes tough work lighter. A simple smile eases the way, makes strangers friends, and in general, brightens the day.
So give in. Smile a little more today and see if you don’t get more smiles back.
Val Shaken-not-Stirred Sanford
Vice President, Strategy and Business Operations
Posted in Give me a break | Leave a Comment »
Tags: attitude, smile
January 20, 2010
At a recent Family Game Night (yes, people really do this), I was introduced to a Spaghetti Western-themed card game called Bang!, and pardner, it’s a whole lot of rootin’, tootin’, shoot ‘em up fun for groups of 5-7 people.
In Bang!, each player randomly gets a secret role to determine their endgame mission. Four different role types are available, each with a unique goal to win the game:
- Sheriff – Kill all Outlaws and the Renegade
- Outlaw – Kill the Sheriff
- Deputy – Protect the Sheriff and kill any Outlaws
- Renegade – Be the last person standing
After receiving their roles, only the Sheriff is revealed. Then, the mind games and deception come into play while some players saddle up to assassinate the Sheriff, and others must defend him/her. Each round, players are supplied with cards that represent loot like weapons, horses, bullets (a.k.a., Bang!s) and beer (to replenish life).
If you play with a spirited group, invariably people will start settling in to their characters and shouting Southern-twanged smack talk. It becomes every man for himself: guns blazing for glory and—in the right company—plenty of uninspired double entendres about “Banging”.
Does it sound like something that’ll get your trigger finger itching? Learn more about how to play Bang! or purchase it online, little doggies!
Erin Lay Lady Laye
Marketing Manager
Posted in Casual Gaming, Give me a break, Shopping | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Bang!, Family Fun, Family Game Night
January 15, 2010
December was mayhem. With so many guests in town and so much holiday preparation to tackle, I had nary a spare second to go to the gym, cook myself healthy meals, and abstain from alcohol. A long night of pigging out and cocktail consumption turned into a late morning of hitting snooze and skipping the gym. Needless to say, January is detox/get-back-in-shape month for me.
Luckily, I already have a competitive advantage. This past Christmas, I received not only a grip of new workout clothes under the tree, but a bright, shiny Wii Fit to whittle my waistline! This month, I’ll be slapping on some stretch pants and lacing up my tennies, getting set to start virtually training, aerobicizing, and yoga-ing my way to 2010 fitness.
First step: figuring out how to plug this thing in. That’s a workout in itself!
Kat Gets Physical Physical Malinowska
Marketing & Communications Specialist
Posted in Casual Gaming, Give me a break | Leave a Comment »
Tags: fitness, New Years Resolutions, Wii fitness
January 13, 2010
As a snowboarder and overall outdoor enthusiast, I love the uniqueness each of the 4 seasons has to offer. It’s this in-between stuff that I have a hard time with.
Everyone can agree, weather across the U.S. as of late has been unusual. Last week my brother, who lives in Florida, sent me a photo of his backyard covered in snow. It’s not every day I can say Seattle is warmer than Miami, but last Friday was one of those days. Here in the Pacific Northwest, in the thick of winter, it’s warm and raining in the mountains. Which means when I should be snowboarding, I find myself gazing outside at the warm rain knowing that all my powder in the hills is melting. That’s It, That’s All has helped me cope. If you haven’t seen this DVD, please do yourself a favor and get it. It’s shot entirely in HD with the same camera equipment that was used for Discovery Channel’s “Planet Earth”. A heads up, if you’re not a skier or snowboarder, you probably won’t find much enjoyment with this film so stick with your Netflix queue.
Pray for snow.
Brian Tenacious B Shannon
Engagement Marketing Manager
Posted in Give me a break | Leave a Comment »
Tags: winter sports, Snowboarding, That's It That's All
December 31, 2009
I don’t like to make New Year’s resolutions. I think it puts too much pressure on myself and on those around me as I draw a line in the sand and say “No longer will I …” or “From now on I will ….” and I am old enough to know that the line is quickly erased and moved to a location further down the sandy beach of the coming year.
So no, I try not to make resolutions, but I do reflect on the year that’s past and — though it sounds old fashioned– I count my blessings. I like to sit in front of the fire, Big Band music on the radio and write in a new, blank journal. I count those things that made me happy, or made me a better person, or that fulfilled my life in some way. Those things that moved me closer to my goals and those things that surprised me with joy get counted, too. I count those times when I made a difference; when I helped someone else or gave back to my family, my community and the world. I count those times I stood up for what I believed in and for those when I didn’t. I count, too, the things that haven’t worked well, things I regret, and determine if I can make amends in some way for those things.
Sometimes I do end up making resolutions and they often come down to this: Be nice. Have fun. Say you’re sorry when you need to and move on. And of course, always call for shaken, not stirred, Martinis.
Val Shaken-not-Stirred Sanford
Vice President, Strategy and Business Operations
Posted in Give me a break, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
Tags: New Year, New Years Resolutions
December 22, 2009
Now that it’s December and the temperature’s taken a nosedive, I like nothing more than staying in and cooking up some comfort food with a few good friends. There’s nothing quite like curling up on the couch under a blanket with a warm plate full of meat and potatoes, some buds, and a movie.
Last Monday, a few friends and I came up with the idea to cook a pork roast – the kind that falls right off the bone – for dinner that upcoming weekend. After a quick email exchange, a bit of online research, and a trip to the butcher, we had all the ingredients necessary for a batch of Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Caramelized Onions for Sunday night. The recipe we found was quite simple: a bit of chopping, browning, and sautéing, and we’d have our roast all prepped and ready to braise for three hours in a pot with a tight-fitting lid. We were all set!
Or were we? ZOINKS! Tight fitting lid?! It was in reading those words at the last minute that we realized not one of us owned an oven-safe pot with matching lid.
Undaunted, we went online to find some deals and quickly discovered a beautiful lime-green Mario Batali pot that fit both our budget and our oven. We ordered it rush Monday night and had it ready for braising that Sunday. Fast, functional and fab.
Three hours of cheap red wine and cheerful conversation later, we each had a plate of pork to nosh on. Mmmmm. Mouthwatering.
Kat Put a Pork In It Malinowska
Marketing & Communications Specialist
Posted in Give me a break, Shopping | Leave a Comment »
Tags: cooking, oven-safe pot, pork roast
