A wind kicked up and rolled in off the plain. On December 28, 2005, Blogland was a ghost town. Without purpose, the guest blogger kicked his wind-cracked boots into the dusty ground, hands on his hips, no expression on his now grizzled face. He picked up a small stone, covered in the yellow dust of a dry land. He threw it half-heartedly into the emptiness; it landed softly on the ground in a cloud of dust. "I wish I had something to blog about," Brad muttered, but no one was around to hear. "Sure is lonely in Blogland, when there's nothing to blog about." Just then, a tumbleweed tumbled by (as is tumbleweed's wont), riding the soft wind that only the blogger could feel. And, just as quickly as the breeze had blown in, Blogland again fell silent and still.

In the news...
Sue is out today.

Thought for the Day: "The 50-50-90 rule: If you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong." ~ Andy Rooney [ed. note: a true genius]

Welcome back everyone. Hope you had a very special Christmas holiday.

Karen, Kerry, Maria, Valerie, Amy are taking vacation this week. Bill will be in Thursday and Friday.

Reminder: If someone assigns you their parking space in the garage while they are out, please make sure you are parking in the correct spot. If you take the wrong spot, it throws all the other spots off and causes confusion. Please refer to chart on wall near mailboxes.

Several of you answered the trivia question correctly yesterday. Thanks to Bethany, Judy, Charlene, Janice, Barbara, Maria, Jessica, Rosanne, and Kerry. Even Kathie Silva answered correctly and she probably doesn't even notice the winter solstice in sunny Florida. Jessica had the most creative answer, but you'll have to ask her about that. Congratulations to Bethany; she had the quickest fingers in the East and responded first. Thanks everyone for participating.

Important: Please give your time cards to Barbara TODAY.

Happy "Friday" everyone. Lots of us will be taking time off but I'll try to keep everyone up to date either on the blog or on the white board near the mail boxes.

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. It's been a lot of fun watching everyone scurrying around receiving surprises from their Secret Santa. Your generosity has been an inspiration. We are a special group of people. Blessings to you as you spend time with family and friends and celebrate the birthday of a King! Enjoy, be happy, be safe.

"The tiny Baby in the manger is the mighty Creator of the universe."

Tomasz has arrived with some visitors from the Assumptionists.
They are: Father George Tavard, Father Vincent Leclercq, and Father Gilles Blouin.

Trivia: What happens today at 1:35? Email me with your answer.

Bill is working in Minnesota this week. Feel free to contact him there at 320-629-5456.

Brad is out Wednesday and Thursday this week.

Important: Please give Barbara your time card for this week by the end of the day on Thursday (we're off Friday and Monday).

Important: Garage Parking: All garage parking spaces have been assigned. If you have not been notified that you have been assigned a space, you must park outdoors. The only exception is if someone who has been assigned garage parking space will be out of the office & tells you that you may park in their space for the day. Be sure you know which space to park in because parking in another person’s space causes confusion.

To those who have been assigned garage parking; be sure when you will be out of the office that you designate your empty spot to someone else making sure they know in which space to park.--Valerie

Don't forget----Thursday is the day to reveal yourself to your Secret Santa and leave your final gift.

FREE COOKIES! Loretta Anderson, former sales manager and friend of Twenty-Third, has brought us a large platter of cookies. They're in the cubicle near Kerry. Please help yourself! (There's chocolate too.) What the heck, most of our diets have been blown by now anyway.

A few more recipes came in to Catholic Digest if you'd like to try one. See Sue or Dan C.

Good morning everyone. Nice to see so many of us dressed up for the party.

Kathleen gave us an early Christmas gift. A nice big box of Godiva chocolates! They're in the reception area. Help yourself. Thank you Kathleen. That was so thoughtful of you.

Just a reminder that the call in weather box is #208 and is included on the phone extension list.


For anyone who may be parking on the street: When New London announces parking bans during this winter season, that means you can park on the odd side of the street, DO NOT park on the even side. In other words, park on the Chelsea Groton Bank side of Montauk--Valerie


As you know, Jane’s last day is tomorrow and once she’s on maternity leave she won’t be checking her company email. You may want to temporarily remove her from your address book so she won’t have a huge backlog of old mail waiting for her when she returns.

Please plan to leave around 11:45 on Friday for the Christmas party.

Kathleen is out of the office today.

Dan Connors is taking a vacation day today.

Jeff McCall will be on vacation Dec 15-31.

Jane's last day at work for while is Friday. She is awaiting the blessed arrival of her precious baby girl.

This is to inform you that as of December 19, 2005 the Novalis Toronto office will be at the following new address:

Novalis/Bayard Publishing & Distribution
10 Lower Spadina Ave., Suite 400
Toronto, On., M5V 2Z2
Tel: (416) 363-3303
Toll-free - 1-877-702-7773
Fax: (416) 363-9409

* Please note that our telephone, fax and e-mail numbers remain the same.
** Please use the above new address for all future mailings to us of catalogues, posters, book samples, etc.

"To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides"--David Viscott

Good morning. Not much to blog about today, but here's directions to the Lighthouse Inn for Friday's party:

Lighthouse Inn
6 Guthrie Place
443-8411

From Bayard take a right out of the parking lot onto Montauk Ave. You'll go by the hospital, Mitchell College/tennis courts, Michael's Dairy. You'll come to a Four-way stop (Gordon's Package store on right), go straight thru to next stop sign. You'll see the water and beach, take a right onto Pequot Ave. Then take a right onto Guthrie Pl. The Inn is at the end of the street. Approx. 2-3 miles from here.

To leave you can take the same route and backtrack or you can continue on Pequot and will eventually come out on Bank St.

"Weather forecast for tonight: dark."--George Carlin

Thank you to all of you who participated in the potluck on Friday. The assortment of food was great and tasted oh soooooooo good! A great time was had by all despite the wintry mix outside. A special thanks to Barbara who tidied up after everyone had their fill. --Valerie

Anyone hungry? Judy and I each tested a recipe that was submitted to Catholic Digest. Judy's yummy cheese enchiladas are in the refrigerator. No need to go out in the cold today. Enjoy some of my Minestrone soup which is heating in my crock pot in the cafe. It was so hard to resist the temptation to alter the recipe. It's much more bland than my own version. Please feel free to help yourself to either or both, any time today or at lunch. Please eat all the soup. (There's Parmesan cheese too.) I don't want to take any home. Try to save some of the enchiladas for Julie. We'd love to have your feedback. There are still a few recipes left if anyone is interested in trying them out.

Please submit your time cards to Amy today. Barbara needs to start working on them first thing Tuesday morning.

Now is the time to start decorating your cubicle for Christmas. The ones I've seen so far have been great! Please email Kerry to say you are participating in the contest so the judges will know which cubicles to look in. They will be judged this Wednesday and the winners will be announced at the party on Friday.

Good morning all.

These are today's top stories...

A list of those people who are not in today is available on top of the mailboxes or by looking around you and saying, "Oh, [INSERT NAME] isn't here today."

Kathleen and Bill made it back from Paris in two pieces (one for Bill, one for Kathleen). They report that much was learned there, and the many great ideas that came from the meetings will be implemented in the near future. It's an exciting time in Bayardia!

For those participating, the pot luck lunch is on, so enjoy! For those not participating... hahahaha, your loss, you stick that resides in mud! (Don't take offense, I am one of those sticks.)

Friday Trivia: Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of John Lennon's murder. Of what famous band was he a member? NO, THAT IS NOT THE REAL QUESTION. The Beatles made their American invasion in 1964 on the Ed Sullivan Show and performed five songs. What was the first song by The Beatles to reach #1 on the American pop chart?

Thought for the Day: "If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace." ~ John Lennon

Calling All Cooks
Like to cook or bake? Catholic Digest is looking for a few cooks to test recipes submitted by readers. We'll reimburse you for ingredients; all we ask is that, whenever feasible, we get to taste the results! Please save all grocery receipts for reimbursement.

While following the recipe, please watch for inconsistencies, errors, or anything confusing or unclear. You're not just cooking, you're proofreading and editing at the same time. Isn't cooking complicated enough?

Talk to Dan Connors or Sue if you are interested. Why not bring your creation to the pot luck and kill two birds with one stone?!

Pot Luck
If work is cancelled because of the weather tomorrow, the pot luck will be postponed until Monday. (You can't get out of cooking that easily; afterall, this group likes to eat!) If work starts at normal time or there is a delay, the pot luck is still on for Friday. Looks like a small group but lots of interesting dishes. Be sure to check the weather extension #208 in the morning.

I really hate to bring this up, but dirty dishes are still being left in the sink. It seems like there are only a couple of offenders who are afraid of dishpan pans. But please use disposable products or wash your own dishes. Also, if you'd like to volunteer to do the monthly scheduling for the kitchen tasks, please see Rosanne.

"It is a scientific fact that your body will not absorb cholesterol if you take it from another person's plate."--Dave Barry

Thank You
I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the Catholic community's generous response in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the greatest natural disaster ever experienced in the United States. The outpouring of love and concern for the welfare of our local church both in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast has been extraordinary and humbling. Dioceses, parishes, lay organizations, corporations, individuals, and even young school children have generously contributed thousands of hours of volunteer time and funds in excess of $17 million to rebuild our parishes, schools and ministries.
--Most Rev. Alfred C. Hughes, Archbishop of New Orleans

Please try to leave a small gift for the person you chose as your Secret Santa. Some people haven't received anything yet.

Also, please remember to sign up for the pot luck lunch on Friday.

"Families are like fudge: mostly sweet with a few nuts."--Author unknown

Congratulations to Bethany. Yesterday was her 11th anniversary with the company.

How is the Secret Santa going. If you haven't done so already, please leave a small gift this week for the person you chose.

Baby News
Rob just announced that he and his wife are expecting twins at the end of June. How exciting is that??!! He tells me he and his wife are in still in shock over this surprising and exciting news. Congratulations Rob. You might want to get some extra sleep now!

"The truth is that parents are not really interested in justice. They just want quiet."--Bill Cosby

Good morning. Glad to see everyone made it to work in one piece. That was a close one!

Congratulations to Mary Carol for volunteering to man (or should I say woman?) the weather update extension. We enjoyed hearing your calm, reassuring voice this morning though were slightly disappointed with your message. Let us know if you found this voice mail procedure more efficient or if you'd prefer something else. (Ext. 208 has been added to the phone intercom list for ease in remembering it for the next storm.)

Vending Machine Users:
If you have requests for the snack machine, let Kerry know. She has a list of goodies we can pick from.

A very big THANK YOU to Cid for cleaning the microwaves. She didn't have to do it, wasn't asked but what a great surprise when I opened the microwave to heat my lunch. When you see Cid express your appreciation as well. Thanks Cid!--Rosanne

Christmas Party
Please let Kerry know this week if you are attending the company Christmas party and your meal choice. Only half of us have responded so far. It’s closer than you think!

Temperature
Please email me and let me know if you are comfortable with the indoor temperature today. Your opinion matters. We need your help in fine-tuning the heating system.

Update:
Lisa Coleman's husband is home now. He's still very sore from the broken rib but otherwise is doing well.

Good morning all. Hope you had a nice weekend. I would best most of us are cold today but be assured we will take another temperature survey and try to get a handle on this indoor temperature. Brrrrrr!

Snow Delay/Closing
We are using a new system this year for snow delays and closings. By 6:15AM, there will be a message on the Bayard phone with information about whether we will have normal hours, a delay, or be closed for the day. To access this message, call either (860) 437-3012 or (800) 321-0411. When the phone is answered, press 208 for the Bayard Inclement Weather Mailbox. You will hear the date and a brief message with the work status.


Gwen is settling in nicely in Maryland. Unfortunately, she is having trouble with her Comcast email. So for now, please use her 23rd email: gcostello@twentythirdpublications.com

2006 Holidays
Please check your mail slot for the new listing of 2006 Holidays. Looks about the same as this year.

A spot of humor from Alison:
I have a calendar that gives funny anecdotes and bits of trivia about dogs. Today's read: "'Three dog night'" is an Eskimo expression and refers toextremely cold nights during which a person must sleep near three dogs (like my Samoyed) to stay warm.--Alison

KAREN! was the first to correctly respond to today's trivia query. She knew that pi is calculated by dividing a circle's circumference by the same circle's diameter. Expressed as c/d. Amazingly, it always equals about 3.1415927

In other news...

Rosanne will be cleaning out the refrigerators at the close of business today.

As promised, 'tis the season for a cubicle decorating contest. In the spirit of the season we invite everyone to decorate for the holidays; however only those who work in ‘cubicle land’ are eligible for the contest. Please be sure to not decorate in a manner that could be hazardous to yourself or your coworkers. So ‘Deck the Halls’ and cubicle walls. -- Valerie

It's Friday. It's payday. It's the Christmas season. I suppose the only way today could get any better is if I was wearing a suit made of hundred-dollar bills. You know, just like the one Dan Smart is wearing today.

The News
Bill and Kathleen will both (!) be in Paris for most of next week. They should be back on Friday. Kathleen will also be in NY on Monday, Dec. 12.

I have no parking update, but I am more than willing to listen to any random conjecture and hearsay you might have on the issue. I won't blog it, but I'll listen.

Don't forget! to sign up for a potluck item. The sheet is on top of the mail slots. Also, don't forget to e-mail Kerry Moriarty before Dec. 9 with your meal choice for the Dec. 16 Christmas party.

In unrelated but interesting news...
Alison sent over this interesting tidbit of knowledge: "Three dog night" is an Eskimo expression and refers to extremely cold nights during which a person must sleep near three dogs (like my Samoyed) to stay warm.

Personally, my favorite Three Dog Night tune is 'One (is the loneliest number)'

Which leads me to today's Trivia Question. Now, I know everyone in the office just LOVES numbers, so: One (1) may be the loneliest number, but π (pi, or roughly 3.1415927) is one of history's most intriguing. No, that was not one of my smoother segues. For honor, glory, and a mention on the blog: How is pi calculated?

Thought for the Day: "I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph." ~ Shirley Temple

Parking update – We spoke with Chelsea Groton’s lawyers today and they are very optimistic that they will obtain a positive result for the bank’s benefit (and our benefit) regarding the parking situation. They are filing for the injunction this week and then it is just a matter of how long it takes to get through the court system.--Valerie

I'll be taking a vacation day Friday. Brad has graciously accepted my offer to blog. I'm sure it will be a treat for all!--Sue

Good morning everyone. Happy December 1st! Anyone have their Christmas shopping done yet?

Please remember to let Barbara know today if wish to participate in the Secret Santa so she can make up the names for drawing. Also, please sign up for the pot luck. The list is by the mail slots.

Judy is flying the friendly skies at this very moment on her way to Walt Disney World Orlando. Can't wait to hear all about it.

Here's some interesting information submitted by Paul. Thanks Paul. This is terrific. Everyone, please feel free to submit such things as long as they are relatively short. Enjoy.

How long is a goldfish’s memory?

Many, including this BBC Goldfish Quiz, believe goldfish have only a three-second memory. Alas, this is incorrect. Nevertheless, we were interested to learn that if you keep a goldfish in a dark room it eventually turns white, and the correct term for a pregnant goldfish is "twit."
The Mad Scientist notes that if you tap on the tank before feeding your goldfish every day, the goldfish will eventually learn to look for food immediately after the tank-tapping. This kind of "classical conditioning" indicates goldfish have some memory.
Dr. Karl seconds that emotion, citing anecdotes of goldfish responding happily to their owner's faces, while hiding in their tiny castles when confronted with strangers. And while goldfish were domesticated in China roughly a thousand years ago, they still swim in schools, and thus have some learned social behavior.
The MythBusters TV show taught some goldfish to swim through a maze, noting that their time got better on each successive run. And an interesting response to the AnswerBag Forum describes goldfish memory as "selective" -- they have a general idea of what happened on a previous occasion, they're just not sure what. We empathize.