Monthly Mingle my Aunt Fanny

Good morning… What can I get for you?

I hope you enjoyed the little show yesterday. It was a treat to make it for you… just like you like it.

Let’s talk about “corporate” for a minute. I know you’re on your way to work and all, so I’ll try to make this quick. Many of you are familiar with Starbucks and the Top 100 “give us some money, we’ll put you in out magazine” designation. One thing that has always tamped my expresso (other than people saying “expresso”) was the reference to the “Birthday Breakfast” at the SSC in that Top 100 submission. It was described as being “a monthly celebration, where partners take a moment to connect and wish Happy Birthday to the partners turning a year older.” I have been to many “Birthday Breakfast” celebrations and I can tell you this… It needs to be renamed to…

Send a department representative up to the 9th floor to collect a bag of pastries for everyone in the group and screw anything that has to do with birthdays… and don’t talk to anyone you don’t know on a first name basis… then go back to your desk.

Catchy huh?

I once sent in a Mission Review about “Birthday Breakfast” with the hopes that the corporate party planner would make an attempt to educate people on the intent. Instead they called it “Monthly Mingle” to avoid an unpleasant confrontations with anyone. Still… there isn’t really any mingling…

Now Pat is gonna let you in on a little secret... If you see in this years' Fortune 100 Starbucks article any mention of "company picnic" or "holiday party"... it's a bold faced lie. The corporate party planner already cancelled those... they just didn't service the.. blah, blah, blah...

Happy Birthday! We'll see you tomorrow for your usual.

Pat Nerr...