Friday Donuts

Dear Members and Constituents, You may or may not realize there are just under two weeks left until Thanksgiving. You may or may not be asking yourself why you should care. For those of you in the former camp (i.e. those asking yourselves why you should care), I will tell you. If you care, you can prepare! Let me explain. Of all the pretexts Americans have found to take a day off, Thanksgiving day is the one most characterized by dietary excesses. The problem is the average health-conscious urban professional does not adequately build the stamina for this kind of food overload. To put it bluntly, for most, Thanksgiving day arrives without the appropriate level of physical preparation. Think of a poor soul showing-up to run the Colfax Marathon without any prior training. How do you think they would fare? The sad part is most folks seem surprised when discomfort and drowsiness bring their Thanksgiving day eating binge to a premature end. Fortunately, time is on our side. Two weeks is a...

Dear Members and Constituents Happy Halloween! While I'm at it, I suppose I should also wish you a happy All Saints Day (tomorrow) and a happy All Souls Day (Sunday). Why is it we have three days in a row of holidays with a strong association to death? Why now? Why not April? Perhaps it's the dead leaves falling off the trees (leaves are green and growing in April). Perhaps it's the prospect of winter knocking at the door (the prospect of Summer in April is not as ominous). Whatever the reason for the tradition, there is no reason you and I should be somber this morning. Quite the opposite, it seems appropriate that April Slater, our newest member, delight us today with an assortment of five dozen donuts. Come grab an orange donut with brown sprinkles or, if you're feeling adventurous, you might grab a brown donut with orange sprinkles. Whatever you decide, come on down and let the sweet taste energize you and make you feel alive. Happy Friday!

Dear members and constituents, Wednesday night. It's just past sunset and I'm sitting on the deck. Import beer in hand -- although seemingly unpatriotic, I would argue it is quite the opposite… embracing the patriotic ideals of diversity in beer (not to mention the pursuit of happiness). I am dazzled by the multi-color explosions in the air when all of a sudden, like a firecracker falling out of the sky, it hits me. The fourth of July celebration is a manifestation of the collective subconscious desire for donuts. The fireworks create circular patterns in the sky, reminiscent of gigantic donuts. The explosion of sweet flavor that donuts bring to the palate is metaphorically portrayed in the sky's giant canvas. Granted, coffee goes better with donuts than beer, but if you are getting ready to consume a donut, it's Friday morning and you're at work, so beer is not an advisable beverage alternative at this time… So come on down and do the patriotic thing. Have a donut,...

Dear members and constituents, It seems the little things have the biggest impact on our lives. Those little drops of freezing rain falling outside add up to an ominous landscape. Those little cynical words we sometimes can let slip out in frustration often have a big impact on the recipient's self-esteem. Those little hallway conversations add up to great insight and friendship. Those little donuts on Friday can have a large positive impact on company morale and productivity. It seems another little thing (or little ONE, in this case) has had a large impact on the timing of our collective donut consumption. Mr. Ed Stocker had daycare drop-off duty at dawn and apologizes for the donut delivery delay. I think you will find, however, that the wait was worthwhile. Come on down and share in the joy of a hot beverage and a sweet donut. I think you will find this is turning out to be a very Good Friday after all. Cheers!