I like a good movie.  I don't go to the movies a lot because there aren't many that interest me enough to spend the money, but I am looking forward to seeing Solo:  A Star Wars Story.  I like light-hearted movies - comedies, romances, "fun" science fiction, etc.  I don't go to the movies to be scared out of my wits, to be sad or to watch a bunch of gory, shoot-em-up scenes.  And I don't want to have to think too hard to figure out what the movie means.  I want to be entertained.

I guess you've already figured out that today's topic is:

Movie Trivia

Is your office prepared for an emergency?  Would you know what to do if a coworker suddenly collapsed?  Do you know how to recognize sudden cardiac arrest?

A victim of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) may be fine one minute and collapse without warning the next.  The victim almost always dies without immediate intervention.  According to www.sca-aware.org, SCA is the third leading cause of death in the U.S, killing one person every two minutes.  The number of people who die each year from it is roughly equivalent to the number who die from Alzheimers disease, assault with firearms, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, diabetes, HIV, house fires, motor vehicle accidents, prostate cancer and suicides combined. 

Your usual copy paper may have been on backorder when you tried to buy some recently and you may have asked,  "What's going on with paper?"  A lot, actually.  The paper industry is in a bit of an uproar right now, at least as concerns uncoated white paper.  Demand exceeds supply and the market is getting tight.

Of course, the logical next question is "Why?" 

It's the second week of May and the NFL Draft is in the books.  A lot of college football players had their dreams realized by being chosen to play professional football.  And speaking of

College Football

Employee safety is a top concern for any business.  Regardless of the type of business you have, there are always safety issues to address.  OSHA has rules and regulations that must be followed.  (Common sense provides some more.)  If you work in an office environment, you need first aid kits, fire extinguishers, exit signs and the like.  Warehouse/industrial buildings need things like hearing protection, hard hats, ladders, etc.

This article has the potential to elicit a spirited debate.  Some people have no qualms about paying membership fees for places like Costco or Sam's club, Barnes & Noble, etc.  Others absolutely refuse to participate.  How do you feel?  Does the industry/business charging the fee play into your decision?  I'm not referring to rewards programs - most rewards programs at places I shop are free.  I'm talking about membership programs that have an annual fee.

Good to see you all again.  It's time for another edition of our Trivia Contest!  You did so well at the last question (you always do on common denominators!) that I'm going to have to make you work a little harder this time.

I hope you like to travel, because this week our topic is:

United States Landmarks and Hidden Gems

If you're planning a furniture purchase for your office this year, this article will interest you.  The following excerpt is taken from the April 2018 issue of the Trendway Dealer News:

"Potential Benefits from the New Federal Tax Laws

I think it's safe to say that most people either own a personal computer or work with one at their job, so I'm sure you will understand when I say that I really, really HATE the jungle underneath my desk.  I have a hard time comprehending how 4 pieces of equipment - computer, monitor, keyboard and mouse - can have 16 zillion cords attached to them.  Then they're plugged into the power strip or UPS backup device, which adds another cord.  And it seems like I'm kicking them all day long!

WRANGLE THE TANGLE!!

SPRING IS HERE!!  YAY!!!

You know what that means, right? 

S P R I N G   C L E A N I N G

My house is in serious need of a thorough spring cleaning and I'll bet yours is too.  And so is your office.  We carry lots of different brands of cleaning products and I could show you all the same old, same old stuff you see on everybody's website, but you already know that we carry that stuff.  Instead.................

TA DA!

I'm going to show you some things I bet you have no idea you can get from us.  This is going to be fast and furious, so try to keep up!

Here we are again - Trivia Day!  And, once again, it's time to test your analytical skills and knowledge with your favorite category:

Common Denominators

I've talked briefly about our custom printing website in the past and today I'd like to take you on a tour to show you how easy it is to use.  Our site, print.oexusa.com, has multiple functionalities. We can create a portal for your company with a document library that lists all the custom printed items that you buy from us and you can select what you need and place your order online. We can set up templates for your business cards that enable you to enter the information for the cards, see an instant proof, approve the proof and place your order - all in just a few minutes!  Don't want to set up an account?  No worries!  You can upload a file, place an order or request an estimate - all as a guest user.

Let's start that walkthrough I mentioned.  I'll show you how to place a business card order.

My next-door neighbors are the nicest people in the world.  And their family is a little unusual when it comes to celebrations.  Out of the four people in their family, three of them have their birthdays within the first 7 days of March and the parents' wedding anniversary is the same week!  The fourth person is the odd one out - her birthday is in October.

Speaking of birthdays......our topic today is Famous Birthdays

Last week I wrote about the fact that employees like to feel appreciated.  Well, something else employees like is to have fun at work.  An occasional prank or practical joke helps to lighten the mood and make everyone's day a little more enjoyable.  From time to time, I search the web for posts about office humor and boy, did I find a good one this time!  

From the site 5funfacts.com, I give you excerpts from 23 people Who Know How to Shake Up a Dull Working Day at the Office

Everyone wants to be appreciated in their job.  Regardless of your level, we all want to know that we're doing a good job and that our boss notices. It's part of our nature and it's part of what drives our performance.  If we work hard and no one notices or recognizes us for our performance, we become passionless and uncaring.  We need that "atta boy!"

There are many different ways for bosses to reward employees and the trick is to find out what each employee values most.  Some people only want verbal recognition - a simple "Good Work, James!"  A stellar performance review in their file.  Others value monetary gains - bonuses, pay raises, profit sharing, etc. 

It's almost here!  Can you feel the excitement in the air?  This weekend one of the greatest events in sports will take place and now is the time for you to display your knowledge of this famous American contest.  Today's topic is:

Super Bowl Trivia

There were more than 40 major data breaches in the U.S. in 2017, which included such big names as Dun & Bradstreet, FAFSA, Gmail, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Verizon, Uber and, of course, Equifax.  And just now, we all find out about Meltdown and Spectre, hardware bugs that affect the majority of computers out there (just what we needed to hear!).  Cybersecurity is a major threat and it isn't slowing down or going away anytime soon.

The beginning of a new year is always a busy time.  Filing and storing last year's documents, setting up new files, decluttering the office, organizing the supply cabinet, etc.  A good way to organize is by using storage compartments and modules.  These units give you a place to put the small items (pens, sticky notes, glue sticks, nuts, bolts, etc.).  They'll save space and create a well-designed storage unit.

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and you're refreshed and ready for a new adventure!  However, today I'm testing your knowledge of years past with our topic:

History Trivia

Fountain pens are not very common in the work place - in fact, I can honestly say that not only do I not use one (and never have), but I don't know anyone else who does.  And although we do offer them, I've never had anyone buy one from me.  So I was surprised when I found out that Zebra Pen has come out with a new line of fountain pens.  It just didn't seem like a product that is in demand.

Introducing "an easier fountain pen":