Some ‘internal’ messages at Hammock (we have a cool intranet) should be shared with a bigger audience. Here’s one that was posted this morning:

In a unanimous ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court today decreed that Hammock Publishing must immediately free up to 50 percent of the contents of its office refrigerator to make room for refreshments currently in a cooler in the back of Bill’s car.
Writing the majority opinion for the court, Justice Antonin Scalia-Lite – sorry, Joseph Alito – opined that nearly empty containers of hummus and cottage cheese, as well as browning pieces of celery and wilting fruit “may well be at substantial risk of further decay and after a long weekend will present an increasing level of grossness to others who must occupy this same environment.”
The case has been handed back to local authorities to take prompt action if the offending material is not removed “within a reasonable number of hours.”

We’re a day late wishing Julia Boklage a happy Hammock Day. But that doesn’t mean our good wishes of celebration are any less. Even during the craziness that has been this week, Julia took a few minutes to answer some random questions about her time here at Hammock, hateful cats and the Rolling Stones.
1. June 21 was Hammock Day for you. How long have you been with Hammock Publishing? I have been with Hammock seven years.
2. What do you remember most about your first day at Hammock? I remember feeling totally overwhelmed. My predecessor was passing down a lot of rules on how to do things, particularly in our accounting software. I kept thinking that I would never remember it all! Turns out, much of it was not necessary, but it took me a while to figure that out.
3. If you didn’t work at Hammock Publishing, what do you think you would be doing? Something very similar. It’s what I like to do.
4. What is your favorite movie of all time? I have a lot of favorites but the one I watch most and never tire of is “Overboard” with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. Totally silly and very entertaining to me.
5. Do you have any pets? That’s hard to answer. My daughter, who lives with me, has a crazy cat named Target. So, she’s not really mine but I get to reap the benefits as well as the drawbacks of having a paranoid, sometimes loving, often hateful odd little cat.
6. What was your most memorable day at Hammock? Probably 9/11. I am most often the last to arrive, and when I got here that morning, totally unaware of what was unfolding, I could almost sense the tension. A complete horror that I’m sure none of us will forget.
7. What is the last musical act/group you saw live? Oh my! Most recently, I saw Michael W. Smith in his Christmas performance with the Nashville Symphony. The last great performer that I saw was Ray Charles, not too long before his death. Highlights of my younger days would include The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull and many more. Attending concerts was the “thing to do” back in the day. We would drive hundreds of miles!
8. If you were to win the lottery this week, what is the first purchase you would make? I would buy a large piece of land and build a wonderful house. It has been a dream for a very long time.
9. Where do you hope to retire someday? I really don’t know. I guess I think I’ll be working forever.
10. If you could switch places with any other Hammock employee for one day, who would it be and why? This question gave me the most pause! As I said, I really love what I do, it suits me. But, if I have to choose, I think it would be Kerri. It would be a lot of fun to enjoy her creative talent for a day.

This is one of those times every couple of years that some of us just live for. It’s no secret that our office is chock-full of political junkies and small-business fans ム and what better place to celebrate either persuasion than at the NFIB National Small-Business Summit? The biennial gathering of small-business owner/activists from around the country always attracts heavy-hitters from the political and business-speaker circuit; this year the agenda is strong.
Hammock’s MyBusiness and NFIB.com staff were in force at the Summit, working with our client, the National Federation of Independent Business. It’s a great showcase of their power and strength on Capitol Hill, and we’re glad to be a part of the event. Below are the Hammoratians there: (L-R) Rex, Barbara, Emily, Lena, Summer and Jamie.

Spring is a time for baseball, rain and celebrating Hammock Days around here. The sixth member of the Hammock team to celebrate her Hammock Day in less than a month, Lena Basha sat down with me over margaritas to answers a few questions about dating, movies and being chased in the parking garage…
1. June 2 is Hammock Day for you. How long have you been with Hammock Publishing? Three years.
2. What do you remember most about your first day at Hammock? Barbara Mathieson. In the parking lot. Riding my tail. Honking her horn. Flashing her lights. Yelling, “Park, you slow poke!” I embellish, but it’s not far from the truth. Our relationship has since improved.
3. If you didn’t work at Hammock Publishing, what do you think you would be doing? Hopefully a similar job, but not nearly as fabulous.
4. What is the last movie you saw in the theatre? “Ice Age 2,” but I’m more of a renter. Last night, I watched “Winter Passing.” It stars Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel. I was all, “Oh, I loved them in ‘Elf,’ I bet this will be great!” I was wrong. It was horrible. Don’t rent it.
5. Do you have any pets? No.
6. What was your most memorable day at Hammock? That day Rex stopped by my desk and asked me if I was dating Mr. Roboto.
7. What’s your favorite reality TV show? Would you ever participate? Oh goodness, where to start? “The Real World,” “Laguna Beach,” “The Hills” (premieres this week!), “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” the list goes on. I don’t think I’d participate, though. Despite appearances, I am shy. I think it took me at least a year and a half to speak without spoken to here at the office.
8. If you were to win the lottery this week, what is the first purchase you would make? A trip to New York.
9. Where do you hope to retire someday? I feel uncomfortable answering a question that suggests I am already thinking about retirement three years into my job. I love Hammock Publishing.
10. If you could switch places with any other Hammock employee for one day, who would it be and why? Lynne Boyer, as long as I get to keep her lockerムand the key that goes to it. I think she has 18 million snacks locked up in there. Also, she is an exceptionally fast and skilled designer.