Work – Page 3 – everydaysparks

Party people (on a bus)

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Cate

I’m not sure about posting this as I don’t want you to think less of me. But I found this in a very innocent way, I assure you. I was looking for a design collection called Funbus and that brought me to the FunBus service offered in Sydney and Melbourne and that brought me to Butlers in the Buff – the male order company. And there I stopped.

Now, back to the Sydney and Melbourne FunBus(es). Apparently, the owners have converted Mercedes vans into an alternate universe, which can seat up to 14 people and accommodate people standing. And poledancing, if you choose to have the removable dance pole mounted in the centre of the disco floor. Some other inclusions that I just can’t fathom are: silver top bars with built in eskies and laser and LED lighting plus a smoke machine. Seriously? Laser and LED lighting and a smoke machine in the back of a van? Somebody call Shaggy and Scooby, THIS is a van.

In the ‘packages’ page on the FunBus site is the link to Butlers in the Buff. Yes, really. Apparently, whether you are looking for naked butlers to greet your guests or a discreet cocktail waiter to gently enhance the ambience of your event, a group of hunky waiters to raise the roof, or a topless butler to spice up your birthday, we have the perfect solution for any occasion. Well, any occasion except, I’m guessing, wakes after funerals or bah mitzvahs. The website provides further information on the company and its Australian franchises (yes, the Butlers are global) under the heading “The brains behind the bums”. Then there is a photo of a naked man checking on something wrapped in foil in a BBQ (fear not, he is wearing a short apron around his waist, so that should resolve any health & safety concerns).

All of the material on the website (photos and copy) is protected, so I can’t share it with you here, but you should have a look if you have any further questions. (NB, don’t be fooled – the butler in this photo is clearly not a Butler in the Buff.) Perhaps the section entitled “Using your butler” will assist with some ideas, or “Butler Outfits”, which explains the “trademark outfit” and suggests boxer shorts or trousers (for the Butlers, that is) if you’re after a more modest catering experience. Or perhaps you’re looking for some casual work – in which case, a career as a Butler or Butlerette might be just the thing.

You can check out the FunBus here and Butlers in the Buff here. Or perhaps this glimpse has already been more than enough for you!

Sparky gifts, WWWhat?

Say cheese!

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Cate

If, like me, you’ve ever looked at Maxwell Smart or James Bond or Inspector Gadget and envied their clever spy toys. Or if, like me, you’ve ever suspected that someone is actually stealing the choc chip cookies from that jar at work. Or if, like me, you’ve ever wanted to expose a fraudulent worker’s compensation claim. (Actually, that last one may just be me?) Anyways, if those, then this: The High Definition Video Pen. Tucked into your jacket pocket or left lying on the desk or bench, this clever device looks just like a run-of-the-mill stationery item. But prepare to be dazzled: the ball-point pen actually has an in-built video camera, “capturing HD videos or still images with a click of its button.”

Whatever kind of creeping you’re planning, this trusty “pen” captures up to five hours of video. In colour. With sound. Uh huh. And, according to the experts, the lens and microphone are “inconspicuous enough to avoid detection”. Unless of course there is some malfunction and your pen starts beeping or flashing – in which case, ABANDON THE MISSION. I REPEAT, ABANDON THE MISSION. Be aware that the battery life is two hours, so you’ll need to recharge for your tougher investigations. And of course, you may also want to flick through the relevant privacy legislation for your jurisdiction. EverydaySparks just puts these ideas out there – I take no responsibility for where your “pen” leads you…

Or maybe you’re a jaded gumshoe and think the “pen” is nothing to (ahem) write home about? Then I challenge you not to be amazed by this: The World’s Smallest Camera. Measuring just over one inch in all dimensions, this camera is apparently “reminiscent of devices employed by Cold War-era operatives for intelligence gathering”. Uh huh. With the click of a button, the auto focus provides you with a great shot on your teeny tiny camera. Priced at under $40, this wee camera will make a great (if slightly creepy) addition to your collection. Collection of what? I don’t want to know.

If you would like to find out more about these magical recording devices, you might like to have a look at Hammacher Schlemmer.

Sparks at work, Sparky gifts, WWWhat?

Write on

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Cate

When I saw this at one of my favourite online spots, Candy Stripe Cloud, I had to share it. Just in case you’re looking for a present for someone who loves animals. Or who loves pens. Or who is just a weirdo. It doesn’t have a creative name – Brown Bear Pen – but don’t be fooled by that. This bear is really something. It looks like a precious ornament and will jazz up any desk or coffee table. But Brown Bear holds a secret deep inside. Deep, deep inside, actually. What could it be? Some insight into the meaning of life? Winning lottery numbers? A foolproof plan for world peace?

Steady on, he’s only a $17 plastic bear. The secret deep inside is a pen. Yes, the product name was kind of a giveaway. But these pictures still don’t tell me how it all fits together…

Aha. I see now. Brown Bear Pen – use it if you dare.

(And if you like Brown Bear Pen, you’ll love Candy Stripe Cloud)

Sparks at work

What’s in a name?

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Cate

I am doing some recruitment in my new job, which I’m enjoying because I haven’t hired people in a long time. It’s always an interesting process – especially when you put the ad on an online job board yourself, rather than using a recruiter. You craft the ad, then with all the hope of a lovestruck teen you click on ‘publish’ and 30 minutes later, your new job is up in lights, being looked over by prospective suitors. And within about 1.25 minutes, the applications start arriving – especially if the job is in IT or administration. The quality of those applications and general tips for candidates is another rant altogether. (In which I would suggest little things, like: get the job title right, get the company name right, get your own name right. Stuff like that.)

Anyways, this recent batch of recruitment has got me thinking about names and what is in them. I have decided that the answer is: a lot. Although I do accept that I’m a bit odd in this regard. When I hear the name (or prospective name) of a new baby, I always run three very quick scenarios – not to cover the whole spectrum of options, you understand, but to get an idea of how the name fits. So, if you tell me that your baby’s name is Pixie McGee, I will automatically do this (usually in my head, sometimes out loud): “Good morning, Pixie McGee’s office”; “Pixie McGee reporting for National Nine News”; and “Hello, I’m your doctor, Pixie McGee”. I don’t judge (out loud), I don’t try to persuade a name change, I just play it back to see how it sounds in a few different scenarios. Although if you tell me that you’ve chosen a name that spells something backwards (as Nevaeh), then I may say that is a little bit yzarc.

But back to recruitment. I am not sure who the prankster is that suggests names for incoming students or employees to adopt so they can ‘fit in’ when they arrive. When I was younger, there were a lot of old-school English type names chosen: Daisy, Eugene, Harold, Violet. Now, it seems as though anything goes – I have recently come across real-life students named: Magic, Sexy, Chicken, Thunder, George Washington and Tennis. Now, I don’t mean to be superficial, but I don’t think those names are going to help you blend in to your new community. Sure, you’re out of the primary school days of sticks & stones breaking your bones…but really? I don’t know that we’ll see Sexy as a company CEO. Or Chicken as a leading investment banker. Or Magic, the school principal. Sure, Thunder and Tennis might have more obvious career paths mapped out for them in fields relevant to their names, but if they wanted to become, say, barristers or office managers, I’m not sure how that would pan out.

Then I think, maybe it doesn’t matter to most people – a rose by any other name and all that. And maybe we should have more names that are fun and bring a smile to people’s faces.

So I’m going to sign off all my recruitment correspondence as Mermaid O’Krypton. Just because I can.

Sparks at work

Mug shot

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Cate

Mug — (Logo obscured to protect the victims)

When I first saw these mugs in the kitchen cupboard at my new workplace, I couldn’t quite believe it. Who knew that mugs with handles like that even existed? And why? For blinged-up rappers, maybe. Or high flying investment bankers. The part of my brain dedicated to hair brained schemes (HBS) started whizzing…Paint them gold, add some bedazzled jewels and there you have the perfect mug for any company CEO. Or Kardashian. Like, totally.