Once again, another successful company picnic has come and gone. Thanks, as always, is due to Eloise Baines, Cheryl Stover, and Judy Metzger for putting together the fun fete, which was held on August 28 at Union Park. It was a pleasure meeting the spouses and families of many Midstate staffers. The catering was provided by Slo Jo's BBQ, a very popular choice if employees' reaction was any indication. Weeks later, those ribs still manage to pop up as a topic of talk in the employee break room. But we mustn't forget the lovely assortment of baked goods provided by Simmons Bakery either. And, of course, no Midstate picnic is complete without a rousing performance by the Polka Dotties in the bandshell.

Midstate was also a proud sponsor of the Seventh Annual "Rockin'" Fourth Fireworks Spectacular in Union Park on July 4th. The show was impressive as always, but the fireworks have still not ended. For Midstate has a few post-July 4th fireworks of its own...

CRACK: Starting in September, Midstate is introducing Business Casual Fridays. In an effort to make a more relaxed and appealing office environment, administrative office employees will now be permitted to wear dungarees, sweatshirts, polo shirts, and other permissible garments. A list of business casual dress guidelines will be in every employee's mailbox by the end of this week. As an old hand who remembers the days when women employees would never even think to wear slacks to work, it is yet another reminder of how much things have changed.

POW: It's not too late to sign up for the All-Midstate Fantasy Football League, which commenced with the first NFL 2004-05 season game on Friday, September 10. All those interested in participating are advised to see Dale Gruen in Shipping and Receiving.

BANG: Effective immediately, employees will be permitted to discard envelopes with plastic address "windows" in the regular office paper recycling bin. No more having to cut them out first—a development I'm sure many of you will appreciate.

BURST: Since enacting the office supply sign-out sheet, on which employees must record that they removed an item from the supply closet, we're proud to say that supply expenses have decreased by an impressive 11%.

WHIZZ: The technical support staff said that the recent company-wide "Care And Feeding Of Your Computer" computer-etiquette tutorial was so successful that they will be offering another one soon for the employees who missed it. Information forthcoming.

Which brings me to my next subject...

MYRON'S OFFICE TIP OF THE MONTH: To prevent your computer from crashing, always quit applications you are no longer using and empty the trash regularly.

If your cursor is not working (i.e. not moving or missing from the screen all together), check the mouse to make sure it is properly and securely connected to your keyboard. If the connections are sound, inspect the mouse itself. It could very well be missing its ball.

I am sorry to say that this happened to me just last week. In fact, it's the fourth time in two years that this has occurred. A mouse does not lose its ball by accident, and it is quite irritating and not a little embarrassing to report my missing ball to the technical support staff, as ball replacement is quite expensive and time-consuming. I refrain from naming names, as I have not been able to concretely prove who the guilty party is. But if there's anything I'd like to tell this prankster, it's that these rivalries he perceives existing among accountants of differing departments, be they, say, Accounts Payable or Accounts Receivable, exist only in his head, or in the heads of those he's managed to brainwash. I think I have made myself clear.

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