Hey everyone, Ellie here. It's Friday. It's always Friday when we have these little sessions.

Kind of nice, right? This week's podcast is about something that just has been going on sort of steadily

in the background, but it reached a point of ridiculousness this week that necessitated me

venting my feeling. So take a listen. As always, I really do appreciate hearing

your thoughts, questions, and comments. And by the way, we're answering your questions now.

You saw that in last week's episode. So from time to time, we will take and I will answer your

questions. Send them in to letters at cafe.com.

There's an episode of the TV show The Office, which at this point is our only true cross-generational cultural touchstone, in which Michael Scott, the regional manager of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, tries to allay some bad news that his staff has received about their health care plans.

Sensing the sagging morale, Michael announces that he's going to deliver a very special surprise by the end of the workday. Michael, of course, wastes the next several hours,

desperately casting about for some way to make good on his empty, ill-conceived promise. At one point,

he returns to the office bearing plastic bags filled with generic, individually

wrapped, uninspiring ice cream sandwiches.

He tries to hype up his employees.

Ice cream sandwiches!

Ah!

That's my Michael Scott impression.

Not far, actually.

But they're not having it.

Stanley, from accounting, confronts Michael directly.

This isn't the big surprise, is it?

That's my Stanley impression.

That's not good.

...