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veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Interesting that I have never been to a potluck in the US... only in the Gulf... and mostly in the homes of non-Americans. I hear about them here in the US, but it's always married people or related church dinners and such in small towns. I suspect that is where the idea evolved from.

VS

Mia Xanthi · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:00 pm Post subject:

The potluck dinner is still very common in the south, where it probably evolved as a way of letting people socialize without having to spend a lot of money. Overseas, I have usually experienced this as an opportunity for colleagues to enjoy each other's culinary expertise -- those little tastes of home that we miss but cannot necessarily produce ourselves.

I know that in Aramco in the late 70s and early 80s, the potluck was organized as a form of entertainment. They would declare a theme (such as Mediterranean food, or Indian food) and give each participant a recipe to cook. When you're bored in the desert, this is a fine way to amuse yourselves and establish a sense of community.

In other words, I defend the common potluck as a fine, wholesome practice!

007 · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject:

johnslat · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:28 pm Post subject:

Dear 007,

I am NOT going to ask why you are in possession of such an item. Your claim, however, could incite rampant speculation.
Regards,
John

Cleopatra · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:29 pm Post subject:

cmp45 · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: KSA

[quote="Cleopatra"]As I say, each to their own. I've never (yet) been so bored in the desert - or anywhere else - that I would consider an evening spent munching a colleague's burned lasagne to be an amusing pastime.
[quote]

Well...even if it isn't a pot luck, it could turn out that you end up eating the host's burnt lasagna Shocked

Looked at another way...with a pot luck...you could increase the odds of at least getting something that is tasty.

anyways...enjoy the pot lucks or not...am out of here for the month of August....chat with ya'll again in September!

007 · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 7:30 pm Post subject:

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Can't see why Scot47 would want to buy Irish dancing shoes... unless he changed his name to "Irishwoman47."

Imdramayu · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Location: South Korea

Since I just packed up in my old country of residence to move to KSA, I had a "masalama" sale. But there is a dilemna: give it away or sell it. If you don't give it away, some people may have to buy a new one anyway. The new one is always much greater than the used one, so us selling used stuff caused other people to have to buy new stuff. On the other hand, we're going to buy new stuff in our new home we're moving to. So, I sold only big things (e.g., Jumparoo, stuffed animals, furniture, etc.)

The Social Committee at my school tried to start a system to help. They wanted to collect stuff that departing employees had (in June), store it over the summer, then sell it to the new employees (in August/September). We thought it was a great idea but it never worked out. The school's senior management or HR didn't think it would work, we couldn't find a space to store stuff. Nevertheless, this is the ideal situation: people leaving help the people coming (even though they never meet). It seems unfair and bad timing that all this selling happens in May/June while all this buying happens in August/September. We wanted to find a solution to connect both parties.

Cleopatra · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject:

Imdramayu · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Location: South Korea

Well, Cleo, I don't want to stroke the fire of your pet hate, but employees helping future employees is a good idea. I wouldn't suggest this if someone is joining a company for a long time or will stay in the same city (like in New York City or Paris). But, in EFL, I feel like I am camping when I move into a new job & related housing. I may be at this job for only a few years (or longer if things work out). Since we're working under contracts in a field like EFL, life is more transient and temporary. If someone has to buy brand new stuff every time he moves into new housing, it will become a burden and a nuisance. If someone can help him, that's great.

I agree that most new employees don't want too much help. They wish to figure things out themselves. For example, at my school, the Social Committee started a Host Program. This program would collect names of old employees who wanted to help out or be a "buddy" to a new arriving employee. New employees would be offered to take advantage of this program. In fact, of 60 new employees last year, only two wanted buddies from the Host Program.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Lockheed used to give a cash incentive to older employees to socialise with new arrivals. "Take this 500 SR and show Hank how to enjoy Jeddah."

Cleopatra · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 6:53 am Post subject:

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

How did we get from electrical supplies and voltage to my choice of
footwear ?!?

I am certainly NOT going to buy second-hand IRISH women's shoes ! From 007 or anyone else.