Hooves High

Co-worker friends, both of whom work in IT asset management, share their amused takes on the workplace, including coined catchphrases. 

The titular inspiration for this debut humor book is revealed in its first story: Paul Mitchell, caught by Nicole White snagging more cake at one of their office potluck parties, says, “I don’t care. If I’m a pig, so be it. My hooves are high!” His colleagues laughed, raised their hooves in support, and “Hooves High!” was “embraced as a powerful catch phrase used by all.” Mitchell and White then unfurl an array of other humorous stories, including how and when they say “Mmnt!” “Very nice,” “Mondo!” “Really?” and still more quirks while navigating absurdities in the workplace. They share their adventures attending a Las Vegas conference (a series of mishaps from which “Really?” was born) and the officewide email exchanges unleashed when a cranky co-worker mangled the lamb toy that Mitchell had given her as part of his mission to have everyone “learn the art of being fluffy.” The book ends with tips on how to plan “Perfect Potlucks,” their favorite recipes (including Mitchell’s famous shortbread cookies, which White insists are too salty), and a lingo glossary. The book is a hoot, with the debut authors proving to be quite the dynamic comic duo, the kind of fun and motivating colleagues everyone should have. They end with a call to arms: “Ask yourself if you’re laughing enough and whether or not you are creating or contributing to a fun, happy atmosphere for your friends, coworkers and employees.” They’re never preachy, though, and their narrative is uniformly entertaining, with raunchy nods to such realities as the “resource hog” (i.e., “office slut”) further boosted by snarky bracketed asides provided by each author—i.e., “[Nicole’s Note]” or “[Paul’s Note].” While their humor may seem at times only like private jokes or highly situation-based, there’s actually plenty of universal appeal and inspiration in these charming “tails.”

Amusing and instructive commentary on dealing with office life.