And speaking of slow days

A few weeks ago we got the following email from a guy at another bank:

In an attempt to break the grip of a summer Friday Jon Smith* is attempting to eat one of every item in the vending machine.  I just smacked his belly and it sounded like a 55 gallon drum.  Woooohoooo!  Have a great weekend.  Go Jon!

Done: Special K bar, Wheat Thins, Oreo Snack cookies, Popcorn (unpopped), Lays Potato Chips, Kit Kat, Gold Roll Pretzels, M&Ms with peanuts, Doritos, Almond Joy, Cheetos, Sun Chips Cheddar, Frito Lays Original, Cheez-Its, Gold Honey Wheat Braids, Fig Newtons, Oreo Cookies, Short Bread Cookies, Pop Tarts strawberrt, Famous Amos Chocolate Chip cookies, Animal Crackers, Twizzlers, Snack Wells Creme Sandwhich, Twix, Rice Krispy Treats.

Left: M&Ms, Starburst, Ruger Wafers chocolate, Ruger Wafers vanilla, Snickers, 3 Muskateers, Hershey Bar, Raisonets, Welch's Fruit Snacks, Skittles

A couple hours later we got the following email, titled "Man beats machine!"

Jon "the Snackman" Smith has successfully eaten one of every item in the vending machine.  The entire trading floor erupted in applause as he finished up with a flare by eating five blue M&Ms one at a time.  It took him under four hours to consume 9,642 calories.  We now believe that the credit crisis is officially over!  Have a good weekend!

This is one reason I love working on a trading floor.  When things get slow these guys combine their wit and creativity with their need for gambling, and come up with the funniest bets.  I've seen money bags (everyone writes their name on a $20, throws it into a bag, and one is drawn, leaving the winner upwards of $1000,) pushup bets, and a mariachi band for a birthday but never something like eating one of every item in a vending machine.  It's really awesome when something like this happens, because everyone really does get involved, and it's just crazy to have 350 people erupting in cheering and applause.