This week, I lost my fishing buddy.

Lake Wisconsin lost a man whose very presence will surely be missed by the natural order itself when early spring buds blossom and autumn’s palette is sprinkled over the woods and sky and he is not there.

So many friends and loved ones lost a man who brought great humor, a true raconteur’s storytelling sense, and a depth of character and solid connection to an old-school moral code to the world that few people ever achieve.

Rich Lobojko was a genuine hero to me since the late 70’s – a man’s man, certainly, but also a father figure in some ways  — perhaps more like a favorite uncle who might slip you a beer, pull your hat down over your eyes, and let out a deep, hearty, resonant laugh that let you know that he cared about you. That you were in on the joke.

It emanated from him, and you felt it.

A hard worker all his life, Rich was able to enjoy some nice years hanging out and traveling with his lovely wife Verna, his children and grandchildren, and the myriad fellas who joined him up at Lake Wisconsin once or twice a year. I only missed one trip since 1997, and that was because I was in Tennessee.

“Not a great excuse,” Rich would say, and then the deep laugh would come out.

Rich was clearly in his element at the lake. He had been coming to these cabins for forty-plus years, seeing new resort owners come and go, developing lasting friendships with them, and taking a kind of ownership of the grounds and water, really, that they could not quite manage.

To me, he came to embody the place. “The fishing trip” was sacred.

And Rich was clearly the host, whipping up batches of Spam and eggs, cooked to order, with a dash of garlic salt on the yolks, venison sausages courtesy of a successful November hunt by his son Mike, and stacks of toast. There Rich would be, spatula in hand, telling stories of working with his crew years ago in the cold Chicago winters, giving it all an immediacy that you could feel – all of it fresh in his mind, painting a picture.

He created a gaming table the year after one of the fisherman dice players complained of having to walk up to the board. It was a thing of beauty, with its smooth, felt nap and the way it effortlessly glided over small ball bearings in the base. Upon seeing it, the complaining dice player expressed his gratitude to Rich, who just said, “I made it so you’d stop spilling the whiskey.” And the laugh would come out again.

That laugh. That look on his face.

He loved it there. We loved having him there.

And we loved him.

Ever since the first shelter-at-home order, there’s been an endless debate about the future of work. Will we go back to the office? Work from home? Some sort of hybrid mix?

For as heated as this discussion gets, there’s one character who receives universal respect.

The water cooler.

The pro-office crowd lists “water cooler” right away. We need the water cooler. That’s where the magic happens.

The anti-office crowd concedes this point, ensuring the audience knows they’re not anti-water cooler.

Look, I’ve got nothing but respect for the water cooler. I’m one of the biggest water cooler guys out there. But we’re just gonna have to do this virtually…

The standard office water cooler looked like the one above until 2016-17. It stood six feet tall and came with 6,000 cone-shaped Dixie cups. Each of those cups held less than a shot of water. It worked well for coffee mugs, but if you needed to fill up a water bottle, the design was “one-size-fits-none.” You’d put in your water bottle at a 45-degree angle and call it quits at about 1/3 full.

There were two dispensing taps – red for freakishly hot, blue for lukewarm. The only people to lift the red lever were weekend skydivers, Harley Davidson owners, and the possible vampire who’d start each day with a glass of hot water and a plate of Colby jack cheese cubes.

But over the last 4-5 years, with the rise of La Croix and other seltzers, the traditional water cooler was gradually pushed out of the office. People opted for 21st-century options with trendy European-sounding names like “bevi.” I don’t think it’s possible to say “bevi” in anything other than a whisper.

Touch-screen. Sparkling water. I think you could order an Uber from the home screen. These high-tech upgrades pushed the old school water cooler to a dusty basement corner, next to the fax machine and 55 feet of ethernet cables. It’s like a depressing version of the Beauty and the Beast appliances.

But whenever I see a fancy water cooler, I picture a different type of work. Instead of people gathering and talking about last night’s Cubs game, people fill up one at a time and send each other Cubs GIFs over Slack.

Instead of someone saying, “I’m swamped, I’ve gotta go through this whole Excel spreadsheet,” the fancy water cooler mocks the spreadsheet and has 16 different apps to automate the process.

Offices with an old-school water cooler, you could count on leftover pizza and turkey sandwiches in the fridge. With the fancy water cooler, every lunch is either Chipotle or, “It’s like Chipotle but for sushi.” Everything comes in a burrito.

I’m not passing judgment one way or the other. I just think companies who want people to come back into the office full time should look no further than the water cooler. It’s a domino effect; once you swap out the old-school water cooler, next thing you know, Slack has replaced in-person meetings. Zoom defeated the conference room. Cubicles turn into an “open floor plan” turns into, “Wait a second, why don’t I just Slack and Zoom from my house?”

Offices made themselves so comfortable that they drove people away to the comforts of home.

But what am I suggesting as an alternative?

Again, it all goes back to the water cooler. But, this time, I suggest we look at a good Midwestern high school for inspiration.

Especially in August, you’ve got the football team outside doing two-a-days. Same with the cheerleaders holding tryouts. The marching band’s out there in 95-degree heat. Somehow, the tuba player never passes out.

What do you see at all three sites? This guy.

Nothing says hard work’s getting done like an Igloo 5-gallon water cooler. You see it at construction sites, too, or any sporting event. For anything that involves blood, sweat, and tears, chances are this Igloo water cooler is near.

And what happens with the football players, cheerleaders, and the marching band? They become a team. Few things bring people closer than going through a difficult challenge together. It’s true for the Army, the Marines, and don’t you feel closer to the grocery store butcher after going through those COVID years together?

Without the struggle, loyalty plummets. If I’m working from home, and I’ve never met any of my colleagues in person, why wouldn’t I leave if another place offers 10-20% higher pay? But if I’ve gone through the valleys with someone, I don’t want to look that person in the eye at the water cooler and tell them I’m leaving. It’s easier to keep going for another 35 years.

So, am I suggesting companies put their employees in shoulder pads? Move things outside? Have people carry around tubas and French horns? Not necessarily.

But I am suggesting office two-a-days. Not a year-round thing (at least not at first), only suggesting this for the month of August.

Instead of making things more comfortable, pivot the other way. Start by bringing in the Igloo 5-gallon water cooler. Next: take out the wifi. Turn off the A/C. Get rid of Slack.

What to bring back? Spreadsheets. Fax machines. Cubicles. Yep. Bring it all back. Isn’t “90s retro” kind of in right now anyways?

First working session – 8 to 11 am. Next – 1 to 4 pm. From 11 to 1, everyone breaks for a massive spaghetti lunch in the cafeteria. Those two 3-hour blocks are intense, but it’s focused, and you’re in it together with people who were previously 3-inch squares on a Zoom call.

Here’s the thing, full five days a week return to the office upsets people because it feels forced and inflexible. Hybrid is better, but there’s still this feeling of, “I don’t understand why I have to commute two or three days a week… for the rest of my life.”

With August two-a-days, there’s an end in sight. It also allows employees to rekindle a love for the office — an “office romance,” if you will.

September comes. Everyone heads back home. But they can’t stop daydreaming about the office.

I miss talking about Ted Lasso at the water cooler. I miss giving Denise an actual high five, not the stinkin’ ‘high five’ button on Zoom. And that two-hour spaghetti lunch...

Gradually, there’s a reverse mutiny. The team bands together, demanding more office two-a-days. Management obliges, and everyone lines up outside like it’s the morning of a new iPhone release. Doors open, and people rush through like a football team charging down the tunnel.

Upstairs, the boss — a Bill Lumbergh-looking guy — looks down at the action with a sense of pride. Without looking, he takes a cone-shaped Dixie cup, puts it under the old-school water cooler. Pulls one of the taps.

“Thank you, old friend,” he says, patting the cooler on the back. He takes a small sip, which ends up being the entire Dixie cup.

“Yow, that’s hot!”

If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy “The Extroverts are Coming” and “Company Announces Zero Day Work Week. Plans to Run on Guilt.”

Shameless plug – My books are available on Long Overdue Books. This is also a great writing community if you’re interested/working on/or have always dreamed of writing a book.

Ran the numbers, and it’s been 119 days since my last Medium Rare. I think that’s the longest streak ever. I blame my 11-month-old son as the best possible distraction. Hopefully, the next post will be up sooner!

As summer wraps up, the night sky puts on a show. The annual Perseids meteor shower peaks this week, and there are plenty of public star party events to attend.

This is what’s happening this week in space right here in Chicago.

SpaceX Starlink Launch, Tuesday, August 9th, 6 pm, Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX is targeting Tuesday evening for a launch of 52 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX will host a live broadcast of the launch here: SpaceX

Adler at Night, Wednesday, August 10th, 4-10 pm, Adler Planetarium

Every Wednesday night, Adler Planetarium is open in the evenings and it’s free for every Illinois residents. This event is popular and crowded, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to see all the exhibits. Information here: Adler

Astronomy on Tap Chicago, Thursday, August 11th, 7-9:30 pm, Begyle Brewing

Join the Begyle Brewing Company and Northwestern CIERA astronomers for a night of astronomy and trivia. JWST and the first images taken will be discussed by astronomers that use the images to carry out their research. Event details here: JWST Event

Stargazing at Cantigny Park, Saturday, August 13th, 7:30-11 pm, Cantigny Park

Head out to Cantigny Park’s annual French Picnic Under the Stars for a night of stargazing with scopes provided by the Naperville Astronomical Association. NASA Solar System Ambassador, Andy Salata will be giving a special presentation called, “Exploring the Universe: Visual Light, Spectroscopy, and the Webb Telescope”. More information here: NAA

15th Annual Perseid Meteor Shower & Stargaze, Saturday, August 13th, 8:30 pm-12:00 am, Indiana Dunes State Park

Indiana Dunes State Park is a short drive from Chicago but far enough away from the city lights so that you can see the annual Perseids Meteor Shower. Join park rangers for some sky lore and constellation stories while you watch the skies for this incredible show. More info here: IDNR

This week, I lost my fishing buddy.

Lake Wisconsin lost a man whose very presence will surely be missed by the natural order itself when early spring buds blossom and autumn’s palette is sprinkled over the woods and sky and he is not there.

So many friends and loved ones lost a man who brought great humor, a true raconteur’s storytelling sense, and a depth of character and solid connection to an old-school moral code to the world that few people ever achieve.

Rich Lobojko was a genuine hero to me since the late 70’s – a man’s man, certainly, but also a father figure in some ways  — perhaps more like a favorite uncle who might slip you a beer, pull your hat down over your eyes, and let out a deep, hearty, resonant laugh that let you know that he cared about you. That you were in on the joke.

It emanated from him, and you felt it.

A hard worker all his life, Rich was able to enjoy some nice years hanging out and traveling with his lovely wife Verna, his children and grandchildren, and the myriad fellas who joined him up at Lake Wisconsin once or twice a year. I only missed one trip since 1997, and that was because I was in Tennessee.

“Not a great excuse,” Rich would say, and then the deep laugh would come out.

Rich was clearly in his element at the lake. He had been coming to these cabins for forty-plus years, seeing new resort owners come and go, developing lasting friendships with them, and taking a kind of ownership of the grounds and water, really, that they could not quite manage.

To me, he came to embody the place. “The fishing trip” was sacred.

And Rich was clearly the host, whipping up batches of Spam and eggs, cooked to order, with a dash of garlic salt on the yolks, venison sausages courtesy of a successful November hunt by his son Mike, and stacks of toast. There Rich would be, spatula in hand, telling stories of working with his crew years ago in the cold Chicago winters, giving it all an immediacy that you could feel – all of it fresh in his mind, painting a picture.

He created a gaming table the year after one of the fisherman dice players complained of having to walk up to the board. It was a thing of beauty, with its smooth, felt nap and the way it effortlessly glided over small ball bearings in the base. Upon seeing it, the complaining dice player expressed his gratitude to Rich, who just said, “I made it so you’d stop spilling the whiskey.” And the laugh would come out again.

That laugh. That look on his face.

He loved it there. We loved having him there.

And we loved him.

As summer wraps up, the night sky puts on a show. The annual Perseids meteor shower peaks this week, and there are plenty of public star party events to attend.

This is what’s happening this week in space right here in Chicago.

SpaceX Starlink Launch, Tuesday, August 9th, 6 pm, Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX is targeting Tuesday evening for a launch of 52 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX will host a live broadcast of the launch here: SpaceX

Adler at Night, Wednesday, August 10th, 4-10 pm, Adler Planetarium

Every Wednesday night, Adler Planetarium is open in the evenings and it’s free for every Illinois residents. This event is popular and crowded, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to see all the exhibits. Information here: Adler

Astronomy on Tap Chicago, Thursday, August 11th, 7-9:30 pm, Begyle Brewing

Join the Begyle Brewing Company and Northwestern CIERA astronomers for a night of astronomy and trivia. JWST and the first images taken will be discussed by astronomers that use the images to carry out their research. Event details here: JWST Event

Stargazing at Cantigny Park, Saturday, August 13th, 7:30-11 pm, Cantigny Park

Head out to Cantigny Park’s annual French Picnic Under the Stars for a night of stargazing with scopes provided by the Naperville Astronomical Association. NASA Solar System Ambassador, Andy Salata will be giving a special presentation called, “Exploring the Universe: Visual Light, Spectroscopy, and the Webb Telescope”. More information here: NAA

15th Annual Perseid Meteor Shower & Stargaze, Saturday, August 13th, 8:30 pm-12:00 am, Indiana Dunes State Park

Indiana Dunes State Park is a short drive from Chicago but far enough away from the city lights so that you can see the annual Perseids Meteor Shower. Join park rangers for some sky lore and constellation stories while you watch the skies for this incredible show. More info here: IDNR

This week, I lost my fishing buddy.

Lake Wisconsin lost a man whose very presence will surely be missed by the natural order itself when early spring buds blossom and autumn’s palette is sprinkled over the woods and sky and he is not there.

So many friends and loved ones lost a man who brought great humor, a true raconteur’s storytelling sense, and a depth of character and solid connection to an old-school moral code to the world that few people ever achieve.

Rich Lobojko was a genuine hero to me since the late 70’s – a man’s man, certainly, but also a father figure in some ways  — perhaps more like a favorite uncle who might slip you a beer, pull your hat down over your eyes, and let out a deep, hearty, resonant laugh that let you know that he cared about you. That you were in on the joke.

It emanated from him, and you felt it.

A hard worker all his life, Rich was able to enjoy some nice years hanging out and traveling with his lovely wife Verna, his children and grandchildren, and the myriad fellas who joined him up at Lake Wisconsin once or twice a year. I only missed one trip since 1997, and that was because I was in Tennessee.

“Not a great excuse,” Rich would say, and then the deep laugh would come out.

Rich was clearly in his element at the lake. He had been coming to these cabins for forty-plus years, seeing new resort owners come and go, developing lasting friendships with them, and taking a kind of ownership of the grounds and water, really, that they could not quite manage.

To me, he came to embody the place. “The fishing trip” was sacred.

And Rich was clearly the host, whipping up batches of Spam and eggs, cooked to order, with a dash of garlic salt on the yolks, venison sausages courtesy of a successful November hunt by his son Mike, and stacks of toast. There Rich would be, spatula in hand, telling stories of working with his crew years ago in the cold Chicago winters, giving it all an immediacy that you could feel – all of it fresh in his mind, painting a picture.

He created a gaming table the year after one of the fisherman dice players complained of having to walk up to the board. It was a thing of beauty, with its smooth, felt nap and the way it effortlessly glided over small ball bearings in the base. Upon seeing it, the complaining dice player expressed his gratitude to Rich, who just said, “I made it so you’d stop spilling the whiskey.” And the laugh would come out again.

That laugh. That look on his face.

He loved it there. We loved having him there.

And we loved him.

As summer wraps up, the night sky puts on a show. The annual Perseids meteor shower peaks this week, and there are plenty of public star party events to attend.

This is what’s happening this week in space right here in Chicago.

SpaceX Starlink Launch, Tuesday, August 9th, 6 pm, Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX is targeting Tuesday evening for a launch of 52 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX will host a live broadcast of the launch here: SpaceX

Adler at Night, Wednesday, August 10th, 4-10 pm, Adler Planetarium

Every Wednesday night, Adler Planetarium is open in the evenings and it’s free for every Illinois residents. This event is popular and crowded, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to see all the exhibits. Information here: Adler

Astronomy on Tap Chicago, Thursday, August 11th, 7-9:30 pm, Begyle Brewing

Join the Begyle Brewing Company and Northwestern CIERA astronomers for a night of astronomy and trivia. JWST and the first images taken will be discussed by astronomers that use the images to carry out their research. Event details here: JWST Event

Stargazing at Cantigny Park, Saturday, August 13th, 7:30-11 pm, Cantigny Park

Head out to Cantigny Park’s annual French Picnic Under the Stars for a night of stargazing with scopes provided by the Naperville Astronomical Association. NASA Solar System Ambassador, Andy Salata will be giving a special presentation called, “Exploring the Universe: Visual Light, Spectroscopy, and the Webb Telescope”. More information here: NAA

15th Annual Perseid Meteor Shower & Stargaze, Saturday, August 13th, 8:30 pm-12:00 am, Indiana Dunes State Park

Indiana Dunes State Park is a short drive from Chicago but far enough away from the city lights so that you can see the annual Perseids Meteor Shower. Join park rangers for some sky lore and constellation stories while you watch the skies for this incredible show. More info here: IDNR

This week, I lost my fishing buddy.

Lake Wisconsin lost a man whose very presence will surely be missed by the natural order itself when early spring buds blossom and autumn’s palette is sprinkled over the woods and sky and he is not there.

So many friends and loved ones lost a man who brought great humor, a true raconteur’s storytelling sense, and a depth of character and solid connection to an old-school moral code to the world that few people ever achieve.

Rich Lobojko was a genuine hero to me since the late 70’s – a man’s man, certainly, but also a father figure in some ways  — perhaps more like a favorite uncle who might slip you a beer, pull your hat down over your eyes, and let out a deep, hearty, resonant laugh that let you know that he cared about you. That you were in on the joke.

It emanated from him, and you felt it.

A hard worker all his life, Rich was able to enjoy some nice years hanging out and traveling with his lovely wife Verna, his children and grandchildren, and the myriad fellas who joined him up at Lake Wisconsin once or twice a year. I only missed one trip since 1997, and that was because I was in Tennessee.

“Not a great excuse,” Rich would say, and then the deep laugh would come out.

Rich was clearly in his element at the lake. He had been coming to these cabins for forty-plus years, seeing new resort owners come and go, developing lasting friendships with them, and taking a kind of ownership of the grounds and water, really, that they could not quite manage.

To me, he came to embody the place. “The fishing trip” was sacred.

And Rich was clearly the host, whipping up batches of Spam and eggs, cooked to order, with a dash of garlic salt on the yolks, venison sausages courtesy of a successful November hunt by his son Mike, and stacks of toast. There Rich would be, spatula in hand, telling stories of working with his crew years ago in the cold Chicago winters, giving it all an immediacy that you could feel – all of it fresh in his mind, painting a picture.

He created a gaming table the year after one of the fisherman dice players complained of having to walk up to the board. It was a thing of beauty, with its smooth, felt nap and the way it effortlessly glided over small ball bearings in the base. Upon seeing it, the complaining dice player expressed his gratitude to Rich, who just said, “I made it so you’d stop spilling the whiskey.” And the laugh would come out again.

That laugh. That look on his face.

He loved it there. We loved having him there.

And we loved him.

As summer wraps up, the night sky puts on a show. The annual Perseids meteor shower peaks this week, and there are plenty of public star party events to attend.

This is what’s happening this week in space right here in Chicago.

SpaceX Starlink Launch, Tuesday, August 9th, 6 pm, Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX is targeting Tuesday evening for a launch of 52 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX will host a live broadcast of the launch here: SpaceX

Adler at Night, Wednesday, August 10th, 4-10 pm, Adler Planetarium

Every Wednesday night, Adler Planetarium is open in the evenings and it’s free for every Illinois residents. This event is popular and crowded, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to see all the exhibits. Information here: Adler

Astronomy on Tap Chicago, Thursday, August 11th, 7-9:30 pm, Begyle Brewing

Join the Begyle Brewing Company and Northwestern CIERA astronomers for a night of astronomy and trivia. JWST and the first images taken will be discussed by astronomers that use the images to carry out their research. Event details here: JWST Event

Stargazing at Cantigny Park, Saturday, August 13th, 7:30-11 pm, Cantigny Park

Head out to Cantigny Park’s annual French Picnic Under the Stars for a night of stargazing with scopes provided by the Naperville Astronomical Association. NASA Solar System Ambassador, Andy Salata will be giving a special presentation called, “Exploring the Universe: Visual Light, Spectroscopy, and the Webb Telescope”. More information here: NAA

15th Annual Perseid Meteor Shower & Stargaze, Saturday, August 13th, 8:30 pm-12:00 am, Indiana Dunes State Park

Indiana Dunes State Park is a short drive from Chicago but far enough away from the city lights so that you can see the annual Perseids Meteor Shower. Join park rangers for some sky lore and constellation stories while you watch the skies for this incredible show. More info here: IDNR