George Clooney is the answer to all life's problems

I adore George Clooney. I don't personally know him, but he's a charming, handsome, witty successful man with a villa in Italy. What's not to love?

Last week at the Society (aka Job #1), we learned that we lost a grant competition and would not be receiving additional funding. This means that the entire staff will have to be let go; it's really bad news for the Executive Committee and my colleagues. I was speaking with one of my Executive Committee members after the news and she very kindly inquired if I needed anything.

I let her know that I was mostly focused on the details of actually shutting down the office--for example, what did I need to know about letting people go. She said, "surely there are people that are experts in this sort of thing."

To which I replied, "Like George Clooney? In Up in the Air?"

She was momentarily confused, "George Clooney?" She continued, "when you said George Clooney, I immediately thought Oceans Eleven and thought you meant he could heist a casino for us."

"Well, he could do that too. Really, George Clooney is the answer to all of our problems. He can tell us how to fire people, heist a casino and raise us money, and take us all to his villa in Italy so we can feel better." I replied.