The holiday season is upon us and oh, what a joyous time indeed. Yes, the 12th month of our Gregorian calendar often brings about a series of magical moments that even the Scroogiest of Ebenezers would be hard-pressed to deny. The wonderment on a child's face upon opening their favorite holiday gift, the time spent with loved ones making new memories while reminiscing the past, that Gingerbread Latte at Starbucks - holy reindeer crap is that thing tasty! - all of these things make December a very special time of year. A time to enjoy life's simple pleasures.
And of course who doesn't love a holiday party?!
Last year L3 Payments celebrated the holiday season by squaring off on the raceway at MB2 in Thousand Oaks, CA. That's right, Go Kart racing! We were all excited to blow off some steam and take part in a little holiday merriment, but once we got out on the track and revved our respective engines, laughter and mirth were replaced with the kind of fortitude and focus that Danica Patrick would appreciate. This race was about more than good old-fashioned holiday fun; it was a full-blown pursuit for office bragging rights!
Unfortunately, our overzealous quest for the Cup resulted in some dubious driving decisions by a few participants, resulting in a Kart crash so treacherous its sights and sounds still echo throughout the L3 Payments hallways a year later. The good news? That sucker was caught on tape!
Not to worry, there were no major injuries and only a couple bruised egos. Ultimately, John Porichis, our underwriter (and now office Go Kart racing legend) took home the 1st place trophy. However, as I like to remind myself, we were all winners that day. After all, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
We're still in the planning stages for this year's office festivities, but meanwhile December is shaping up to be a busy and productive end to 2012 as we gear up to develop new and exciting products in 2013. Yes, despite the end of the Mayan Calendar we've decided to forego any warnings concerning the apocalypse and continue working because A) NASA said everything is going to be fine and I trust their judgement and B) L3 Payments is compromised of dedicated, hard-working folks! (Yes, even Hrag.)
Also, in line with our ongoing commitment to keep our finger on the pulse of the financial processing industry, Melody Lashmar has once again written an extremely informative article for December regarding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the actions they have initiated against financial entities, as well as the potential impact they could have on e-commerce merchants. Check it out HERE if you haven't already!
Until next time, from all of us at L3 Payments, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!