#pocketgemboree

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Noms #pocketgems #thisispocketgems #pocketgemboree #wardragonslaunchparty (at Pocket Gems HQ)

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Pocket Gems University here with tips and tricks to creating compelling presentations! Pocket Gems Deck Enthusiast, Max, teaches follow Gemmers how to communicate ideas effectively. 

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Gemmers take on the HMB Triathlon

If swimming 1.5 kilometers in the Pacific Ocean, biking 40 kilometers and running 10 kilometers consecutively sounds daunting -- that’s because it is. Almost a thousand participants attended the 2016 Half Moon Bay Triathlon last Sunday and six of our Gemmers were amongst the crowd of triathletes!

“The order of events-- swimming, biking, running-- is set that way so that you are less likely to [tire]”. The sequence of events runs from most difficult to least. The competing Gemmers have been training for the past three months, five times a week for all these events. On Fridays they have a running club, which meets up before work. Some members of the group venture to the Paradise Loop bike trail in Marin on the weekends as well.

“Every participant has their achilles heel”. Some excel at running, some are bike enthusiasts, and some have been swimming since their high school sports days, but there is going to be one event that is the most challenging for everyone. It was different for the different members of the group. The majority faced their Goliath during the swimming portion. The average temperature of the ocean in Half Moon Bay varies from 56 to 59 degrees.... brrrrr... and according to the Stanford Shark Tracking App, sharks are lurking in our Bay Area waters... Literally chilling. BUT all our employees made it back to work on Monday alive and well (huge sigh of relief!)

But there is more than just sweating to this story! Our Gemmers found that training with their co-workers was a fun experience that fostered a sense of camaraderie. Exercise = endorphins and Gemmers who participated reported feeling happier day by day. Hats off to our triathletes for celebrating a healthy lifestyle!

Here are some tips from the team for all you out there who feel inspired to take on a triathlon:

Energy Gel: Don’t be deceived by the sound of Maple Bacon- it was not good. Of all 20 flavors tasted, Lemon Sublime makes the top of the taste charts.

Diets: Crazy insane workouts are a great excuse to eat anything you want! Bring on the Sierra Nevada, ice cream, and did someone say Crab Shack? Ramen? Fat Burger?

Muscle Soreness: Eat bananas and rest! Also yoga balls and foam rollers feel amazing after a long run.

Gear: Andrew recommends Vibrams and says to change your running shoes after every 200 miles (he also says this casually like the rest of us would ever consider running 200 miles…). Max says it’s all about the running pack. You need somewhere to stash some power bars and your iPhone with a GPS tracking app. Tiffany loves her Swell water bottle and cycling shoes. The Hemington siblings were talked into getting wetsuits to brave the frigid ocean temperatures. Ashik loves his iPhone arm band- which carries catchy music to set the tone for his workout.

And lastly, a word of advice, from the wisdom of Donna, “Treat yo’self!”. I’ll make sure that we keep stock of some of our best kitchen treats for our super athletes:

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Holiday (in February) Party Photos!

Sure, a holiday party is pretty cool. But you know what’s really cool? A holiday party in February.

Check out a few of the photos from our Sweet 16 holiday party below!

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Halloween Party!!!

Every year at Pocket Gems the goblins and ghouls come out of the woodwork for an epic Halloween party! This year was no exception. Matt and Rebecca created a spooktacular shindig that was themed “A Water (G)rave.”

The nautical soiree had a costume contest, fresh beats and a kraken to boot. 

Check out some of the photos from the party below!

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War Dragons Launch Party!!!

We recently launched War Dragons, our first 3D multiplayer game that lets players reign over a kingdom defended by the mythical beasts. 

The game is epic in scope, taking two years to build, so it was only fitting the launch party was equally awe-inspiring. Jasmine and Mat pulled out all the stops for this party. We had goblets of mead, a bountiful feast and even some real dragons! 

Take a look at some of the photos people tagged on Instagram below.

#wardragonslaunchparty #wardragon #pocketgems

A photo posted by Lindsey Lydecker (@lindslydeck) on Jun 5, 2015 at 9:00pm PDT

Pocket gems partay! Repost @lindslydeck with @repostapp. ・・・ At the Pocket Gems party for the release of #wardragon #pocketgems #wardragonslaunchparty

A photo posted by daisy church (@daisychurch) on Jun 5, 2015 at 9:09pm PDT

#wardragonslaunchparty

A photo posted by @davisd on Jun 5, 2015 at 8:27pm PDT

#wardragonslaunchparty

A photo posted by sujan (@imsusancho) on Jun 5, 2015 at 7:55pm PDT

#wardragonslaunchparty ❤️❤️❤️

A photo posted by @yenxchun on Jun 5, 2015 at 7:37pm PDT

#wardragonslaunchparty

A photo posted by Marko Novakovic (@markonovakovic) on Jun 5, 2015 at 6:30pm PDT

Ellen gearing up for the #wardragonslaunchparty #pocketgemboree

A photo posted by Kenny Johnston (@instagrumpz) on Jun 5, 2015 at 5:26pm PDT

Just chilling with my dragon buddy bolt! #wardragons #wardragonslaunchparty #pocketgems

A photo posted by Anjali Sachdeva (@anjali_sachdeva) on Jun 5, 2015 at 8:24pm PDT

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Gemmer Learn the Ancient Art of Staining Glass

Stained glass is one of the oldest forms of human expression in the world. From the ancient Egyptians to the Middle Ages, stained glass is deeply ingrained in the histories of art and architecture. However, you rarely see anyone staining glass these days. 

Part of that is probably because not a whole lot of people still know how to stain glass. Sam recently set out to rectify that at Pocket Gems by teaching a class on it. 

“I had some free time after work a few years back, so I took the time to complete a stained glass class,” said Sam. “Since then, I've gathered all the tools necessary to start and complete projects on my own. I also brought my experience to share with my colleagues at Pocket Gems because the work is easy, fun and I enjoy teaching it.”

Check out some of the stained glass pieces that Gemmers made below!

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Holiday in January? Why Not?

Last month, Pocket Gems continued its annual tradition of having our holiday party in late January. 

Celebrating the holidays in January is the best. The shops are less crowded, you can see Christmas trees being eaten at the zoo and venues are much easier to rent!

Our office manager and party planner extraordinaire, Jasmine, went all-out again and planned an amazing event. It was a masquerade ball with a full brass band, a few dance-offs and a Simpsons-themed drag show. Bet your holidays didn't have all those!

Here's some more photos from the event. If you'd like to come to a party like this in the future, befriend a Gemmer or apply to work with us!