Overflow began in late 2005 when three professors diagnosed themselves as becoming sour, old academics.  They began meeting regularly to complain about their existences, but the conversations were tedious and not therapeutic.  In fact, they emerged from these lunches feeling worse about themselves.  So they decided they must either intentionally avoid each other, or add alcohol.  Alcohol added, their reunions perked up.  Others joined in, some even coming from faraway places.

   On a Thursday afternoon in 2007 a discussion was held on the question: The Maximum Problem?  Unsurprising nominations: malfunctioning thermostats in classrooms, windowless offices, doltish students, corroded stomachs, smoker’s cough and boring spouses (a complaint avidly shared by a husband-wife pair).  We drank generously.  A few of those safely tenured eventually stumbled strode off to teach, others went to nap, one embarrassed himself trying to take advantage of the dissatisfied wife and the rest plotted Overflow.