Office Carry

A coworker approached me recently to tell me he was getting his Virginia Concealed Handgun Permit. He asked if I would have any objections if he kept his gun in his briefcase while he was at work. I replied that I would most strongly object to that...

Me: "Your gun should be on your body."

Him: "That's okay in the office?"

Me: "Oh, most definitely."

The Liberal Mindset

The office cleaning service is coming a day later than usual this week. One of the liberals in the office, the one with 2008 and 2012 obama stickers still on his Prius, is complaining that the trashcan by his desk stinks. He walks into my office and says, "I'm debating if I should empty my own trash." 

And thus is illustrated the entitlement mindset that got obama elected.

Fish in My Yogurt

A co-worker stopped by my desk recently with a disgusted look on her face. She showed me her now empty yogurt container and asked "Why is there fish in my yogurt?"

From the Müller FAQ: "We use kosher gelatin from tilapia to maintain the light and airy texture of the fruit mousse."

Fish, or parts thereof, does make it's way into unexpected places, Isinglass (fish bladder) is used by some brewers as a filtering agent, much to the chagrin of some consumers.

I suspect the PETA folks who object to hot dogs on Memorial Day might be dry heaving right about now.

My Reputation Precedes Me

Monday was one of those dreaded "drive to DC and sit in meetings" days. The company was hosting a conference and we had employees from around the world in town, some of whom came bearing gifts. One of our managers who lives in London brought me two bottles from Belgium's Brasserie Du Bocq; Waterloo Double 8 Dark and Waterloo Tripel 7 Blond. From another employee in Ireland came three beers by the Dungarvan Brewing Company; Copper Coast Red Ale, Helvick Gold Blonde Ale and Black Rock Irish Stout. Coincidently, the first two of these I got to try in Ireland recently. I'm looking forward to getting another taste of them, and of course trying all the other beers as well.

In another awesome surprise, one of the system administrators from our Colorado office brought along one of the new stainless steel growlers from Oskar Blues, as well as a cap from the brewery. Unfortunately those two gifts got locked in a room while I was in a meeting, so a coworker will be delivering those treats later this week.

All these great beer gifts were certainly a fine consolation for being in meetings all day. I guess it's good to be the guy who divvies up company resources among business units. Well, I don't mind a little bribe every now and then. 

I Turned Down Burgers and Beer

No, you didn't stumble on to some alien clone of these Musings. Circumstances just decreed that I forgo two of my favorite "flavors" at lunch yesterday. On Friday, we had a lunchtime cookout at work to honor two employees who were leaving for greener pastures. The burgers and brats went on the grill, and a couple of six-packs of Guinness made an appearance too.

Being Friday, I was already skipping meat that day. I'm trying to be better about making that simple sacrifice. Contrary to common misconception by those who don't know better (and some who should know better) Catholics are not required to eat fish on Friday. The Church simply asks that we make an extra sacrifice on that day, and the traditional abstinence from meat is how I'm trying to meet that obligation.

But what about the beer? Beer at the office isn't a normal thing, but occasionally it accompanies the monthly lunch gatherings. During lunch I was repeatedly asked if I wanted a beer, and I repeatedly declined. My fondness for fermented beverages is better known at work than my interest in the shooting sports. So I was left in a small quandary. I didn't know all my after work plans, but I always like to leave myself the option of hitting the range. Since it's been over a week since did any live fire, I was itching to go. I've written about shooting and drinking in the right order before (as opposed to the wrong order) and I'm a stickler for that rule. Sure, it would be more than a few hours, and just one beer, but if I had the beer with lunch, I would not allow myself to shoot later that day.

So yes, I skipped both beer and burgers (and brats.) And no, there's no pod under my bed. It's really me.