Off-roading for hire

Posted 30 May 2011

Commuting, Drinks, Signs | 1 Comment 

As we find ourselves at that Memorial Day party, having had one or two too many drinks to drive home safely, we get to thinking about calling a cab instead of driving ourselves. Then we realize that we are at a party in the middle of the woods, because our crazy cousin Frank wanted to get away from it all this weekend. And now we have no way home … and we have to work tomorrow. If only there were a cab service that wouldn’t be afraid …

What is a ‘loaded’ question?

Posted 13 Apr 2011

Daily Life, Drinks, Language, People | 2 Comments 

I admit it!

I have never really known what it meant when someone says that I have made a loaded statement or asked a loaded question!

Are they implying that the words bear a heavy load, having a lot of meaning behind them?

Is it a suggestion that my intent is biased or cheating, like loaded dice?

Do they think what I have said is dangerous to play with, like a loaded gun?

Are my words considered rich, like a loaded old guy?

Or is it just an indicator that I’m talking like I’m drunk, like a loaded freshman?

Amazon’s 8 ounce beer

Posted 31 Mar 2011

Daily Life, Drinks, Weird | 3 Comments 

I really like Amazon.com. I find it a cost-effective and easy way to avoid malls, which I dislike spending any time in.

Whenever I need something, from solenoid valves to socks, I look through Amazon to see if they have something I can use at a good price.

Occasionally they do throw a curve-ball at me though. This search for “8 oz beer glass” turned up quite an oddity:

Apparently Amazon thinks that instead of beer glasses, I ought to be purchasing the book “First-Time Parents“.

Interesting…

Foods and drinks you love, but hate

Posted 17 Mar 2011

Daily Life, Drinks, Food | 1 Comment 

Hey! Are there any foods that you like, but not really?

What I mean is, foods or drinks that you don’t necessarily like the taste of all that much, but which you still like for other reasons.

For example, because the food is part of a ceremony you like, or because it reminds you of a time and place you liked, or because you always share it with friends.

Two examples come to mind for me immediately:

Milwaukee Car Bomb: Yep, as you can imagine, this one sprung from alcohol induced creativity … and desperation. The Guinness was all gone, but we still had Bailey’s. A shot of Bailey’s Irish Cream dropped in to a half-pint of Miller Lite. It tastes as bad as you can imagine … or worse, but I still drink it every couple of years with the same friends who were there that fateful night when we were driven to create it.

Tecate: Now, Tecate’s not a bad beer, as cheap and minimal-taste beers go, but it is not high up on my “good beers” list. However, every time I drink Tecate, it brings me back to a sun-soaked hotel pool with great friends in northern Mexico years ago. With no beer in the hotel, we improvised; filling a plastic shopping bag with ice and a twelve pack of Tecate. I can relive the good times I had during that entire trip to Mexico every time I drink a Tecate.

So chickenmonkeydoggians, what drinks or foods do you enjoy, but not for their taste? Let us know the food, and if you feel like it, share the story too.

Getting closure at the bottom of a glass

Posted 16 Feb 2011

Daily Life, Drinks, The Little Things | 1 Comment 

Do you find it annoying when the service employees at a restaurant or bar decide to take your glass from the table before you have finished what you are drinking?

I certainly do.

The actual fluid ounces you lose (from a beverage you paid for) are part of the annoyance, but I think the real cost is the lack of closure you get. If you have it in your head that you’ve got one more swig of beer, soda, milkshake, or whatever, it is quite irritating when you are denied satisfying your expectations.