Labor Day Weekend

This past Labor Day weekend my whole family headed up to Mom & Dad's for a nice, relaxing holiday. Dani even came, so there were 7 adults, 2 kids and 4 dogs (Dani brought Tucker, too!).

On Saturday, my mom's friend, her mother-in-law, her daughter AND their dog came over for a while, and on Sunday my sister's friend, 2 kids and a horse came over! (We went horseback riding while Mom watched the younger kids.)

Other than horseback riding, we went for walks (Dani's training for the Breast Cancer 3-Day), rode around on the Gator, played with the dogs, shot some bocce ball, and ate very well!

Oh, we also celebrated my birthday a week early...nothing exciting; it was a good day (except for another Zada incident), nice weather, and good food! Clint cooked us steaks on the grill with his "secret marinade" and they were delicious!

Speaking of delicious, Sophia sure did enjoy the fresh peaches Mom had :)

The dogs were in heaven all weekend - romping in the yard, the lake, and going out for walks. The bugs aren't bad anymore, and it wasn't humid - though it was warm each day - so they got in a LOT of running and playing!

Tesa displayed her launching-off-the-dock skills, while Hogan stuck to his acrobatics. Tucker and Zada were, as ever, focused on destroying sticks and spending as much time in the water as possible.

Speaking of sticks, I think all of us must've thrown at least one sometime during the weekend...those dogs are NUTS for playing fetch, and we definitely obliged.









Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos from the horseback riding we did...but, we had good rides, just a minor moment when one of the horses decided he wanted grass more than he wanted to remain on all fours, so he ended up on knees and hocks. It was actually comical since he got back up after ~30 seconds of looking dazed and confused.

It's always hard coming back to "the cities" and real life after a weekend up North...especially since it's the end of summer and it was, in a way, the Last Huzzah of the season. But, we'll be heading back up often enough in the fall and winter, and even though we can't horseback ride (as much) or play bocce ball in winter (or, can we??) it'll be the season for snowshoeing, hiking, and building snowmen.

Farewell, summer!

Dog Training Techniques

I know I said I wasn't going to waste any more time talking about Kozies Shepherds, but I feel I should clarify a few things.

In researching obedience classes after I got Zada, I wanted to be sure I found someone who was somewhat "Cesar-ish" - meaning a calm, firm leader. I ended up finding a friend in my dog obedience trainer, Linda, but also someone who taught me the wonderful results I could achieve using positive reinforcement and behavior modification.

It was a learning curve for me, as I'd never used these methods before - but they really work! Marking the behavior - at the INSTANT it occurs - lets the dog know exactly what they did right (or wrong). You never use any other mode of positive punishment ("adding an offensive or adverse stimulus"), i.e., striking the dog, or using a shock collar.

Why? Because the very BASIS of behavior modification strives to teach the dog what they're doing correctly, and in telling them they're displaying the behavior you want - and subsequently rewarding it - teaches the dog to try more often and harder to recreate the behavior, because it's a pleasing experience.

You might wonder why positive punishment wouldn't do the same thing - if the dog's being bad, and you strike it, that'll tell that darn dog not do do THAT again. BUT, you didn't tell the dog what he SHOULD be doing; you're worrying about what he should NOT be doing. Since dogs are always doing something, and we want them to be confident, we can't expect them to head out and try new things, since they won't know when the next fist is going to strike them or when the next shock will come.

The reason I'm outlining all of this is for those people who keep finding my blog when they're searching for Kozies Shepherds and find it necessary to tell me I don't know what I'm doing with my own dog. Recently I received a comment from one of them stating, "Mark Kozitza is very knowledgable in raising dogs and you probably should have taken his advice about how to handle it."*

Since I'm being called out on this, I'll tell everyone, I DID call Mark after Zada stalked, pounced upon and bit that girl last September. I called him after I got done crying for about 3 hours, not knowing if I was going to have to put her down for aggression. I asked him how to handle this situation, stating it had started - and I'd been working on it at dog parks - with other dogs. Keep in mind, this is a very dominant dog (I've seen her lift a leg like a male when she's marking), and it's a constant struggle with other dogs, but of course I had NO idea she was capable of transmitting this behavior to kids.

Mark's solution? Put a pinch collar on her, with a long rope, and give it a "quick jerk" when she reaches the other dog. OR, he also said to put a shock collar on her if that didn't work. Okay. Let me tell you what's wrong with THAT: even the most novice of dog trainers will tell you a dog won't learn not to stalk, rush, and pounce on things if you punish it for the instant it's already leaping.

The behavior starts long before the actual leap - with Zada, I can tell: her eyes get focused, her ears prick, the tail goes up, and then she charges. The INSTANT she "hones in" on another dog is the time to correct the behavior; not when she's already honed in, rushed, and started barking.

What I do is catch her the INSTANT I see her perk up - I distract her, and she gets rewarded (her extreme ball drive helps here) for paying attention to me and not the other dog. Does it always work? No, because MY timing isn't always consistent - it's hard to constantly watch her at the dog park, or when we're camping...she's caused some squabbles because I've looked away or didn't see the signs (again, my fault) and she's charged another dog who's willing to stand their ground to her.

She's had a fear/dominance issue with new dogs since the day I brought her home. I've often wondered, why??? The only explanation I can come up with is Kozitza had her segregated from all the other dogs (she was 4 months old) and when new dogs would come in for training, he'd let them rush her pen and he said she'd "started barking at strange dogs" and I witnessed it - at 4 months of age, she was displaying fear aggression with new dogs. He did nothing to correct this at the onset, and I've been dealing with it ever since. That's a lesson to me - never get an older puppy who wasn't properly socialized its entire life (not just the first 8 weeks of life).

It's a constant struggle on my part nowadays - I'm ALWAYS watching her, because I just don't quite trust her...neither does anyone who knows about her "incident" last fall. I'm entitled to my opinion, and I'll never purchase from Kozies Shepherds or recommend them.

* PS: For those of you who have an issue with me and like to name-call, I don't post comments from people I don't know. I find it sad that you feel the need to conduct yourself in an inappropriate manner.

A Weekend of Trail Riding

This past weekend I trekked up North (once again) to Pillsbury State Forest for a weekend of horseback riding. As it turned out, it ended up being just a bunch of girls - although a couple dads showed up for dinner on Friday, mine included - and it turned out to be a FABULOUSLY fun time! (Self Portrait with Ole & Z → )

Most of the trails we traversed were "skinny trails" - i.e., skinny enough that a horse just fits through. Keep in mind, I was on the biggest horse there (Olephant) so sometimes we had a bit more trouble squeezing through than others :)
(← Mom & Ben on a skinny trail)

There were a few times I had to get off and clear the way of broken branches, trees and the like...being in front carries with it the responsibility of making sure there IS a trail.

Sadly, I ended up ripping my new boot cut riding tights, but with all the brush I was crawling around in, it was inevitable. They're very comfortable, though, and as long as I wear half-chaps to keep the burrs to a minimum, I think they're my new favorite riding pants. Pretty sure in Italy we won't have to worry about clearing a path on which to ride, anyway :)

We ended up riding around 12-13 hours in two days, which was good for me - I need to get in shape for Tuscany. The weather was gorgeous, and we had a great time not only trail riding but also having our "bareback" time back in camp after dinner (hence, no pictures - it was dark).









Speaking of camp, we had quite the crew:

• 4 camping rigs (motorhomes, trucks, trailers)
• 3 moms
• 6 "kids" (I was one :)
• 9 horses
• 5 dogs (2 Schipperkes, 1 Mini Aussie, 1 Jack Russell & 1 German shepherd)

We only had 2 dogs that came with on all of our trail rides - Zada, of course, and Mya, one of the Schipperkes. All of 20 pounds, she kept up and was a little trooper. Of course, she'd definitely take advantage of her owner's lap and relax after a ride! Ms. Z, not so much, as evidenced by the "here's-my-stick-now-will-someone-please-throw-it-for-me" picture.

All in all, it was a weekend of "Happy Trails" and "Happy Tails"!

Lessons Learned at Hooters

Clint and I met his sister's softball team (the Easton-Hooters Rockets) out for wings and beer this past Monday. They were celebrating their win (a 6' tall trophy) from the 50th Annual Bloomington Firemen’s Tournament the weekend before.

Anyway, at one point I had to use the "ladies'" room. I was 2nd in line, and even with only 2 stalls, I figured it wouldn't be too long of a wait. I was wrong. In each of the stalls was a Hooters girl, getting dressed either for the evening or for a photo shoot. Or both.

They were taking their sweet time, dilly-dallying while dressing and talking about modeling, and whether or not they needed to wear their white socks or not. Scintillating conversation, let me tell you.

One girl finally exited - typical "I'm-cute-but-there's-not-much-between-the-ears" - but the gal in front of me had a squirmy baby in need of changing, so she was taking her time controlling that whilst I waited for the OTHER Hooters chick to vacate the remaining stall. She was in no hurry, and when she finally got out of there her apparent lack of brains matched the first girl's.

Not to say that all Hooters chicks are less smart than servers in other establishments; just in MY experience (yes, I've been there several times) that's the story.

I certainly made people at the table laugh when re-enacting the conversation that occured while I was waiting in line. That being said, I might've offended someone who's daughter is actually...yup, you guessed it...a waitress at Hooter's. Oh well, can't please everyone.

Ok, so lesson learned. Pee BEFORE you get there, just in case. Also, if you do find yourself in such a situation, best to merely roll your eyes and take it out on the girls from the safety of your table...that is, don't spout advice (e.g., "who cares about your stupid socks, get OUT of there") because they're all in cahoots and then the girl serving your table will know it was YOU that was nasty and you won't get a drink the rest of the night.

Oh, and PS: when you say "I got 4th in a modeling contest" from behind the stall door, in a bathroom full of girls, you'd better be drop-dead gorgeous when you walk out, or else you're going to get elevator-eyed, judged, and found wanting. Either a) talk about that stuff when us judgmental females can't hear you, b) don't shout it like it's still true, or c) be honest and say that there were only 4 of you IN the contest.

All in all, it was a fun evening. The wings weren't that good, but beer is beer, and the company was good. Plus, I squirrelled away a few of the "wet naps" (they had sayings on them) to remind me that you can, indeed, learn things at Hooters.

Here are my 3 favorites:

1/2 of all people are below average. (Pssst: this goes for Hooters waitresses, too.)

Friction is a drag. (Short, sweet, and to the point. Like our server's hoots.)

If you can't be kind, be vague. (On one hand, our Hooters Girl was very kind. She was also kind of vague. Hmmmm....)

There are Actually Pretty Things in my Yard...

I believe, due to the copious amounts of rain we've received this spring/summer, the plants which someone else planted back in the day have finally started to spring forth in my yard.

There is now somewhat of a garden by my garage...I use the term "garden" loosely because, again, I think at some point, someone put this vegetation on purpose in the ground. I have ferns, some hostas, little purpley-flower thingies, and even a DAY LILY! Excellent.
Not that this will keep me from actually planting in the areas Clint's worked on for actual flowers/plants, but I'm excited that even though I've put forth no effort, I have pretty growing things in my yard.

Ok, maybe the berries are from weeds, but still nice to look at. They seem to be cultivating on the neighbor's side, anyway, so until they encroach further I'll enjoy the colors.

PS: Who said chainlink can't look neat???




***Addendum***
It's been brought to my attention that those pretty little berries creeping through from the neighbor's yard are, indeed, poisonous. Good thing Zada doesn't eat that stuff. I'll have to have a chat with the neighbor about her "garden" :) Thanks, Julie!!!

I am NOT Mac Compatible

If I were in a Mac commercial, I'd be the geeky, frumpy guy who looks horrible in his icky suit while standing next to the cute, trendy-hip guy.

I'm the new girl on the job who's not Mac compatible in a world of PC-bashers. That being said, I'm comfortable using a machine which may or may not decide to crash on me (or need to be in time out - i.e., shut down - for a minute). I'm okay with that. I use it for "document" focused work, vs. "application" focused. So it's alright.

They'll still order me my own set of speakers (so I can blast my iPod in my office), a wireless mouse, an ergonomic keyboard, etc. OH, plus they haven't banned me from the fridge or cupboards yet, so that's a bonus. (*Note* Today is Cookie Day. Every Wednesday is Cookie Day here at work. I'm not even a sweets eater, but these're the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever had in my life.)

I digress - in my defense, I did attempt a software download (ShapeShifter or something) to try to NOT use the Mac Dock system (I prefer the Taskbar, thanks so much), but to no avail. Sigh. Oh well, the new girl starting in a week or so will get a really nice, barely-used Mactop (that's right, I'm combining Mac with laptop there) to use.

I always do like to be different :)

Hamel Rodeo

For those of you who're rodeo-goers out there (and I realize the list isn't long), I do have to say the Hamel Rodeo is the best Minnesota rodeo there is. Nothing says "summer" like sitting on a hillside in the sunshine, eating a hotdog & swilling beer while watching hottie cowboys a) roping calves, b) riding broncs or c) braving the bulls. I don't mention the gals racing barrels because, let's be honest, it's just the "respite" before the bull riders come out, anyway. (PS: Girls, let GO of the horn and RIDE that horse, for crying out loud!)

Of course, every rodeo always starts with the national anthem, and then whoever carries it in always carries it out in style - i.e., at a dead run. It IS pretty cool.

Oh, and let's not forget the alcoholic references - go, Budweiser :)

It was a beautiful day, and other than the fact none of the bull riders came close to 8 seconds, it was a great rodeo. No injuries - to either people OR horses - so that was a sigh of relief...of the last few horse events Clint and I have watched together, 2 times a horse broke a leg (a different rodeo and of course, the Derby).

They keep the action moving along pretty quickly and they always have good bucking stock, plus big payouts attract more participants.

Anyway, so that's my "plug" for the Hamel Rodeo. At $6.00 per ticket (we went on Family Day) how can you argue some good, live entertainment?

Even the kids love it :)

The Troth

On July 3rd, at the end of my parents' dock - with the setting sun shining on us - Clint asked me to marry him and I said yes!

That's right, we're engaged!

(Much to the delight of both our mothers, who've been waiting in anticipation for this for quite some time :)

He truly knows me - there's no other place I'd have rather been when he asked than barefoot on the dock, throwing the stick for the dogs, looking out at the lake where I grew up. Sigh. Yup, there's a bit of romantic stowed away in me after all!

Evidently there was quite the ordeal to get the ring out to me, since the thing came in a HUGE box, and he couldn't fit it in his pocket...plus the fact that my sister was still there (she and the girls were up for a couple days) and was ... feeding ... Charlotte in the room where Clint would be staying, so he couldn't get to his bag. Meanwhile, I kept wondering why he needed to 'change his clothes' or 'get his flip-flops' (i.e., needed to get the ring). I thought, "when did he get so picky about what he's wearing up at the lake?

I love, love, LOVE it - and him, of course! - and it's more beautiful than I could imagine while looking at ideas. It's hard not to stare at it all the time! Which, of course, we did all the rest of the weekend. I have to admit, in a client meeting yesterday, I'd catch my glance wandering down towards my finger to check it out - AGAIN.

It's a tension ring - well, they call it that, but technically it's a compression ring - using only the strength of the metal (and tiny grooves on each side) to hold in the diamond.

I like to see people's reaction when they see the diamond seemingly "floating" in midair. I wasn't crazy about the concept when we first started looking, but I was curious so researched it and wouldn't you know, they (Gelin Abaci) have never had a stone come out of the setting. I figured if the Roman aqueducts are still standing - using only compression and keystones for support - then that'll work for my ring, too.

The next day we decorated Madge & Merle's pontoon and headed out for the annual July 4th Mission Lake Pontoon Parade. The parade's been growing in popularity, as there were more boats in the parade than normal...leaving a scant number of spectators. But, we still had fun.

Mom broke out the bubbly in honor of our engagement and we all toasted to a long and happy marriage...haha, MARRIAGE. Still sounds funny.

It was a gorgeous day for a boat ride and very fun to watch the diamond sparkling in the sun! Overall, it was a VERY fun and relaxing weekend.

And now I get to plan a wedding!

Candid Photography

I find that the majority of the time (probably 90%), the best photos I get are the ones that are a) unplanned or b) a tad unorthodox.

This goes for random events - like tonight, when I whipped out the point & shoot & grabbed some cute images of Zada - all the way up to (and especially!) - weddings. Granted, there's more pressure at a wedding since you're being paid to render the day in images...but those "gems" you capture are worth it.



When you take a lot of images, you're going to get a LOT of usable ones, a bunch of good ones, and some REALLY good ones (Again, this goes for weddings or just in general). In my opinion, of course. If you're Ansel Adams or something, you might get 1,399 stellar shots. Then again, I'm not sure I've ever seen him do anything but landscape/scenic stuff...

I think the key to getting those unexpected shots is - of course - being prepared, but there's also an element of not tying yourself down with "expectations"; you must stay open. Basically, I 'shoot now, assess later'.

Some shots might not look candid or unplanned; that's the beauty of them. A lot of times, I'll tell anyone BUT the people who have vested interest that the photo was serendipitous. For example, the parents of the little boy in the yellow flowers - unless they read this blog - will never know as they were desperately trying to call him back from the edge of the wedding gazebo (the bridesmaids/groomsmen were walking down together) I happened to turn and snap this shot of him. Can't lie, it's better than I'd have gotten if we were posing the kid :)

Another thing to keep in mind is don't always think "straight" - unless you're taking a scenic photo of the ocean, you don't NEED a straight horizon anymore. Shake it up a bit - be daring.



Of course, you can venture into the "too daring" category, which includes putting yourself (or others) in danger just to get that shot...I'm talking about hanging out of trees or cars in order to take a photograph. Granted, MOST of the time when I shoot out of cars, I'm not driving, but that's not always the case. However, in my defense, when I'm photographer extraordinaire AND behind the wheel, I don't focus/aim/compose; rather, I shoot and what I get is what I get. I.e., my eyes are on the road.

For the "desolate" shot (above) I was the passenger and I cheated a bit...straightened it a tad & turned it B&W...but who's to know if I'm not saying anything?

Ok, so for the Minneapolis Skyline shot, I was driving (hence the blurriness and horrible composition), but again, my eyes were on the road...no less so than if I was checking things out normally, anyway. All I'm saying is keep an open mind and you'll find you can get some pretty neat shots.

Happy shooting!

I ♥ Picasa

Yup, I'm in love with Picasa. It's free, it's easy, and it's a dang good lil' tool. I'm not saying it can compare to PhotoShop - which I've never tried but I understand is a "MUST" for photographers - but for a free photo editor, it's my #1. It does the easy stuff, like turning an image to black & white, for example. Nothing to write home about. But, in addition to that, you can also fine tune your balance - fill light, highlights, shadows, and color temperature. Pretty slick.

Then, it'll do color saturation and "warmify" type stuff. Again, any photo editor should give you the option of "colorification", i.e., super-coloring your images. Of course, I touched up this pink flower (no clue, so sue me for not being a green thumb) because the day was overcast, so I punched 'er up a little. Then, just 'cause I had to say I'd used it, I used the "warmify" tool and it actually did the trick. It was a bit "blue" beforehand; now I think it's truly a warmer color.

Ok. So sometimes what you think something should look like and what the camera thinks are different - it's just another item to play with on Picasa.

Then, it has the power to make the image sepia or to sharpen it - I'm assuming this is the "resolution" modification magic button (try to say THAT quickly even once) because obviously it takes a photo and makes it clearer. Beware, tho', this could uber-enhance an image and make it TOO clear. That's right, it can look "digitally" if you add it to an already-clear picture. This is best for those shots where you're just a TITCH off or if you want a different effect.

Along with all the other normal tools it has - crop, straighten (a horizon, for example, which is what I NEED it for), redeye reduction, etc - Picasa also has other "fun" tools which make it somewhat of a drug. It was hard to leave the computer and stop messing around with wedding photos, when there are so many cool features to add/change. (I have NO CLUE what PhotoShop does, but I'm pretty sure it takes the cake - and doesn't eat it the next year on its anniversary - so I'm not sure how my photo buddies ever get anything BUT photography done!)

Anyway, I digress...the things of which I speak are "film grain", "soft focus", "filtered B&W", "glow" and "focal B&W". It also boasts tint and graduated tint, but I've not found use for these yet.

I do know - as alluded to previously - it's hard to step away from roughly 1,400 wedding images when you can do fun stuff like softly-focus the image on a guy with arm around his girl amidst a sea of people in a congregation or have just the bridesmaid's flowers in technicolor...needless to say, it took quite awhile to get the images back to the bride & groom.

Well, I could go on and on (but not like Celine Dion) about Picasa and how I've fallen head over heels...but I have a feeling that with my pending copy of PhotoShop looming I might soon leave this free little tool as a thing of the past.

That being said, I have to stand by my opinion that as a FREE TOOL, this little guy holds his own! I highly recommend it for anyone not able to shell out the obscene amounts of money it taks to get the "good stuff".

Way to go, Google :)

Princess Sophia

As promised, I must needs highlight Princess Sophia, since her new baby sister just got web-time.

This was back before said sister was born, and the parental units were gone for a couple hours so I got to watch Sophia Michelle. As you can see, she was modeling her princess dresses for me - one pink, one blue, just like in Sleeping Beauty! - and twirling.

Twirling soon gave way to somersaulting, so we had to exchange the dressier attire for more appropriate tumbling wear.


...Tho' I didn't get any shots of that.

So far, she's liking her little sister, although Amy said she's taking advantage of Mom being preoccupied to be somewhat naughty of late. Ah, a girl after my own heart :)

I think that phase went by the wayside when she spent a week up at Bernier Boot Camp with Nana. Dogs, horses, kids...if you've got 'em and you want 'em whipped into shape, send 'em on up to Mom's.

Cute lil' devil, isn't she???

La Sobrina Nueva

On June 6th, Charlotte Penn was born. What's neat is Sophia's birthday is 4/5/05, so double numbers must be "in". My sister was hoping for a baby and a Triple Crown winner on the same day, but Big Brown let her down. (PS: that would've been a birthdate of 6/7/08, but hey, obviously the shoe didn't fit...)

Anyway, I don't know how much she weighed (a little over 8 lbs is as close as I can come) or how long she was, but she's healthy and CHUBBY. (I fear this'll be the one that inherits the "Bernier Saddle Bags". )

The pictures here are the 3rd time I'd seen her, and only the first time I knew she had eyeballs tucked away behind those lids.

Evidently she's very calm and spends the majority of her time sleeping and eating, much like a cat.

I even held her - I mean, I had to. We were hanging out on the patio, and Amy went into the house to get something, tossed her to me and said, "Can you hold her while I....?"

Ok, she didn't throw her like a football, but I'm sort of like a guy in that I don't quite know how to hold babies, and when I'm coerced into it, we sort of just stare at each other, both of us in alien territory, until the mother figure reappears and rescues me.

Here's the proof. Not bad photography for my sister! She tried to commandeer my SLR and a CF Card to go into business for herself, with me as the silent partner, but then she got distracted by the baby.

Well, so here she is! I'll have to post about Sophia, too, because of course with two of them what happens to one...happens to the other.

My European Working Line German Shepherd

Zada (formal name Mallory vom Kozies, obviously from the '06 summer "M" litter) is almost 2 years old. Finally, the last couple of weeks, I have trusted her enough to let her run around - free - with kids. 2 weeks ago, while "chucking it" for Tucker & Zada at Clint's, some neighbor kids came running out to see the 'wolves'. There were about 6 kids, around 10 years old, and I did have them get acquainted with the dogs (while I talked to them, the dogs were there, then I let the kids come in closer so the dogs could smell, etc) and finally those kids were running after the ball along with both shepherds, and neither of them (of course I trust Tucker) could've cared.

Then, my friend, Dani (Tucker's owner) had Zada for 10 days while I was out on vacation; she took both dogs to her grandparents' lake place and took them out for walks, threw the stick in the lake, etc, and all while her 2 nephews (younger than 10, I believe) were running around as well. She said Z was good and though she kept an eye on her nothing ever happened.

WHEW.

It's a start. I stand by my previous opinion - I'll never completely trust her around children again - but this is a breakthrough. Part of me wishes it was her getting used to being around running kids and NOT chasing them; part of me merely thinks it was Tucker's influence. a) He's excellent with kids and doesn't have the prey drive like she does; b) every time she starts after another dog at the dog park and he's there, he makes her stop. Now, he just growls or barks at her, before, he'd tower over her, menacing, and she'd just crumple to the ground. It was great to see him do that - hey, at least when he's around, she doesn't act like an idiot!

Anyway, I don't know that's enough to encourage her to be invited back to the Wisconsin farm this fall (where this all started last September), but like I said, it's a start. I'll take it!

I don't have any new pictures of her (uploaded to Shutterfly, that is), but I'll insert a couple of when 'Uncle Tucker' was here sometime...

I just heard a statement that made my breath catch in my throat.

A co-worker (whom I can't see when sitting in my cube because she's on the same side and at the far end) interjected herself into a conversation I was having with my other co-worker (sits across from her and I can see him). That in itself is fine, but then, since he and I were talking about beer (why wouldn't we be, at work...), she said, "I've probably only had 5 beers in my life."

I was stunned.

She proceeded to say that although she'd tried several kinds, she just couldn't get used to the taste, so never has liked it. I find it surprising she can make such a quick, snappy decision about a staple of life.

Let's pretend she took a good 3 gulps out of all the myriad of beers she's tried...that's STILL not enough to pass over the taste buds (and repeatedly) to form an opinion.* Plus, let's not forget, since she's NOT a beer drinker, then she's most likely a foo-foo drinker. When you're drinking foo-foo drinks (defined as any blended, wildly colored or otherwise girly drink; normally accompanied by dorky garnishments), you need to cleanse the palette before trying a beer. This oh-so-important step was most assuredly not taken.

Sigh.

In the same vein, the dude I was talking to originally about beers said something to the effect of "cracking a beer" when he gets home after work. (Not necessarily an alcoholic - especially if he stops at 1.) I had to ask what kind of beer he drinks, if he's "cracking" one - see, us Bottle Drinkers don't use that expression; it's solely reserved for Can Drinkers - and he responded "Coors Light". BLECK.

For once, I feel superior (as a beer drinker, anyway) and snobby...and rightly so. After all, we're not in college anymore - there's no need to be drinking inferior brews. That being said, I have a dear friend who still chugs Busch Light like it's going out of style, and I'm OK with that. She and her husband take me out on their boat, so...when in Rome :)

These have been random thoughts brought to you by the left brain. I say left brain because they're very logical opinions and have hard facts to back them.



* Unless, of course, you're an avid beer drinker. Then you have carte blanche in regards to beer opining.