Beer Heaven

Those who are close to me will vouch for that fact that I am not really what would be considered a "beer drinker." It has it's time and place, but beer is not my drink of choice. (For those of you ready to stone me at this moment, please keep reading.)

All that being said, I would like to tell you all to stop what you are doing and go to Brewbakers in Huntington Beach. Now. They are amazing. Not only do they brew and serve their own beer, but you can brew your own! This all involves some sampling and deciding what recipe best suits you (choose from over 80), and then you start at square one; measuring, grinding, mixing, boiling. All the while you can relax with friends, continuing to sample what others have made, or indulging in freshly made pretzels, bread, or pizza.

You can also see a chronicle of the lives of those that have come before you. The walls are covered in "Happy Birthday Frank," "Welcome Baby Michael, 7 lbs 3 oz," "Sarah's last hurrah! Bachelorette Party 2005,"and an amusing fav, "Kat Piss." After you brew, you go home and design your own label for your beer, and come back to bottle two weeks later. You will find labels everywhere, documenting triumphs, celebrations, or just everyday life.

To top it off, the owner is a gem, the staff are fun, and the beer is excellent. What more could you want? Again, Go. Now.

http://www.brewbakers1.com/

To Bring out the Worst

He wouldn't let her go. "C'mon, it's funny!"
No it wasn't. He was deliberately poking fun at a very sensitive subject, and when he saw how upset she was, he went in for the kill. Grabbing that ever-so-embarrassing extra skin under her chin, he declared "Say 'little piggy!' Say it!"
Finally breaking a hand free, she delivered something between a shove and a slap. Nothing harmful, but a strike nonetheless. Speechless at first, she recovers with a quick, "I'm sorry" and flees his house, mortified and confused.

***

The coffee cup is hot in her hand, but she can no longer tell if it is from the liquid inside or the blood rushing to her hand.
"Why should we fix your car? What makes you so special?"
Wasn't he supposed to know that? Visions of the coffee cup making contact with his face swam amidst tears and bitter disappointment. Silent, she leaves the room, afraid of her vision becoming reality.

***

He shoved her away when she tried to help him up. "Leave me alone. You spoil all my fun." He returned his head to the toilet, where he was repenting the days festivities. When she comes back to check on him, he is passed out in the same position. She tried to lift him; he struggled, and she lost her grip. His head met the porcelain with a muffled crack. She couldn't help but smile. And she felt bad for it.

Questions

My office shares a building with other businesses. One of these businesses is owned by a chain smoker. I know this because our building is old and every time he lights up the duct work sends it right to my desk. I tried to talk to the individual, but it is not really one of those pleasant conversations, and needless to say, it went nowhere. After weeks of headaches, I had invested in a powerful air filter, as well as many candles.
I recently ran into the gentleman in the hallway, where he informed me that they would be vacating the space at the end of the year, due to the fact that he has been diagnosed with several types of cancer. I expressed my sympathies, to which he replied, "bah. somethings bound to kill you anyway, right?" From the telltale aroma in the duct work, he was still smoking after our conversation.
This has all left me baffled. Had he given up, and thus decided not to quit smoking? Was he undergoing treatment, and continuing to smoke? Why? My admittedly conservative upbringing is screaming at him for being so wasteful with his life. There are so many things to see and do and enjoy, why would you shortchange yourself? Granted, this man is little more than a stranger to me, so I do not know what type of life he has led, but this did make my mind wander.

If you knew that your time here was short, what would you do?Anything outstanding on the list? And if you already know it's on the list, what is keeping you from doing it right now? My own answers may be standard; most of what keeps me from my list is money. But maybe I would save more prudently if I knew I only had an allotment of time.

Have a drink at a pub in Ireland.
Dive the Great Barrier Reef.
Take obligatory picture "holding up" the leaning tower of Pisa.
Finally meet the relatives in Sicily face to face.
Go camping (of course I've been camping, but its been awhile)