12/16/2005 Entry: "Because You Can Always Talk About Food And The Weather."

So I was recently spotted eating Dim Sum. Proof that I do occasionally do things that aren't World of Warcraft related. (Indeed, a lot of other things...for instance, I've been playing Animal Crossing: Wide World quite a bit this week...leave a note if you want my friend code.)

Dim Sum, as my fellow vegetarian dining companion noted, is always a hit-or-miss sort of affair. After a few false starts and clarifications with the staff on what constitutes "meat" (Prawns? How about octopus? No? Can you eat around the pork?) we had a steady stream of steaming carts of veggies coming by our table. I still have to find something to do with the (veggie) furikake I picked up while we were out.

Similarly, at a recent staff lunch, there was a menu item called "Chicken Tofu Patty Sandwich." Recognizing this kind of identity confusion as a warning sign, I asked before ordering it. Yes, the waitress confirmed, it's a patty that's made out of both tofu and chicken. I declined and instead ordered a very large plate of what-the-fuck.

Salad. I had lots of salad.

Tomorrow night is The Boyfriend's holiday party—at a steak house. I am apparantly the only vegetarian in attendence, so I'm getting ready to identify myself to the staff and other attendees as the "special needs" guest. Of course, at least they've got a meal for me...at my own company party, I had to pick up a burrito on the way home.

I should head home and figure out what to bake this evening; I think tonight we're going to need every heat-producing object in the house turned on. For San Francisco, it's flippin' cold today— about 45°F. I realize that's balmy compared with much of the country, but what can I say? I have special needs.

And salad.

Replies: 6 comments

So is that you on the right, or on the left?

Posted by Daniel M. Laenker @ 12/19/2005 01:33 AM PST

We're both pretty squinty in that mid-giggle shot, aren't we? I'm the one on the left, the one who's vigorously deepening my crow's feet.

Posted by Casey @ 12/19/2005 10:20 AM PST

Where I work, they order ice cream cake from Dairy Queen once every month to celebrate the birthdays in that month.

At about 2:30 the day of the cake, one of the managers came around to the IT corner of the office and walked around the hall saying "there's ice cream cake left in the conference room."

Mine being one of the 2 birthdays this month, I was surprised to see only two half-melted pieces left, and everyone else having gone back to work.

Thanks a lot, jerks.

At least they always try to get something edible here for our resident vegetarians.

Posted by gigamatt @ 12/19/2005 12:12 AM PST

Meanwhile, I'm the one with the sub-occular matching luggage.

"This taro tastes meaty."

Posted by Jason @ 12/19/2005 04:12 PM PST

Chicken Tofu Patty Sandwich... TRANSFORM!!!

Posted by Nala @ 12/19/2005 05:08 PM PST

If you think about it, "can you work around the pork" is a really profound question.

Posted by Huntington W. Sharp @ 12/19/2005 06:36 PM PST