February 22, 2007

Product Recommendations Needed, Please.

Okay, so I have tried to economize ever so slightly in my consumption of carbonated non-caloric caffeinated soft drinks by purchasing a box of cans and sticking them in the fridge here at work. Obviously, since I'm not able to stand there and watch the refrigerator 24 hours a day, there has been a tendency for this arrangement to become less economical (for me) due to the insistence of some miscreant(s) in purloining my sodas.

I figured rather than holding a Captain Queeg-like inquest (the holding of which is further compounded by the fact that I'm having my ball bearings laundered) to discover who's been taking my strawberries, that it would be better just to buy crappy store-brand junk no one would want to steal. Sure, I like Diet Coke, but I'll drink the cheap rotgut stuff, too. Especially if I get to drink everything I buy.

THIS STATE OF AFFAIRS continued until earlier this week when I noticed two Publix diet cola cans in the big bin of aluminum cans beside the aforementioned refrigerator. No one else buys this junk except me. Those were my cans. But I don't put my cans in that bin.

So now someone's taking even the crappity-crap drinks.

::sigh::

My solution is that I should just get myself one of those tiny microminirefrigerators that holds maybe 8 or 12 cans and leave it hidden in my office. And locked. This will also have the happy side benefit of my not having to use the filthy office refrigerator, the interior of which looks like something out of Silence of the Lambs.

ANYway, do any of you faithful readers have any recommendations for something like this? It has to be 110/120v AC (although switchable to 12v DC would be okay so I could take it on vacation, but it's not absolutely required), it needs to be compact, and it needs to be suitable for constant use. I figure the locking part I will handle with my own expedient-engineered hasp and padlock, unless someone makes one with a lock.

What say ye?

Posted by Terry Oglesby at February 22, 2007 02:10 PM
Comments

Spend the money on a horsewhip. And a motion sensing alarm to hide in the soda box.

Posted by: skillzy at February 22, 2007 02:20 PM

I did think about setting a rat trap inside the box just to see what would happen. I mean, aside from accidentally tripping it myself and crushing my fingers.

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at February 22, 2007 02:23 PM

I have a better suggestion: Keep the case in your office, and put one in the refrigerator with your name on it. When you go to get your cold one, replace it with a warm one from the box in your office.

You might try this strategy first, since it's free. ;)

Posted by: Eric at February 22, 2007 02:28 PM

That is a good idea, and as you note, it has the benefit of being free. Of course, it would still require interacting with the people on the other side of the building, and you know how THEY are.

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at February 22, 2007 02:41 PM

I printed out white Avery sticky labels with my name in huge capital letters. If there is a can of soda in the fridge that is mine, then it has that sticker on it. Anyone who takes the can and drinks it then should be hung upside down and beaten. I also employ Eric's strategy of only having one or two cans in the fridge at a time.

Posted by: megabeth at February 22, 2007 03:51 PM

Names don't work. People here have no shame about such things, and if they do it after hours, there's little chance of me catching them.

One thing that would be nice is that if I did have my own minifridge, I could store my lunch in it. As it stands now, the big refrigerator leaks dirty condensation all over stuff inside, which is gross. Especially since it looks like an abattoir in there.

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at February 22, 2007 04:03 PM

Would the word Poison work? Probably not after the first can. Would poison work? You don't have to poison every can, just one. Then the sign could read One of These Cans is Poisoned. Wanna Try Your Luck?

Take note of which one you poison. We don't want a poisoned possum.

Posted by: kitchen hand at February 22, 2007 08:53 PM

At the risk of being crude, you could just label it "Urine sample" and see who's willing to risk it.

Posted by: skinnydan at February 23, 2007 07:47 AM

Poison seems a bit severe. (Only a bit.) However, lest we forget, the real reason for this is actually beyond the drinks--I'm trying to justify buying myself a cool toy.

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at February 23, 2007 08:03 AM

WallyWorld has a relatively cheap one for about $80. If you can hold out until May you could find one at resale shops around various colleges. Fridges are not the best thing to buy used, particularly small cheap ones.

Posted by: Marc V at February 23, 2007 08:45 AM

The bad thing is that I sent a still working mini to the thrift store a few years back.

::sigh::

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at February 23, 2007 08:58 AM

I could be a little late for this topic, and not particularly helpful, but I have found that wrapping the can in aluminum foil helps. They can't see what it is on sight and are generally too lazy to sneak a peek.

The downside is wrapping aluminum cans in foil.

Posted by: Leah at February 26, 2007 08:19 PM

I like that idea, Leah, but I'm not sure it would be much of a deterrent to the people who've been doing the raids on my stash.

Posted by: Terry Oglesby at February 27, 2007 10:12 AM