Ok, so I've got pretty thick skin. You kind of have to when you have 1.5" wooden chunks in your lobes and tattoos around your entire neck and under your chin. It comes with the territory.

BUT, today I was offended. Truly offended.

I've been in Houston (Sugarland actually) all week and in through next week. I'm doing advanced laboratory training for work. Well, the facility my course is held is FULL of people from every country imaginable. My company prides itself on this.

My pre-school assignment was to prepare a 10-15 minute powerpoint on my facility's operations. I made a basic presentation and felt it went well. One of my slides was the basic "about me" sort of thing. At the bottom I listed my hobbies, one being the Great Highland Bagpipes. That was Monday. Today I'm eating lunch with the head guy for this facility and he asks about the bagpipes. Quickly everyone at the table is chiming in with questions of their own. I was more than happy to answer them. He mentions there used to be a fellow here who, on his lunch hour, would play the bagpipes outside in the court yard. But, he goes on to explain he was forced to stop as some people were complaining about the noise. Easy enough, I enquired no further.

Well, there was an Indonesian girl at our table who chimes in with "yeah, the bagpipes didn't bother me. But, I was disturbed at the fact he wore a skirt. What's it called? That scottish man skirt thing?..." At first I didn't think too much of it. Like I mentioned, I've got thick skin. We've all heard the skirt thing... no big deal. "Hi, you're an idiot, have a nice ignorant life." But, the more I thought about it, the madder it made me. I almost feel like she was making a direct crack at me. She knew I was a learning bagpiper. What are the chances that I don't wear a kilt AT LEAST for bagpiping?? On top of all that, this company prides itself on National Diversity. What's the traditional male garment in Indonesia? It's gotta be something unbifurcated. Some sort of Sarong type thing. Man, I'm steamed. Guess what I brought with me? My USAK Gunn, hose, Oconee belt, and nightstalker sporran. This course involves zero actual laboratory exposure, and is ALL in the class room. So, no OSHA issues. I think I'm going to wear it on Friday for my final presentation. I dare her to say somehing. She'll catch a case if she does.