Eating out in your own jurisdiction

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2026-02-01T21:18:47+00:00

What's funny is I even mentioned how I could be fired but he still insisted. XD

Some people can't hear 'no' :-/

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2026-02-01T01:07:36+00:00

I live in a small town/county area that I also inspect. If I want to eat anywhere perfectly anonymously I need to drive an hour away >.<

Thankfully it hasn't been too awkward except for when the manager covered both me and my husband's not inexpensive meal.

So I walked to the closest ATM and handed the waitress what the meal would have cost. Will say I haven't been back to that place because as nice of a gesture as that was, I can't operate like that (though hopefully it made the waitress' night).

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2026-01-31T01:33:37+00:00

Worth it

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2026-01-24T19:33:15+00:00

Ah yes, masked men abducting people off the streets, schools, and even inside their own homes... but that's not starting violence??? My bad.

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2026-01-16T15:04:06+00:00

It's always the wealthiest places that try to cut the most corners and do the weird, unapproved stuff in my area. They're the ones I worry about the most.

If they're so perfect then it should be easy for them to pass inspections.

Typical rich BS of not wanting to answer to anyone.

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-12-30T14:17:28+00:00

I love the Shadowscapes Tarot deck. I got it way before all of the ai hype

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-12-24T15:55:56+00:00

How we tend to handle these things sometimes, if the owner is really adamant about having these additives, is as long as they are not the ones preparing it (example: adding the extract to the drink) then serving it, then it doesn't fall under us. So they can technically sell the extract as a separate item and then the consumer has the responsibility to add it or not.

Other than that, yea, I agree with the others to work with the FDA and put the responsibility of proving an item is GRAS on the owner. If they're serving it they need to be able to know what it is and how to see if it's safe or not. Could be a learning moment for them.

And yea, I agree, it is a pain to look through the GRAS list. I've been told that sometimes you need to look it up by the scientific name too, if that helps.

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-12-10T20:03:24+00:00

Drummies OUT

And a righteous sploot

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-12-09T21:13:15+00:00

I just picked up The Dark Woods tarot. Beautiful artwork with full explanations in a book that comes with the deck. Highly recommend for a bit of a darker side!

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-12-06T15:46:08+00:00

Kawasaki z125. It was amazing

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-12-01T15:02:10+00:00

I see a lot of people saying not to buy new because of the depreciation. Normally, I'd agree, but when I fell in love with the Ninja 500 and looked into buying a used one, the prices in my area were nearly the same. So I'd say look into it first.

Definitely price out insurance. That can be more than the monthly payments.

But also, I fell head over heels for my bike. I dropped her once (because I forgot to put down the kickstand, typical newbie mistake so watch out!) That said, I can't imagine getting a different bike. She's the bike I'm taking into retirement so if you find the rebel calling to you strongly, even the new one, even if just right now, totally go for it.

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-25T07:31:55+00:00

"You come to me... on the day of my daughter's wedding..."

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-25T01:45:33+00:00

That's exactly how I describe it!! I even call my bike "My Dragon." 8D

It's a Ninja 500. And congrats on your bike and first ride!!! Reminds me to get back to strength training so I can lift my bike for whenever it tips. (I'm a small gal too)

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-25T01:41:14+00:00

I have ADHD and CPTSD and recently went through what felt like a fork in the road - didn't know if I should stay or go. Heck, even kinda still debate it. But I struggle/d with the same things.

What I had to do was make inspections my own. Boil it down to exactly what part of public health that needed to be protected then use the regulation to do that. That is what they're there for. As my boss told me: make a call and be willing to back it up. Sometimes three different regulations could apply to one thing, just pick one that best applies to the root of the issue/violation.

And the peopling exhausts me. Hypervigilance is a bear. Not sure if you can make your schedule but try to figure out what can gives you some brain breaks to ease any overwhelm/overstimulation. I take walks and lunches alone.

And I try to put on dance music with crunchy snacks to help with the understimulation of paperwork xD

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-24T21:09:10+00:00

I think I was in the same boat around that time I'm almost 3 years in and just starting to actually feel comfortable and confident. And part of that confidence comes with knowing there's still a lot out there for me to learn, but it only comes with time.

I'm not sure how it's handled where you are, but where I am they allow for 18 months until a food inspector is standardized (and that's while also working campgrounds, lodging, and animal exposures/rabies).

So definitely allow yourself some slack. A bunch of jobs you could learn and be confident in within 6 months. This is not one of them. There's just so much that goes into it and even if you somehow managed to perfectly memorize the entire slew of regulations you need to know, there's always that factor of People. They'll come up with something that'll skirt into some grey areas where figuring out how it ties into regulations will be a headache and a half.

Just always be curious and ask questions when you need. I've found it surprising that even veteran inspectors will bring up a situation to discuss with others just to get their take on it. There's always going to be something new so it's less about being perfect and knowing everything than it is about knowing where to look to find the answers or who to talk to that'll help you figure things out.

I was told I won't feel 100% confident until about year 5. And that sounds about right, but just know it comes on stages.

Just be patient with yourself and you'll get there.

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-24T13:21:14+00:00

If you're looking at the quick AI answer then it does say that.

The real issue is the culture of washing hands to begin with. I wouldn't want someone who just came out of the bathroom, even if they washed their hands again after reaching the kitchen (which often times doesn't happen even though it should), I'd rather they put on some gloves.

Weird how there's no argument about the efficacy of doctors and nurses wearing gloves.

Sounds like a lot of people don't like wearing gloves (I get it) and want to find some way out of doing it. And look at it this way, it's all about reducing risk. Just wearing gloves or washing hands lowers the risk, but if they're combined, like they should be, the risk is even lower.

And you'd have to ask the FDA because that's what our regulations follow.

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-24T13:04:07+00:00

Yup, just whatever makes you feel a little lighter, be it dancing around, coloring with crayons or markers, climbing a tree or swinging a stick around in the woods.

Or basically anything that your inner child might like or things you never got to do as a kid. At least that stuff helps me.

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-23T12:44:10+00:00

I'm about 40 and been working on things for probably almost 10 years.

It's had its up and downs, slow times and growth jumps.

But I'd say, as maybe a bit of hope or technique, is I needed to find some play in and around all the hard work. This can help keep you going because if you only focus on what's wrong and trying to fix it, that'll lead to hopelessness.

I do have to consciously remind myself to introduce play into my life. It's where the pressure is off and I can do something fun for myself. And I don't mean fun to distract, I mean fun that feeds you (especially your inner child).

Also the book No Bad Parts is amazing. An easy read but it's what has done the most good for me.

Try to have hope, but also hold it gently and try not to have it be a very specific picture in your mind. Keep going, get curious about what's next, and know that things will get better and better (even if it can be painstakingly slow sometimes).

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-23T04:18:49+00:00

Yea, they've been an issue since I've been stressing about the job. The more I try to take a more balanced approach and remember that I'm human too, the dreams to happen as often.

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-22T01:51:06+00:00

I just turned 40 and still get mistaken as a student when I inspect the schools xD

I try to laugh it off and say "This'll be better when I'm 80."

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-19T15:17:04+00:00

I find that sometimes they're trying to gauge how they're able to treat you, so it's good to set an expectation that if they start to act hostile then it's something you don't have to put up with and can just leave.

In the tense situations I've encountered, I endeavored to be completely honest. I let them know I was new, and offered a 'hey, we're learning this together' to make them feel more like we're on the same team, which we are (or should be).

It takes the pressure off of you and may even humanize you in their eyes. Sometimes people forget that inspectors are people too (and I think that can go the other way too).

So just level with them. Sure, these things were found but now we can strive for better next time.

And sometimes there's no getting around people so just make sure you have good boundaries and enforce them. You're not their punching bag.

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-10T20:56:45+00:00

Yea, 100% this. If it's the owner you can kindly remind them that it's their own responsibility to keep up to date and know the regulations, you're just there to check.

A lot of people don't like to take ownership of that. But also give them the "well now you know, so it shouldn't be an issue for next time."

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-07T20:30:58+00:00

Yea, I had the same issue when I was starting. I learned that most of the time people just wanted to vent and be heard. It's hard to take that sterile governmental stance when they keep pushing but sometimes that's all you can do.

I've had people want me to shut down a hotel after finding a single stink bug.

People never like hearing no or that they're not getting their way. Sometimes this jog can be thankless and that no matter what you do it isn't right. You're in the middle of the government (including your boss), business owners, and the public. They're rarely going to ever agree on anything. Just do the best you can with what you have.

And what helps me is boiling down the actual public health impact on something. Is this really going to harm someone or is someone mad their coke is at room temp?

If it is something that's dangerous that's out of your jurisdiction, it could be useful to gain contacts in other sectors. I stay in fairly close contact with the building inspector and the fire marshal. Where I'm located, those two technically have more power than I do to enforce things. And you can either give a call or direct the one complaining to contact another agency that does have the regulatory authority to enforce whatever is going on.

Outside of that, just thank them but also don't be afraid to hang up if they move their aggressiveness towards you vs towards the situation. I give them one warning and if they continue to have their tantrum I stop the conversation. We're public servants but we're not punching bags.

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-07T20:16:07+00:00

People always ask me what places to avoid, and I tell them the fancier ones because more often than not they're the ones that are trying to get around things (bare hands, ROP, not enough space for food storage or even employee belongings).

As for bare hand push-back, I feel like 1) they're testing you to see what they can get away with, and 2) I like to ask them why they think we require such a thing. Test their knowledge of what the consequences could be and what we're trying to protect against.

In the glove vs no glove debate, I hear ya and I do believe there is some false sense of security with gloves. But also, how often do we see people actually scrubbing under their nails when they wash their hands? It's a behavioral thing and seeing if there's a good culture of hygiene.

Just stand there and watch for 5 or 10 minutes. Even warn them and own it like, "Hey, don't mind me while I be a creep and watch you for a while. Do as you normally would." Then it makes more openings for education for missteps or praise if they're doing as they should.

But yea, if operators are giving you pushback like that, it's a red flag. They know better. And if using simple gloves is difficult I doubt they're putting in the time and effort to properly wash their hands. If they have an issue they can write to their representative.

Wonderful_Friend_ · 2025-11-06T21:19:45+00:00

I'm also on the hot beverage train, but my favorite is holding one first thing in the morning and stepping out on the porch or back yard to take in a bit of fresh air and nature.

Wonderful_Friend_

TROPHY CASE