Christmas party aftermath . . .

I'm currently at work, trying to get something done in the hours after our annual company Christmas party. Tegan is trying to run a few errands before we get the kids and go home.

My brain is not working at top efficiency right now and I have Alias and Jennifer Garner on the brain at this exact moment, so I will take a break and transcribe a bit from one of my favorite little office books, The Spy Guide's: Office Espionage.

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Booby-Trapping Your Briefcase

There is a simple trick that will reveal if someone has helped him, or herself to your ideas while you were busy in the executive washroom. And it doesn't require expensive laser-beam alarms or motion detectors--just a few supplies that cost less than 30 cents.

1. Obtain three empty, plastic film canisters. It's best to differentiate them--apply dots of correction fluid or colored stickers, which can be found in any office.

2. Place your briefcase on a flat surface with the lid open. Arrange the film canisters in three predetermined positions in your briefcase. It doesn't matter where, as long as the canisters are upright and you remember their exact locations. This only works if you have a briefcase with a hard shell that lies flat. (If you use a soft bag with handles that sits upright or, even worse, a schoolbag, it's time to trade up.)

3. Carefully close and lock your briefcase. Make sure you don't bump the canisters out of position. Leave the briefcase on your desk with the latches pressed up against a stack of files. This way, anyone who wants to open the briefcase will have to move it.

4. Go about your business.

5. Upon your return, carefully unlock and open your briefcase. If the canisters have moved at all, someone has tampered with your case. It is nearly impossible to pick the lock of your case without disturbing the three canisters. Even if your office intruder succeeds, he or she will not suspect that you've laid a trap, since film canisters are common, everyday objects.

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So, there you go. Feel free to immediate utilize this handy trick on the next highly suspicious person that is skulking about your place of employment . . . unless they have a habit of giving you free chocolate or being the cause of constant blame, so that you can do things wrong and people will logically blame the skulker instead of you. Whatever works for you, really.