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Archive : June 2007

June 22, 2007

What Irks My soul about drive-thrus

Ok, so this morning I'm out early running errands for work. Knowing that I won't be in the office for awhile, I jet over to "the Golden Arches" for my morning cup of joe. Granted, I normally am a morning person, but I'm a verrry happy morning person after my morning brew. This is an added bonus for those that come into contact with me on a daily basis in the a.m.; without the coffee I'm just Emily.

So, anyway, I pull into the drive-thru and immediately know there is a problem, because no one is infront of me. (I'll explain, don't worry). Problem 1: the little alien boxes where you are supposed to be talking to another human hardly ever work unless you hang your entire body out your car window and yell your order. (Usually it's raining when you have to do this).After a successful order placement. the creature on the other end tells me what window to pull to, which of course I can't understand!

Oh no. This is where the big problem comes into play. Problem 2: if you pull to window 1 and they said window 2, there you are, sitting there in your car looking confused with no one there to take your money. But, if you go to window 2, flying by window 1... then you've done it, because by now there is someone behind you- you can't back up, and the people at window 2 are unequipped to take your cash, they just look at you all weird cause you did it wrong. That's why you need the car infront of you when you enter a drive-thru, just follow their lead.

Problem 3: After lapping the building, confusing the order system all together and finally arriving at the appropriate window, you are forced to beg for sugar. Yes, it's come to this people. We must beg for our condiments! Then they ask "how many?" Um... "I'd like 27 for my small cup, please." No, 2 usually does me fine but if it's an exceptionally nice food handler I'll ask for a little more and take the leftovers and make a stash so I don't have to beg for my sugar again in the near future.

Problem 4: Who is the person that decided every drive-thru needed a large pot hole at the end of it? Here I am celebrating because my drive-thru experience is complete and there I go falling into the hole and spilling my coffee. Yes, I was putting the sugar in the cup while driving; the top was removed and half of my beverage is now on my pants.

Maybe this is a good reason to avoid fast food! Besides the fact that most the items served would require you to run to San Angelo and back to work it off; the drive-thru can be a very tramatizing experience! Next time I'll just go inside to order, I need the exercise.

June 21, 2007

Oh the joys of the grill

Why are we intimidated by the grill? Yes, it does involve fire, smoke, gas, sharp objects and usually the largest swarm of mosquitos in the southern hemisphere, but you get to enjoy one of life's summertime pleasures, grilling the burger. Why is it always a burger anyway? Are people really afraid to venture to other edible items like chicken, pork, veggies or heaven-forbid, the barbeque rib? Ribs.. oh, those should come with a warning label- WARNING: MIGHT TASTE LIKE THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SHOE WHEN COOKED.

I, for one, am a little scared of the rib grilling mainly because I want to eat NOW and eating now is a big no-no for cooking ribs. I smell them cooking and I want to eat that instant, not 4 long and slow hours from now. I could drive to the nearest BBQ joint, chow down on my ribs that don't taste like worn rubber, run around my neighorhood for 3 hours, work up another rib appetite and still I would have to wait for my ribs, that my dog wouldn't even chew on, to finish cooking!

That's why those BBQ joints start cooking at un-godly hours like 4 a.m. Their bodies are still in sleep mode when they throw the ribs on the grill, meaning their stomachs are unaware that their bodies are interacting with food. This causes their stomachs to just disregard the whole "feed me now I smell food" idea because it's 4 a.m. and who eats barbeque ribs at 4 a.m? Ice cream, yes, cereal, sometimes, chocolate pie, every now and then, ribs, not- so-much. They can allow their ribs to cook for 12 hours or so while they take a nap.

That's my problem, I'm impatient when it comes to cooking, so tackeling ribs on the grill is not my thing. I'm not committed to spending an entire day around food that I can only look at and not eat until the sun goes down.Thank goodness for great Texas BBQ! Yes, I admit it, my name is Emily and I'm way to impatient to grill ribs.