What happened to the strawberry milkshake?

Photo: Milkshake
Originally uploaded by leah_lar.

So I was feeling like a milkshake yesterday and had to settle for the McD's drive thru - I know that is sinful in the milkshake world, so I guess I get what I deserved. We drive up and place an order for a medium strawberry milkshake, then the nonchalent voice on the other end says "we don't have strawberry milkshakes anymore". Silence. How is it that the mammoth fast food chain was able to sneak strawberry milkshakes off the menu? Why didn't I know that they only serve the obviously popular, yet bland vanilla and chocolate milkshakes? When did strawberry meet its demise at the Golden Arches? Woe is me. This is just wrong.

I reluctantly order a medium vanilla and immediately wished I'd ordered a small - I felt like I was betraying strawberry. I think I won't be ordering any more milkshakes from the well known fast food eatery regardless of the craving. No, I should have known about this well before casually ordering something that is no longer on the menu that it was no longer on the menu.

...and since I did not have an opportunity to say a proper farewell to the strawberry milkshake at McDonald's, here's my ode to something that tasted so good to me:

Strawberry, dear strawberry, you've always been my favorite
C and V were envious of your rich pink texture
And although you've gone away, no longer able to add smiles to a 5-year-old's or a 50-year-old's face, I still relish your frothiness and many, many fond memories of your cold warmth.

Here's a huge hug for strawberry milkshakes ....

It's mental!

So I am in a reading group. Our most recent read dealt with the topic of mental illness. I thought it was an interesting read. It certainly made for a good discussion. The book is
"72 hour Hold" by Bebe Moore Campbell.

There was some humor that was dispersed throughout. But the main focus was on how a single mother was dealing with her bipolar 18-year-old daughter. The difficulties of a father in denial that his daughter is/was mentally ill and trying to get help for a daughter through a government system that truly requires patience.

Some of the topics that we discussed were:

• the various mental illnesses: bipolar; manic depressive; schizophrenia
• other addictions: alcoholism, drug abuse
• alternatives to treatment for mental illness
• was the topic too close to the author? (we'd heard that the book was loosely based on her life with her daughter)

My reading group has a tendency to want to 'cast' the book for the big screen (you know, first the book, then the movie...?). But we did NOT 'cast' the book this time around. Though the book could potentially be a really good movie.

Oh, and we did note how the paperback edition has the urban fiction look ... I am more than a little bit disgusted with the urban fiction genre. I wish it would go away. I know that no one ever said 'go away' the the Harlem Renaissance (and you can curse me as I am cursing myself for putting urban fiction and Harlem Renaissance in the same sentence). My point is, one is not the other, and I can banish it if I want to! And no, I am not happy that more young people are reading because of urban fiction ...

I think I read most of the book, but I did end up getting it on cd from the library. I finished listening to the book about ten minutes prior to the meeting. Who came up with the idea of audiobooks? Love that ... Radiogirl loves that!

I need some perspective right about now ...

I work with college students - and right about now, I need someone to seriously tell them that they won't be paid a penny to fetch a stick for a fat and lazy daschund if they can't meet a deadline or a due date (well, they won't be paid for very long- everyone gets a chance to screw up; some people get more opps than others depending how close they are on the nepotism chart, right?). Why would I want to pay you to allegedly 'walk' my dog, when you rarely show up on time and the daschund is just getting lazier and fatter and fatter and lazier because you are not holding up your end of the bargain? Though that's more of an example of 'do what you agreed to do' not an example of meeting or missing a scheduled due date ... and you don't have to forgive me for digressing (does my tone here lead you to believe that I am seeking forgiveness ...?).

I mean, that's the deal - I get paid to teach and that means I spend some portion of my summer and winter breaks doing what - you guessed it - creating a syllabus. But what the hell for ...? That is not a complaint, merely - what I signed up for, eh? Did I hear someone say that it is expected that I, the responsible instructor, would comply to deadlines ... whatever? It takes two to tango, baby. Play the role.

And heck, who wants to deal w/the people, nay, students who are spending more time trying to extend a deadline rather than meet the deadline ... ? Not to mention that lack of consideration of me and my schedule ... Deadlines are established for a reason, damn it! Stop piddling around and get the project/assignment done already - and plan accordingly. It's not like anyone is only given a days notice to get the work done ... and I do realize that my class is not the only class that they have, so back up off me ...

Point is, don't even consider asking me to extend a deadline unless there is some overtly extenuating circumstance and that means that old Granny didn't just damn near choke on her dentures, it means that she did indeed choke on her dentures - now, that there is a bonafide reason and not some sorry ass excuse - deadline extension, GRANTED (and my condolences to Granny).

Note to self: check up on Granny ;)

radio domination ...

Need to post this picture - for ulterior motives.
But I am the radiogirl ... and doesn't this mic seem powerful?

Movies I've seen recently ...

Movies I've seen recently:

• The Departed
• ATL
• Don't Move

These movies have no real connection. Sure, I've seen them all and they might be in the two hour range, but other than that ...

I don't want to have to stack them up in terms of which one I liked the best - each movie is distinctly different than the other.

I was, however, surprised that I liked "ATL" though it had been recommended by more than one person. "The Departed" was awesome. Lots of twists and turns. Very involved and excellently written. Whereas "Don't Move" seemed somewhat slow and was emotionally draining. I am being vague for a reason - you might want to check them out, ya know.

Next on my viewing list is "Auto Focus" - another recommendation from a friend. I think it is a foreign flick, whatever the case. I'll be watching it soon.

Do something crazy and unusual and out of character for you ... live your life.