burger | Power Goes Out (to eat)

“I’m not going to eat that kind of garbage anymore,” I said.

Later that day, I wrapped my neck in a scratchy scarf and stumbled against the wind to find a French Toast doughnut.

“I’m going be more considerate and compassionate,” I said.

Then, I laughed at the moron who couldn’t open the back door on the bus.

Change is hard.

I want to be a super-fit gentleman. I do. But, sometimes, I want a doughnut more.

Am I villain?

I hope not.

They usually lose.

Changing is scary. Isn’t it? It’s frightening to think that maybe the things I’ve been doing are wrong. It’s frightening to think that maybe I’m not really that awesome.

Change can be bad. What if I change to be nicer and it feels inauthentic? What if I change to be fitter and every day becomes a battle I fight for someone else?

Maybe those are excuses.

Change can be good. What if I change to be nicer and it feels inspiring. What if I change to be fitter and every day becomes a party for myself?

Maybe that’s wishful thinking.

Obby Khan made a big change and that worked out for him. In 2012 he (temporarily) retired from professional football and opened Shawarma Khan.

Big change.

He recently revived Shawarma Khan‘s Burger Week burger. Mondays and Tuesdays only.

Here’s what I had at Shawarma Khan:

Shawarma Khan Burger: Beef, lamb & falafel patty, caramelized onions, creamy Havarti cheese, hummus, beet & pickled turnip relish, homemade garlic sauce, mix field greens and a thinly sliced tomato. $13.00

Impressions: That’s the creamiest Havarti that’s ever slid into my mouth. That’s the sweetest garlic sauce that’s ever flowed, in tiny translucent rivers, over my hands and into my mouth and over my burger and onto my desk. That’s one of the best burgs I’ve bitten.

What made it? The patty. The star. The thing that makes this thing a burger. The part-beef, part-lamb, part-falafel patty is ridiculous. So many parts. It has a crispy crust and tender middle. It’s slightly spicy and totally dense.

Please, Obby, don’t change this.

Heads up. Honesty bomb incoming.

Sometimes, when people are good at stuff, I cross my fingers and hope for their demise. I sit and wait for them to fail so that for just a moment, they won’t be good at stuff.

Sure. I’m the worst and you’ve never thought that.

Sure.

Honesty bomb numero dos.

Sometimes, when people are good at stuff, I’m inspired. I’m motivated by their awesomeness. I see them doing cool things and being successful.

“I want that,” I say. “I want to do cool things and be successful.”

One time, I went to local burger joint Nuburger. They’re good at stuff. In particular, they’re good at putting food between bread. They’re good at sandwiches – or burgers.

Whatever you call it, Nuburger makes a mean one.

I was inspired.

They’re doing cool things and they’re being successful.

Sure. I was eating a spicy sandwich and drowning in sweat because of it.

Sure.

But, I found the inspiration and the motivation I need to do the cool stuff I’m doing.

If you’re feeling like you’re out of creative juice and your thinker doesn’t want to think, check out what other people are doing. Go watch someone make something cool. Go watch someone do something cool.

Be inspired by the people in your world.

Inspire the people in your world.

Here’s what I had at Nuburger:

The Angry Joe: hot damn mushrooms, Bothwell cheddar, lettuce, tomato, low-fat herb mayo, & low-fat chipotle on multigrain. $9.10

Impressions. This sandwich smelled amazing. The heat from the spicy mushrooms and the melting cheddar and the sweet chipotle tickled the inside of my nostrils.

“Get out,” I said. “Get out of there.”

The multigrain bread wasn’t quite wide enough to keep my stuffed sandwich from falling apart. Knife and fork to the rescue.

What made it? Hot Damn Mushrooms. Hot damn, those are definitely mushrooms and they are definitely hot. Damn. My tongue was tingling and my ears were sizzling and my whole body was sweating. I could feel it. Inspiration. Motivation.

But mostly, perspiration.