mushroom | Power Goes Out (to eat)

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.

Last week I had an awesome opportunity to write for the Winnipeg Free Press again.

This time, instead of listing some neat places to check out the city, I was writing about one super-awesome place (the YMCA).

Sweet! More freelancing.

Only this time it was really FREElancing. As in, there was no money involved.

That’s fine. I had a lot of fun writing this story and the reactions I’ve gotten have been amazing.

An old boss of mine said:

“Well done on the article in the Free Press…though I shed a tear for you leaving. I wish you all the best!! You are a great swim instructor and a great person!”

Smiles.

The YMCA – YWCA of Kamloops shared the story on their Facebook page. As did quite a few other employees here in Winnipeg and elsewhere in Canada. It was pretty cool to get that kind of recognition.

Smiles again.

Click here to read the story on the Winnipeg Free Press website.

Of course, to celebrate, I ate a sandwich. My dinner date ate another one. Fortunately, they were fan-friggin-tastic.

Here’s what I had at Cornerstone Bar and Restaurant: