Functioning on McD's

Something you might not know about me is that back in the day (high school) I would routinely eat five Big Mac sandwiches at McDonald's.

I'm not kidding.

Five.

At the time, there was a special promotion going on in which they were only 99 cents, so much more cost effective than doing that now.

At a height of 5'2" weighing in at 85 lbs. I wasn't unlike Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas the competitive eater.

My senior year of high school I was in the work study program. I'd already collected most of the credits to graduate. In the morning I took classes and in the afternoon I worked as an office clerk at PCB Piezotronics (they make sensors) in Depew, NY making minimum wage. I was so proud of that job. It was my first taste of independence and making my own money and driving my Dad's old car - a teal '93 Ford Escort station wagon. Those cars sure were everywhere in Western New York, let me tell you.

Unfortunately, I did not get to taste lunch at school. My schedule did not have room for a lunch period. If memory recalls correctly, my last class ended at 12:30 and I had to work from 1-5 p.m. Most days I would stop at McD's for a quick bite to eat. On a few occasions, I stooped to eating beef jerky while driving to the office. Breakfasts consisted of an entire large bag of Cheddar Bacon potato skin chips and a can of soda.

I was so into soda that I started a side business at school selling cans to classmates for 75 cents out of my locker. The vending machines at Lancaster High School would not turn on until after the school day was over to promote healthier choices. That meant monopoly for me! Every Sunday I would scour ads looking for the cheapest Pepsi or Coca-Cola soda, then would literally stock up and fill the trunk of the Escort. Since I grew up outside Buffalo, NY it was cold for the majority of the school year. When I brought a 12 pack into school, it was chilled and ready for sales. The cheaper the price, the higher the profit margin for me. By the end of the year I had about $300 in quarters, and that was after paying myself in soda. Not bad for a hobby that took up a few minutes of time each day plus shopping that I did anyways.

Those junk food memories are good to look back on and smile. At the end of my senior year, I still weighed about the same. How did that happen?

This week has been a bit of a flashback. Due to the Republican National Convention, I've been working 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. On the way to work, I've been stopping at McDonald's and getting the Happy Hour $1 iced coffee and chicken McNuggets. On the way home last night, I stopped there again to get a few items off the dollar menu. And earlier in the week, I took advantage of the 2 sausage egg McMuffin sandwiches for $2 deal.

Today will be a break from that though! This afternoon, we have a dining story shoot at a very nice steak house. Hopefully we will get to sample some of the fare. Definitely a good change of pace from my McD's diet.