Lucky Charms

Breakfast June 3, 2010

There are times in one's life when things don't really make sense. What I'm trying to say is that feeling good is not always linked to logical circumstances. This is okay. Actually, it's better than okay. It is preferred. It is how life should be. Predictability leads to boredom and eventually straight down to stagnation. I'll go so far as to say that a little illogical spontaneity now and then is required in life.

The air felt clean and cool this morning. Thick billowing clouds of fog rested on the bay. It was absolutely beautiful. I walked downtown with Chris and then began back up the hill without a coat. Not wearing a coat at 8:00am in San Francisco is a very big treat. It was the beginning of a perfect day.

Suddenly I was struck with a desperate craving for Lucky Charms. Yes, the cereal with sweet hard little marshmallows. I didn't beat myself up over it. I just popped into our apartment, grabbed a few dollars (it turns out $6.79 was required), and made my way to our corner market. They usually open at 7:30am, but they were still closed. I wasn't about to change my mind, so I walked around the block. When I returned, the open sign was lit. Yes! You see, I was very excited about this cereal.

I scanned the rows of colorful (cloyingly so) boxes and then I spotted him, the crazy little leprechaun. Seriously, he is pretty frightening. He's on the front and back of the box and holds a howling and manic sort of expression on both sides, it's actually worse on the back. I took him home anyway.

I set up my bowl and spoon, poured my cereal, and added my milk. There were more marshmallows than I remembered and they swirl some colors now, but it tasted just as I hoped it would. It wasn't at all one of those These really aren't as great as I recalled moments. Nope. I enjoyed every last spoonful.

Of course, my curiosity demanded I take a look at the first few ingredients on the label. First, Whole Grain Oats. Okay... Second, Marshmallows (sugar, modified corn starch, corn syrup (God forbid!), dextrose, gelatin, calcium carbonate, yellows 5 & 6, blue 1, red 40, artificial flavor). Oh. And third, Sugar. Well. Hmmm.

I lead a pretty good life. I care about my family and my environment. This is one small blip on a very big screen and I don't feel bad about it. Isn't it obvious in my photograph? They were kind of pretty. You can't tell me you aren't at least slightly drawn to my shallow pool of green milk.

In the moment, I sort of loved those pink, yellow, green, and blue sweet hard little marshmallows. Maybe I still do.

Also, I sometimes make pancakes with Bisquick.