Making Pancake Batter from Pancakes

I think it is safe to say most individuals are familiar with the saying making lemonade out of lemons.  Basically, it means find the good in a bad situation and that is what I did, but in this story there wasn’t a lemon in sight.

Five close friends and I gathered around a Denny’s table about four years ago. I came to eat breakfast and they came to see the show.  We all ordered our own Grand Slam, which came equipped with three eggs, two bacon, two sausage, hash browns, toast and three pancakes. The guys new two important thing about me that day: one, I rarely backed down and two, I hate pancakes especially with syrup. 

Just about the time I had finished my meal I was feeling comfortably full. Then out of nowhere I was challenged to a $50 bet. The stipulations of the bet were for me to consume my pancakes along with everybody else’s. There were a total of 15 pancakes, submerged in a pool of disgustingly slimy syrup, and I was only offered 20 minutes to finish. I’m not sure if I agreed because of the money or the challenge itself. 

Minutes into eating the Baby-Jessica-sized-mountain of pancakes I knew I would have to complete the task at any cost. Half way through, I felt my stomach pleading for me to stop. I thought to myself, “Shut up, stomach, we are going to finish it”!  Near the last two pancakes I noticed I had lost my ability to produce saliva. Facing great adversity and pain I gathered myself, sat up with perfect posture and swallowed every last bite of pancake down with a sip of water. 

Although, all my normal bodily functions began to fail me, I never gave up.  Upon feeling the final bite enter my stomach I knew something had to give. My friends were astonished that I had accomplished the unthinkable and with one minute to spare. I gave a quick bow (bad idea) and ran to the bathroom to pay tribute to the porcelain gods.  This story is the reason why I now use the motto: make pancake batter out of pancakes. Everyone out there gets an opportunity to make his or her own pancake batter once in awhile; I suggest you go for it.  

If I Could Go Back to the Future I'd do It All the Same

What’s black, white and covered in red ink? The answer to this great riddle will have to come at the end of this passage. As for now, I have to get something off my chest. Throughout my educational history I’ve come to the realization that I can not complete and assignment unless the deadline is uncomfortably near. 

When the pressure is on, I am on fire like those hand-rolled “cigarettes” hippies used to smoke atop the César Chavez Student Center.  Seriously, there is nothing better then experiencing the crunch of a deadline, putting pen to paper and just hammering it (an assignment) out. You know what? Perhaps, it is my lust for deadlines that’s lead me to aspire for a career in the extremely fast paced media industry. If and when I start my career in the media industry, my procrastination will have better prepared to handle the day to day pressure of “getting the story.”

Once more I pose the question, what’s black, white and covered in red ink? The answer: my papers. Nobody likes to procrastinate, although we all do it. Nearing the end of my stay here at SFSU I have come to grips with my obsession to race against the clock. I now know what it takes as well as how long it takes to turn a story. And guess what? Oops, I did it again.