Following yesterday’s failure-before-it-began-printing-episode (see update at bottom of the entry) my first outside home task today was mailing the issues that were meant to be sent out yesterday. Hated myself when I woke up today because I was up so late last night, but gradually got myself moving and got the issues sent out.

Next stop was an early lunch at McDonald’s. After ordering I went to use the facilities, and was surprised to see Game 5 of the NBA Finals on the tube. There was about a minute left in the game. I was unsure about whether or not to eat my food after I picked it up while I was watching. McDonalds has been a holy meal for me since childhood, even more so later in life once I stopped going on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. I like to focus all of my attention on the meal. Part of it to, is getting the food to go, allowing it time to marinate in the brown paper bag and be perfect to eat once I arrive at home. Splitting it with the NBA Finals would obviously harm both. But, there I was with the hot food and the game in the last minute, meaning I’d be watching for at least ten more minutes.

Even in China, they won’t tell you the secret sauce.

Flustered, I decided just to go on and eat. Went with the Big Mac, because my usual staple two hambrugers are not served with mustard here in China, which is a problem. Same as the last time I ordered a Big Mac, the cheese was not properly melted, indicating it had not been prepared with love, a disapponting sign. To make matters worse, my large fry was filled about an inch or two below the top of the fry-holder (what’s the correct word for that thing?) and, MOST TERRIBLE OF ALL, I was only given two ketchup packets. This is something all the McDonald’s I’ve patronized outside America just do not understand, you need lots of fucking ketchup to properly enjoy McDonalds. They give you their one or two packets and expect you to be satisfied.

If you start at ten, perhaps I won’t ask for more.

The plus of the meal was a recent change I’ve made from my usual coke to a vanilla milk shake to wash it down. I really like the mellow aftertaste the shake leaves in your mouth coating the other food, and McDonald’s shakes are not so thick that they leave you extremely bloated afterwards.

McDonald’s Meal Rating: 4 out of 10

The last minute of the game was similarly disappointing, as, much as I hate to admit it, I am cheering for the Lakers. I think Jackson is basketball spritual’s leader whom I will always support for the work he did in Chicago, and I have so much respect for the amount of hard work Kobe has put into his career. I feel he deserves to be rewarded.

Bonehead play I observed was when Artest had a breakaway he decided to slow down and try to draw the foul instead of slamming it home. Getting cute would’ve been nice if he also could’ve gotten the bucket, but he did not and then he missed the free throws. I was shocked to watch the win sealed on Garnett’s inbound to Pierce “‘showing off my Randy Moss and my Brady the whole play,’ Pierce said. ‘I was Randy when I caught it; then Brady’” (from the AP) touch-passing to Rondo who somehow scored seemingly behind and under the basket. I really like Rondo’s game, as does everyone now. Difference is, I wrote about it back in October of 2007.