I went to the Slashdot Meetup for Dallas last night. It was held at a Starbucks on Coit Rd. It was maybe not quite as fun as last time, but I still had a good time :).
There were more people this time around — about ten, compared with five last time — so that changed the dynamic of conversation. Whereas last time the conversation was more close-knit, the large group this time made for more of a “lecture” atmosphere, as one or two people spoke while the rest of the group listened.
In particular, there were one or two alpha-talkers that just loved the sound of their own voices. They had a tendency to speak loudly, and occasionally interrupted others before they were finished talking — just to stake claim on the next “speaking role”. During the course of the evening, I got maybe one or two sentences in (bah!).
My hope is that the group may be smaller next time, to allow for more casual conversation. Or, if not that, perhaps a larger group could be divided among several tables (instead of one-large-circle).
On the way home, I stopped by McDonald’s for some dessert. I considered a hot fundge sundae for a moment (an old favorite of mine, especially with nuts), but I turned towards the McFlurries. Essentially a Blizzard clone, I figured this would be a good opportunity to compare it with the abysmal Sonic Blast that I had the other day.
So, I ordered a small Oreo McFlurry. And, as it turns out, it was pretty tasty. It was thick, creamy, and full of dairy flavor (a good thing). The Oreos were crushed a bit finely for my taste, but at least they weren’t soggy ;). True Blizzard-quality is tough to match and, McFlurries don’t quite hold up to that standard (though they’re a good treat in their own right).
Incidentally, you may be wondering why I chose Oreo this time, as “wouldn’t a Butterfinger McFlurry provide for a better head-to-head comparison with the Sonic Blast?” Well, I considered getting a Butterfinger McFlurry — for a moment — but I just couldn’t bear the thought of having two failed Butterfinger-based desserts in succession. So, I hedged my bets and decided on Oreo.
So: McFlurry Not Quite As Good As Blizzard. But, what about McFlurry vs Hot Fudge Sundae? That’s a more difficult one. Hot fudge sundaes have the advantage that they’ve been proven over time. And, in some ways, they hold the lead in texture-variation. I’m big on food texture — if a food has normal taste but bad texture, then it’s just not for me (for instance, shrimp that has gone soggy and soft). So, in regard to texture, Sundae Wins (its combination of smooth ice cream, thick fudge and crunchy nuts is a real treat, so to speak).
Then there’s the nutrition aspect. Sure, desserts aren’t usually known for being healthy, and that’s generally not the case ;). However, some desserts are less-bad than others. And, much to my dismay, I see that the McFlurry doesn’t win there either: an Oreo McFlurry has 20g fat vs 12g for a hot fudge sundae (and 12g saturated fat vs 3g for the sundae).
So, bummer there — it looks like I made a bad choice dessert-wise last night. I should have gone with the hot fudge sundae. Well, now I know for next time.