IT WAS 10:13 PM AS I ROUNDED THE CORNER into the Sunmart parking lot. Fresh back from vacation, I was looking for any justifiable excuse to hinder the dreaded undertaking of unpacking my belongings.
I was destined to buy a gallon of milk, convinced that I wouldn’t be able to make it through my Tuesday without my morning bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats. My mind was filled with thoughts of a desolate fridge back on campus, it’s innards practically naked and nary a speck of sustenance, with the exception of the occasional pruney orange and expired yogurt.
I scanned the milk, carefully checking each expiration date, then selected what I thought to be the most prime gallon of the multitudes (they all had the same expiration date), and in passing the freezer aisle was flagged down by none other than the words “ICE CREAM” — naturally.
What happens next is absolutely outrageous: I bought a box of popsicles, a 24-pack of Our Family juice jr. pops. I had to be very discrete in this process because I am extremely selective about my popsicle flavors.
a] I will not touch banana with a 39.5 -inch pole.
b] Orange. Mmmm.
c] Lime = questionable. Always be wary of a popsicle that tastes like detergent.
d] Grape: Like frozen Dimetapp on a stick — not to mention the makeover your tongue is in for. Delicious, nonetheless.
e] Root beer should stick to its guns and just be a soda flavor. That’s all I have to say about that.
f] Cherry — though classy, recommended only for those with attenuated lips.
So I bought a box and figured I could pawn off the unwanted flavors.
On my way to the checkout, I spotted an instant photo machine sitting at the end of an aisle. Just my luck that I invariably carry four different forms of media on me at all times! I managed to pull out each one, plug it into the machine and make beautiful photographs, all the while my box of popsicles and gallon jug of milk thawed at my feet.
The moral of this story? Well, several things:
i] Make your pictures before you grab your frozen treats and dairy products.
and II] the ever-cliché yet oh-so-true
DO SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.
For me, it was the meandering of grocery store aisles, the discovery of a simple box of popsicles, and the printing of a photograph or two that had been on my camera since June.
Go. Wander. Find your happy.
muchlove,
jc
approximatelyes.com 
root beer totally needs to be just soda. i once got root beer anesthetics to knock me out before surgery. i still have nightmares of that.but grape… they should just make dymatap popsicles and i’d still buy them.