Thematic Photographic 242 - Vegetative

Consume mass quantities

Laval, QC
July 2011

About this photo: This marks the launch entry for our new Thematic theme, vegetative. Read on for more photographic fun. Because the world needs more fun.

The more I think about communal eating environments - aka buffets - the less I like them.

First, lining up, plates in hand, seems like such a silly way to gain sustenance. It makes me feel like I'm at the farm, patiently awaiting my turn at the trough.

Second, the whole everyone's-touching-the-food thing makes me want to seriously gack. I know the health department mandates sneeze shields as a form of CYA-like protection. But let's face it: no one's going to be eating anything if anyone actually uses the shields in the way they were intended. Protective overhead coverings aside, I don't even want to think where my fellow trough-dwellers' hands have been before they grab hold of the tongs. Or forget to grab hold of the tongs, as the case may be.

I'm not deluded, of course. I'm pretty sure servers in regular restaurants are just as capable of messing up the works as anyone else. Case in point: The Domino's Pizza debacle. But somehow, it seems even more icky when your potential dinner is surrounded by masses of fellow diners. A little privacy isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially when we're eating.

Your turn: Pick or take a photo that reflects this week's theme, vegetative, and post it to your blog (or website, or Facebook page or Twitter or wherever else you like to hang out.) Leave a comment here letting folks know where to find it, then pop over to other participants to share in the fun. Repeat as often as you wish, as this theme will be live for the next week. For more background on how Thematic works, please click here.