Good evening friends! This past week, I was at the Worldwide McDonald’s Convention. This convention is for Owner Operators and their teams, as well as corporate folks to reflect on where the company has been the last few years, and to look forward to what’s around the corner.
There’s a lot that goes on. There are special musical performances, this year’s convention included Pink, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Imagine Dragons and Bruno Mars. There was a worldwide lunch menu including Cadbury Egg McFlurries from England, Avocado Egg McMuffin from South Korea, and Deluxe Potato Wedges from France to name a few. There’s also loads of new technology and upcoming procedural changes we learn about too. We got to spend an evening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios where we rode the Tower of Terror, and saw the new Star Wars area!
This year’s convention was a little different for me though. As I’ve shared before, McDonald’s isn’t my dream job. I enjoy the job very much. I love the people I work with and have made lifelong friendships under the Golden Arches. I met my wife at McDonald’s, and though we don’t always see eye-to-eye on issues, I’ve learned to appreciate working with my parents as I get to spend a lot more time with them then some of my friends get to spend time with their family. All that being said, the passion for McDonald’s isn’t there for me. It’s a very rewarding job, filled with challenges and learnings, but I don’t feel the “spark” that I feel when I’m writing. When I “go” to the world of Super Penguin and his friends, I get lost in it. It never feels like working. Even the parts that might seem cumbersome to others like editing a manuscript, I get excited! I can spend hours on my work, and it feels like minutes.
In years past, I’ve been unsure if I was making the right career move. Becoming a McDonald’s Operator can be very rewarding financially. There’s even a special “Next Gen” program for children of operators who want to follow in their parents’ footsteps. But, this year I felt reassured that I am making the right moves. I don’t know how long it will take to be able to do writing full time. I don’t if this was my last McDonald’s Convention, or if I have several more in my future. But I DO know, that I’m following my own path, and feel very happy about it. In fact, you COULD say “I’m Lovin’ It”
Check out the slideshow below for some of the worldwide menu items!
Super Penguin 