Like most knights of the Round Table, I too cannot avoid a good quest. I have just finished a note worthy quest and cannot help but share my elation.
I found the Choco Taco. It was hidden in the deep freezer of a 76 mini mart.
The most important part of a quest is the question. No worthy quest can end without a question. Notice how question contains the word, quest? That is because it is integral to the quest. You cannot call it a quest if you know where you can find the item.
There are a number of places to ask a question
- Google – Google has to be the first item on this list. It is our go to sage. But you really need to know how to ask the question. While the same is true of other search engines, they really aren’t worth mentioning because… well Google knows searching.
- Pinterest – A surprisingly good place to look for things. People tag pictures so it can actually be easier to find what you are looking for. Then you just click the link and follow the rabbit hole.
- Slideshare – Depending on what you seek, slideshare may be very useful. Most of what is here are PowerPoint slide decks. But! every good deck cites its sources. I have found entire books here too.
- Friends and Family – Having an extra pair of eyes and ears is extremely helpful when you are searching for something. I have been surprised at the wealth of knowledge stored inside other people.
- Drug Store Clerks – When those you know fail you, reach out to those you don’t. Store clerks often ask “Did you find everything you were looking for?” So, tell them no… its the honest answer.
DANGER!
While not as dangerous as a Dragon or a Siren. A caution needs to be added here about quests. You almost always will pay more than you wanted to. It will surprise you how much you are willing to pay to end the quest. Sometimes we do just need to say no. I once paid $400 for two bottles of Heinz Mustard… luckily they came with a visit from the friend you found them… but the caution remains! You will over pay when you quest.
My quest today started with this video:
My wife is currently obsessed with this chef. While we were watching this video I was reminded of the joy of eating a Choco Taco.
SPOILER ALERT: Byron’s look like they would taste way better. For some reason when Klondike started making the Choco Taco they opted for milk chocolate… bad call…
It was a few days ago that I watched the video. But, it was today that it really hit me that I wanted the fabled Choco Taco.
My quest started with a Google search. One of the first links was Target. I had the lead, and despite having a newborn at home, the time. Yet, three stores later I was still taco-less. This was when I recognized the nature of my quest. This was not to be any half-hearted effort. I alerted my lady of the circumstances, and pressed forward.
Much like Sherlock Holmes I needed to use the science of deduction to pull out the most likely home of my “Excalibur.” All three stores: Target, Fred Meyers and Albertsons had a near identical selection of ice creams. This led me to conclude that it was not a Grocery store that I needed to go to.
A quick search of my phone’s map app yielded 2 mini marts in my city. A 7-Eleven and a Plaid Pantry. I opted for the Plaid, because I had never been in it, and it was closer. An empty deep freeze and a broken beer bottle that I had to step over almost made me regret choosing convenience. Yet, I still had one card left to play…. The Question!
After and initial blank look, the brow furrowed, as the clerk thought back to where she had seen this frozen treat. After I ask a question, I almost never know what to expect. Usually, I just get a; “sorry, we don’t carry that.” But, today I got my next big lead: the 76 gas station.
BAM!
I wouldn’t have expected it. But, apparently convenience stores only carry one type of frozen treat brand. The Plaid Pantry carried Blue Bunny, while 76 station carried Klondike… noted.
Like I said previously, you will almost always overpay when you quest. Hopefully, you don’t overpay too much. In this case I spent $1.99 on my Choco Taco. It was not a $2 treat… the shell was soggy and the chocolate was not appropriate. Yet… and yet… I completed my quest.
For future reference I have included a few items that I have a passive quest on:
- Lil’ Scoops – These are for my lady, as I don’t particularly care for them. A few brands make them (Milka and Cadbury), but none currently in the US. They are essentially Chocolate eggs filled with a creamy nougat/custard. They always come in purple 4-egg cartons. This quest spikes around Easter.
- Heinz Mustard – This is a very passive quest. I must have Heinz mustard on a homemade hamburger, or it is not worth making at home. Currently, I am not making hamburger at home so French’s suffices. This is a seasonal item that I see from time to time. I’ve just not been motivated enough lately to buy it. But, in the past I have been.
- SLR Camera Case – There is a difference between research and questing. I am not researching a camera case any more. I am questing for one that I like. More on the difference below.
- White Dress Shirts – The easy answer here is a custom tailored shirt. But, the easy answer does not fulfill the quest. I want an off-the-rack white dress shirt that is a) long enough in the sleeves and tight enough in the neck b) slightly stretchy but still slightly stiff/thick fabric and c) slim-fit.
- Baby Onesie (Black, short-sleeve or tank top) – I really like the idea of babies wearing black clothes. Not because I am a “dark” person. Rather, that it is uncommon and darling. I have found some, but not been motivated enough to end the quest the expensive way… I am NOT paying $15 for one onesie…
The Difference Between Questing and Researching
The difference here is simple. When researching you have tons of options, you just don’t know which one will provide you with the best value. A quest means that you have made your choice and are unable to easily find it.
Research can often turn into a quest. For instance, when I bought my wife a car. At first I was unsure of what we wanted. Once I knew it was a 1998-2001 4Runner the quest was on. Oddly, this was one of the few quests I can remember where I actually feel like I got a deal. Not only has it been a great car, but it also cost the least of all the 4Runners we looked at. And, had the lowest miles. The SLR camera case is another example of research turned quest. I now know what I want… I’m just not sure where to find it.
Having a new baby takes a strain on everybody in the house. Even though we are getting sleep and eating well, our family has changed. Change can be a bit difficult to deal with. Even if it is the sweetest, most precious change in the universe
Little girl has been acting out. I’ve been feeling stressed… about literally nothing. Baby girl is in a brand new world and I think it scares her. I’ve noticed her crying when she thinks no one is looking. But, I think mama girl has had the most changes. She lost like 30 lbs, and is super sore from the rapid weight loss. Yet, even with having the most changes I think she is handling them the best… I can’t say enough how proud I am of how she just super moms all the time, swooping in and saving the day.
Today’s quest helped me cope with the changes. I usually don’t think they effect me, but they do. I had some needed “me-time.” The Choco Taco pales in comparison to 20 other treats that I can immediately think of. Yet, having some control over where I am going and what I am doing helped me organize my feelings. Eating that mushy treat filled me with a sense of accomplishment that gave me a second wind to get back on track, and be the Robin to my wife’s Batman.
Yes, I am being a little dramatic. But, after you finish a quest you too may feel like you just saved the world from Lex Luther.
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