Devastating Diva in the McDonald’s Drive-Thru

The other day, I was at McDonald’s in Mount Pleasant doing what any responsible adult does when presented with a deal: getting a $1.50 McChicken, fries, and a large Coke Zero.

Fine dining? No.

Efficient dining? Absolutely.

I pulled into the drive-thru, placed my order, and began the traditional McDonald’s ritual of slowly moving forward six feet at a time while wondering whether I really needed the fries.

Of course I needed the fries.

Then I noticed the car in front of me.

Nothing particularly unusual about the car. It was a Honda with a South Carolina license plate. But then I looked at the license plate frame.

It read:

“DEVASTATING DIVA.”

Well.

That is certainly a statement.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I have a license plate frame myself. Mine is a Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity frame. It basically tells the world, “Yes, I joined a fraternity, and apparently I’m still talking about it decades later.”

But “Devastating Diva”?

That raises questions.

If I were a woman, I’m not entirely sure I’d want to advertise that to every person sitting behind me at a red light.

Because there's confidence, and then there's issuing a public challenge.

You aren't merely a diva.

You're not even an exceptional diva.

You are DEVASTATING.

That is a lot to live up to when somebody finally pulls alongside you.

I hope she’s married or has a partner, because otherwise that license plate frame is doing some serious pre-screening on the dating pool.

Imagine meeting someone:

“So, tell me a little about yourself.”

“Well, I enjoy traveling, trying new restaurants, spending time with friends…”

“And?”

“I’m devastating.”

“Excuse me?”

“Check the Honda.”

At least she's giving everyone fair warning.

Meanwhile, my license plate frame basically identifies my fraternity affiliation. Hers sounds like it should come with terms and conditions, a liability waiver, and possibly a hurricane warning.

And really, I respect the commitment.

If you're going to declare yourself a Devastating Diva, don't hide it in an Instagram bio where only your friends will see it.

Put it on the back of the Honda.

Take it through McDonald's.

Make the guy behind you eating a $1.50 McChicken contemplate your entire life story.

Mission accomplished, Diva.

Mission accomplished.

📬 What You May Have Missed This Week on NielFlamm.com (June 6-13)

Hello Friends!

Another week has come and gone, which means I somehow managed to produce another collection of blogs, movie reviews, videos, LinkedIn posts, opinions, and assorted Internet Garbage.

If life got busy, here's your weekly recap of everything that happened on NielFlamm.com between June 6 and June 13.

🎬 Movie Reviews

It was another busy week at the theater.

I reviewed Pressure, the fascinating true story about the meteorologists whose weather forecast helped make D-Day possible. It was less about the battle itself and more about the pressure of making decisions that would affect thousands of lives.

I also reviewed Scary Movie 6, where Marlon and Shawn Wayans return with exactly the type of over-the-top parody humor that made the franchise famous. If you're easily offended, it probably isn't for you. If you enjoy ridiculous comedy, you'll probably laugh the entire time.

Finally, I shared my thoughts on Eternity, a movie that explores relationships, death, and the afterlife while asking some interesting questions about love and forever.

If you're trying to decide what to watch, hopefully my reviews save you a little time and money.

🌎 NielFlamm.com Continues to Grow

One of the biggest surprises this week came from looking at my website analytics.

During the past month, more than 800 unique visitors generated over 1,000 page views, with readers coming from all over the world. The largest audiences are currently in China, Vietnam, the United States, and Germany.

When I started this hobby, I honestly thought only friends and family would stop by.

Seeing people I've never met visiting the site is both humbling and motivating, and I appreciate every single visit.

🎥 Videos, Blogs & Other Internet Garbage

There was plenty of content outside of movie reviews this week.

I shared my thoughts on celebrity sports fans and carpetbaggers, those people who somehow become lifelong fans the minute a team starts winning championships while the real fans have been suffering through decades of heartbreak.

I also posted another handicap parking adventure, featuring a driver who apparently believes parking lines are merely suggestions despite having an entire parking lot available.

I shared my appreciation for the growing international audience that continues to find NielFlamm.com, thanking readers around the world for spending time with my content and encouraging them to reach out with suggestions on how I can continue improving.

The website continues to fill up with blogs, videos, podcasts, health updates, technology discussions, humor, random observations, and whatever else happens to cross my mind during the week.

💼 Leadership, AI & Nextdoor Commentary

My ongoing commentary surrounding Nextdoor leadership and corporate communication continued throughout the week.

I discussed Nirav Tolia's comments surrounding artificial intelligence, pointing out that AI has existed in many forms for decades through predictive dialers, automation tools, instructional design software, Grammarly, and other technologies many of us have worked with throughout our careers.

I also examined Nextdoor's moderation model, asking what protections exist to prevent moderator retaliation and whether enough transparency exists when volunteer moderators are making decisions that affect neighbors and local conversations.

Another article compared Nextdoor's constantly shifting messaging to companies like Waffle House and In-N-Out Burger, organizations that have built loyal customer bases through consistency, simplicity, and delivering on a straightforward promise.

I also shared my thoughts on Nirav Tolia's appearance on the New Economies podcast, questioning whether the company is truly listening to user feedback while discussing AI, neighborhood data, and community engagement.

As both a shareholder and former user, I continue to believe transparency, consistency, and accountability are critical ingredients for long-term success.

❤️ Recovery & Life

This week I reflected on celebrating 17 years without a drink and the gratitude I have for everyone who reached out with comments, texts, messages, and encouragement.

The AA chip I picked up wasn't just for me—it serves as a reminder to newcomers that long-term recovery is possible, one day at a time.

Humor, gratitude, and community continue to be some of the greatest gifts of sobriety.

👉 Catch Up!

If you missed anything this week, stop by NielFlamm.com and catch up on the latest blogs, videos, podcasts, movie reviews, opinion pieces, and all the other Internet Garbage I've been creating.

And if you enjoy what you read or watch, please forward this email to a friend and encourage them to subscribe.

Don't gatekeep the Internet Garbage.

Thanks for reading, supporting the site, and following along on this crazy journey.

See you next week!

— Niel