As I have mentioned before, our University Relations department has something we do daily called “Topic of the Day.” A whiteboard at the entrance of our office suite displays a question for each member of our team to answer. Every now and then, I will share one of these questions on a Thursday Rundown.

However, sometimes the “Topic of the Day” is too important for just a passing mention on a rundown blog post…

This was the brilliant Topic of the Day within our EWU University Relations office on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026.

Such as the one I posted above. Presented in an easy-to-answer and aesthetically-pleasing way by our senior graphic designer, Emily Ausere, the question is quite simple: Which piece of the brownie is the best?

Answering the question as if you had a freshly baked pan of brownies in front of you, the choices included: A corner piece (A), a piece that borders the pan on one side (B), or a middle piece that doesn’t border the pan at all (C).

It didn’t even take a split second for me to answer. I put my tally underneath “C” instantaneously.

I want a brownie that is consistent in texture throughout the whole piece. Give me softness in every bite, please. Corners are chewy at best but most of the time burnt…no thank you. I don’t know about you, but hard and scorched is not my preference when it comes to a brownie.

Thanks to Hurricane Matthew many years ago, we swapped a birthday cake for brownies. You better believe I ate the middle and gave the rest to Sid and her family.

Let me put it this way: The “C” piece as defined in the “Topic of the Day” is the filet of the batch of brownies. It is where all the good stuff resides and where perfection can be found.

My philosophy on opting for and savoring the “filet” goes beyond just brownies (and steak, for that matter). If I am eating a hamburger or a traditional square sandwich, I am eating around the border first so that I can save the best for last when I eat the middle.

This can be applied to pizza, too. We commonly cook a certain type of frozen pizza in our family that is square-shaped. I take the insulated pieces in the middle. Thankfully, this never causes controversy because my wife and kids all want the corner pieces—which brings up my next point…

People actually do prefer corner pieces—even when it comes to brownies. And I guess that is a good thing because in life not everyone can have the filet and when people voluntarily opt out of it, that just means more for me.

Sid, Sloan, and Beau can eat all the corner pieces of brownies and pizza they want. Don’t Blink.