Friday, November 16, 2007

Deep

What is it that makes something "deep?" Is is the profoundness of the statement? The knowledge that is displayed? Or is it deep because it makes one really think? I've heard many people try to sound deep by using a "smart" vocabulary, or saying something that really doesn't make any sense. Poetic statements or questions may also seem deep. Perhaps they are. Perhaps I'm wrong about what deep is, but I'm going to write what I think of it, anyway.
To me, deep, is the wrong term to use. Because it is so general, I like to think that something is thoughtful, instead. Or perhaps it isn't even a profound or thoughtful statement at all- maybe what was said or written just provoked a thought. I guess I really have no conclusion for the question of what is deep, I just feel that the term covers a broad range.
Am I trying to be deep? No. Obviously, I'm not just writing about my day, or funny jokes that I just have to share. I just like to think. I feel that if I explore my own thoughts, feelings, and insights, I will truly discover myself. I am a person who likes to ponder the questions of life. I listen to talk radio because I want to know. I want to think about the world around me. I want to think about why we do the things we do. I want to think about my problems, and how to solve them. I want to think about my blessings. I want to think about how I can be a better person. I want to think about how I can make the world better. I can't think about any of this without learning how to think, however. I feel it is essential for one to know oneself before walking on the frail tightrope of others' feelings.
Deep? Perhaps. What do you think deep is?

Song of the Day: "Getting Better"- The Beatles

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Ice Cream

What is it about ice cream that makes it so well-loved? Of course, that's a question with many obvious answers, but let's think rhetorically now. Here are a list of reasons I have come up with in my short amount of blogging time:
1. It's delicious.
2. It has a very tolerable texture.
3. You can buy it for little money.
4. It's easy to serve/ eat.
5. It comes in thousands of varieties.
6. It provides a sense of nostalgia.

The last one on my list is one I dug out of my deeper realms of thinking, of course. Honestly, though, what are some of the earliest memories you have? I guarantee you've loved ice cream for as long as you can remember. I don't blame you. Ice cream is one of those treats that you can enjoy any time- and there are so many varieties, you won't be disappointed.

I've always wanted to visit Vermont so I can experience the Ben & Jerry's Headquarters. (I still haven't sampled half of their flavors.) Every time I go grocery shopping I end up splurging on a little tiny quart of Ben & Jerry's or even more delicious- Haagen Dazs. I can't pass by the tempting calls from the Brownie Batter, Phish Food, Cinnamon Dulce de Leche, or Oatmeal Cookie Chunk (the one currently in my freezer.) Luckily- most of these flavors are rich enough that I can consume a few spoonfuls a day- making the quarts last a few weeks.

On the topic of my favorite flavor: Mayan Chocolate. I was reading a review article by Orson Scott Card ( http://www.hatrack.com/osc/reviews/everything/2006-06-25.shtml) where he talks about Haagen Dazs (new) flavor, Mayan Chocolate. This immediately grabbed my attention: a) because I love chocolate, and b) because I pretty much open my mind with high respect to everything O.S.C. says. Mayan Chocolate was described as cinnamon and dark chocolate- my two very favorite flavors- and even more so when mixed together. I absolutely had to try this ice cream that I already knew was my favorite. I searched high and low... well the 2 grocers in my little home town, but neither of them carried what I wanted. I ended up waiting months until the day I found an online company that ships ice cream directly to your doorstep. Accidentally confirming my credit card number- and without the option of cancelling the $40 dollar shipping- I received my first quart of Mayan Chocolate ice cream the day before my 19th birthday. It was everything- and more- that I had expected. The perfect darkness of the creamy chocolate ice cream with a delicious warm swirl of cinnamon in all the right places. It really is the perfect flavor. Mmm.

If you aren't a fan of dark chocolate- I still recommend that you try Mayan Chocolate. My very close second favorite is Cinnamon Dulce de Leche. It's like an upgrade of the original Dulce De Leche. Obviously I prefer the richer, warmer tastes of cinnamon, but of course I do love fruity ice cream and a nice scoop of mint chocolate chip every once in awhile. Almost ice cream is good in my opinion whether it's gourmet or cheap gallon stuff. By the way, my next goal is to try Creme Brulee- also by Haagen Dazs, then perhaps the caramel cone. We all scream for ice cream!

Thursday, November 1, 2007

No Regrets

Time flies. Seasons change. So do people. Do you ever look back and wonder why you did or said the things you did? I do. I look back on my past and question my thoughts and actions, but then I dig deep and realize why I did those things. Reading journal entries from my past are almost embarrassing sometimes. For instance, I blush when I read every detail possible about a boy I had a crush on- then look up and realize that I'm only embarrassed for myself. I recall mistakes I have made, or cruel and unkind things I've said. I learn from these.
Look back on your life. Don't regret anything. No matter how stupid or silly things seem to have been, don't say that you wish it hadn't happened. You will find that if you use your mistakes as tools of learning- you will be a happier and wiser person. We are what we are mostly because of the choices we make and how we react to the world around us. If you don't want to have regrets, then act in such a way that you could never regret it. Be the kind of person who looks back on oneself and thinks, "I've had a good life." Be your best. Live without regret.