I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream...cones!

I love ice cream. I am a true believer in the fact that ice cream makes everything better. I have always loved ice cream...that frozen treat. It has served it's purpose in getting me through some tough times. I have wonderful childhood memories of ice cream, frozen custard, and frozen yogurt.

When we lived in St. Louis we were able to be near the best frozen custard in the US, possibly the world. Ted Drew's. The green and yellow cups are what I remember best...those and how much my mother loved...LOVES...Ted Drew's. She drove miles, and miles out of her way to Utah just to go to Ted Drew's. When we moved from St. Louis her friends got her a Ted Drew's cup with concrete in it...real concrete...so that she would always have a Ted Drew's concrete.

Then there was Julie Ann's Frozen Custard in Illinois. It was near my orthodontist, and nothing feels better on freshly tightened braces than a delightful frozen treat. I loved their turtle sundaes. Except when I had my expander(an orthodontic device to make my mouth bigger because it wasn't big enough). The nuts would get stuck between my expander and the roof of my mouth, and I would have to suck them out. It disgusted my mother, and as a result I developed a habit of sucking in sometimes...even without my expander...it's not really a pleasant noise...at least not for the rest of the world...anyway...I suppose for my earliest years it was frozen custard...but don't worry...ice cream has it's place in my life too. Edy's Grand (which is Dryer's in the west) was our favorite store bought...with my mom's homemade hot fudge...or Mrs. Richarson's...my mom taught me how to have a little ice cream with your hot fudge. Maybe I love ice cream and custard so much because it reminds me of my mother....interesting.

Anyway...then we moved to Vegas. I don't really remember much about frozen custard or ice cream in Vegas, but I do remember frozen yogurt (and of course In-n-Out Burger...but that is for another blog). I remember going to TCBY and getting vanilla frozen yogurt with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups...DELICIOUS! Then there was the Golden Swirl at Smith's grocery store...what I remember about Golden Swirl is the day that Aja got her driver's license. She had just gotten her driver's license and so we went driving, and I bought her frozen yogurt and we walked around Smith's just having our usual good time doing nothing important...of course how were we to know that in under an hour Aja would be getting in her first car accident...with her driver's license still warm from the printer! A great memory with a great friend. I remember eating ice cream with my friend Mary and laughing so hard that Mary wet her pants a little! Nothing to bring about good times like a creamy frozen treat! I'm telling you...if you want world peace than pray for ice cream to be loved by all the world! Maybe an ice cream truck should drive through the battle fields of the world.

Then...tragically...we moved to Utah...but lucky for us...Nielsen's was here...and though it's no Ted Drew's...it is definitely a decent substitute. Especially when their flavor of the day is MINT!!! And Cold Stone or Baskin Robbin's has ALWAYS served as a delightful ending to a night of spiritual uplift-ment (aka institute). I've had some great conversations with great friends sitting outside of Basking Robbin's and Nielsen's, and Cold Stone...I even have a little Cold Stone crush! He's very nice!! And let's not forget the soft serve cones at Maverick for $0.89! In college those were life sustaining...and when we really wanted to splurge it would be an Oreo Sundae at Denny's...good times!

But one of the most important things in all my love for these creamy, frozen treats is how do you eat them...well for me...it truly depends on what I'm eating...

Ted Drew's...green and yellow cup for sure! Julie Ann's...a bowl. Edy's green ice cream with black dots and my mom's hot fudge...one of our brown bowls that we've had forever! TCBY or Golden Swirl...a waffle cone at TCBY and sugar cone at Golden. Nielsen's...a cup. Baskin Robbin's...or any other hard ice cream...a SUGAR CONE. Cold Stone...since I usually have a shake...a cup...if I do get the ice cream...typically a bowl...though I have been known to splurge on a waffle cone. Soft serve from McDonald's, Dairy Queen, or Maverick...a regular cardboard cone. I know...I'm a complicated woman...but only about the little things! ;)

But how do we eat these delightful treats? Well I think that how we eat them says a lot about who we are...So I decided to take a little poll...of sugar cones...because they truly are the best...and regular cones...they truly are pieces of cardboard...here are the results! ( and I love those of you who just said waffle...even though it wasn't an option...I wondered if that would happen)!

john: sugar cone. a regular cone is one step away from eating paper.

annie: sugar

aubry: regular. with vanilla soft serve from Dairy Queen...yum!

amanda: waffle cone. I have a happy childhood memory about waffle cones. plus freshly made ones are divine. (I'm telling you ice cream is the key to world peace)!!

eric: waffle, all the way. chocolate dipped when I can get it.

jeff: regular (I guess he likes cardboard)

jimmy: regular

dave: waffle

kathryn: sugar cone! more crunchy and sweet! (AMEN)!

jenn: I'm gonna pay extra for the waffle cone!

kelli jean: sugar

jerusha: sugar cone for sure, unless the regular ones have half the calories. (who counts calories when they're eating ice cream)!?

kerri ann: regular (I can't believe we're related)!

mandy: well between those; sugar. but waffle is the best.

sara: sugar

becca: mmmm....sugar.

melanie: regular cone all the way!

sunshine: sugar

jill: sugar! I want all the sugar I can get.

tracy: sugar

dave: sugar! dug! (we are definitely related)!

jessi: sugar with chocolate dipped and lots of sprinkles

mindy: sugar cone because of its great sugary goodness and because it was such a coveted reward when I was little.

stephanie: sugar of course.

danna: I love sugar cones!

tim: sugar cone.

kim: regular

shorty: depends on how much sugar I had that day. generally regular cone because of its shape. (leave it to shorty to over analyze the question...oh wait...so did I)!

ronnie: regular...cuz it gets good and soggy faster.

sarah: waffle cone dipped in chocolate and nuts.

becca: sugar. always.

megan: waffle cones. bigger. holds more ice cream

alisa: sugar cone

tammy: sugar

ed: depends...a high quality ice cream deserves a high quality sugar cone. McDonald's ice cream doesn't seem right on a sugar cone.

slice bread: generally I would say sugar cone, but sometimes I'm in the mood for a tasteless piece of edible cardboard with my ice cream. (this is why we are friends)!

ray: waffle cone

janelle: no cone

jenn: no cone

josie beth: sugar

devin: for sure the sugar cone. they hold a lot more ice cream

• ADDENDUM: So Courtney pointed out that her answer was not on here...which may not be the end of the world except that this question was her idea!! Here is her response: "Well it depends on my mood, but if I don't get a cone (sugar) then I get a cup and sugar cone and I crush the cone on top". My humblest and most without wax apologies.

Just Because You Answered Doesn't Make You Shallow!

So I'm working on being better about my so called weekly random questions...so that they are indeed...weekly random questions. Just a quick side note...if you're browsing through the responses, and you did not have a change to respond to one, please post a comment with your two or three cents!

So the most recent weekly random question was "What is your favorite physical characteristic of the opposite sex." I asked this question in a public face to face setting, as well as over text messaging. This may seem like a shallow question...however...let's be honest...what initially attracts you to someone...if you've never heard them speak...for example...the lost member of the Beatles who I saw last night at Village Inn...I didn't hear him utter one word...he was eating alone...but I lost my train of thought a few times during the course of the conversation...just ask my friend Courtney...but there was something about his physical self that caught my eye...now if he had opened his mouth...maybe I would have lost interest in his physical make up...but until he did speak...I was going to enjoy the view! And what was it about the view that I was enjoying...his hair, and his eyes, and his very Romanesque nose. So...what do the rest of you enjoy? I have left out names...but attached genders. Please note that comments in parenthesises are my own comments.

male: eyes and a long slender neck with hair up and few pieces hanging down.

female: the entire facial package with an emphasis on straight teeth

male: simple beauty (you gotta love this guy)!

female: jaw line, shoulders, angular, height: he should be tall

female: face, teeth, eyes, lips

female: height

female: eyes! lips come in a very close second, but at first glance I would say eyes. beyond first glance I like hands. I think they say a lot about a person...just like eyes. (And to this I say A-FREAKING-MEN)!!

male: the same thing pirates are after: the booty!!

female: hair probably.

female: I am a fan of backs! I know it is weird! If they have a nice back I am happy.

male: smile

male: honestly, breasts. Although that is not what attracts me to them. (right)

female: eyes, smile, and BUTT!

male: derriere

female: eyes

female: clean cut, nice teeth, well kept. I'm too picky to name just one! I like eyes, but what if his smile sucks? Or what if he has a nice smile but he's a midget?! (I just type 'em how I see 'em)

female: when you're married ask me again. (what is she saying do you think)?

male: lips, takes care of herself

female: eyes & teeth

female: eyes, teeth, smile

female: confident, manly, nice look, teeth & eyes, scent

female: smile

male: I have "two" actually...but seriously, angles and abdomen

male: legs and butt

male: face

female: the eyes for sure! Vincent has one blue eye and one green eye.

female: hands

female: I have a tough time choosing between manly calused hands, scruff and height. All score makers in my book! There is something about a big rugged man that I love...it makes me feel all girly inside. But if I had to only choose one...I really like tall guys...I could probably do without the others...but I won't.

female: favorite characteristic of the opposite gender is definitely eyes.

male: I would have to say face...oh and her body...yeah...that's about it.

female: good question. I am going to with smile.

female: eyes

female: the booty! Just kidding! The eyes. You want to be able to look into them and forget everything but the one your with.

female: I have to say eyes or hands. Kind of weird I know.

female: elbow skin hands down! So rough, so rugged...RARRR!!!

female: hands

female: their butt. HA HA...just kidding...Not sure of my favorite, but I like hands.

I asked a couple of the girls who said hands why they choose hands...they overall consensus was that they make us feel safe. It's true...as a female we enjoying feeling safe...how nice teeth contribute to that...I have no idea...but boys...make sure you have strong looking hands, and nice white teeth! And girls...I don't know...look cute...and I think you'll be ok!

French kissing before you're married: yes? no? maybe so?

So I realize I'm a bit behind in my weekly random question posts, and I have a couple friends who find themselves bored at work, and are outraged that they have nothing to read while milking the clock...so for those of you who have better things to do at work...this is for you! ;)

As always...last names have been withheld to protect the innocent and in this case...the not so innocent...you know who you are...John ;) As I may have said before the responses always amaze me...so characteristic of these great friends of mine. :) I sure love it.

Becca: Yes, but I feel like its also really important to keep it under control-I've seen a lot of friends get into trouble because the didn't respect each other enough to handle something like that.

Danna: Yes

Devin: it all depends on whether you follow the little red card or not.

Jessi: well I'm pretty sure I'm guilty of that...so yes.

Jared: Duh! of course before marriage.

Jeff: If I kiss, then yes.

Jenn: My friend Adam says no and I say heck why not!

Devin revisisted: well so far it's a yes on the french kissing for me...actually I don't know if I should have told you that, oh well.

Ed: I'd say that it's better than not kissing at all before you're married...Furthermore, it's not restricted according to my bishopric's red card.

Amanda: That's a tough one; before divorce I didn't see a probleman with a little. Now I'm more cautious as it gets emotions going that are tough to wrangle back in.

John: Hell yes.

Katherine: Umm yeah. I didn't realize there was a choice.

Josh: If she won't, we don't date.

James: O baby yes.

Jill: for sure!

Aubry: I won't pass up the opportunity if it arises

Katie: Hell yes! HOw else do you know if they're any good.

Kim: Only if he's the right one.

Sarah: Yea, why not?

Becca: Seriously?...yes.

Ray: I say let your conscience be your guide.

Tracy: Depends on with who.

Tara: Yes. As long as its done respectfully.

Shorty: Yes!

Tammy: Nope! That's like "How much can I sexually stimulate myself."

Mindy: Confession time: I would say before married because I already have. But does it count if I hated it?

Ronnie: Kimball clearly has said no...but the night I get proposed to...I might make an exception. But my flesh is weak and I admit to past occurances. I try to hold back. I don't look down on those who do because it is hard to resist.

Annie: Definitely not.

Stephanie: No kissing before the alter.

Dave: Only if it's the right one, or if you feel lonely, or if it's after 10:00pm and the moon is full.

Michelle: YES...but probably not?

Eric: Well I've never had a problem wiht it.

Sean: No because it gets him in trouble.

Josie: I did.

Lara: Nope.

Janelle: yes.



Well there you have it folks! Take it for what you will...as if has been far too long since I have kissed I don't feel that I can offer a valid response...but if my memory serves me well...which I might not at my old age...it was a great thing...and I was not opposed to it at all.