my cup of tea.

The other day I was listening to the radio and they were discussing what it means to 'like' something. I've been thinking about this ever since.

How is it that we come to like something? Think about it; each of us has different likes and dislikes, some are the same, but some differ. How do we know that we like something? Right now I am drinking a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks, which I like. But that is all dictated by my taste buds. I bought a new cd today; Youngblood Hawke, and I really like it. I walked into Urban Outfitters, and almost every item of clothing in the store I loved. Why? A lot of what we like is dictated and influence by the culture that we live in, so I've been examining my life and trying to figure out why I like the things that I do. How much of it is simply because pop culture has shoved it in our faces, and thats all that we can manage to see and hear? As humans we want so badly to fit in and be liked by our peers and the people around us, that we often purchase and pretend to like things that simply aren't "us". I am trying very hard these days to not care about others and just like things because I like them, not someone else. But it is often hard to tell the difference. I am not saying that I only like things that other people like, but it often seems that way because we are surrounded by so many material goods, appearances and everything else that is considered "popular". It becomes hard to know if we like a song simply because it is on the radio, or if we genuinely like the music. 

So, from now on, I am going to examine myself and the things that I 'like' and 'love', and hope that I like them for me only. Not because someone else said that I should.

Now, think about the more technical side of things. Isn't liking something a strange thing? We are all built with instincts that tell us when we like or don't like something. I like the sound of the acoustic guitar, because, well, it sounds good to me. It is a hard thing to physically put into words and wrap your head around. Each of us is built with taste buds that tell us when something tastes amazing or completely disgusting. It's actually an amazing and complex thing to think about. The word 'like' is a strange thing because it is so subjective. Each of us is completely different; but thats what makes each of us so unique.

Now; I've said the word 'like' about a million times in this post. Hopefully you can handle it and still possibly 'like' it :) 

Here are some things that I am 'liking' lately:

Arm candy! so many awesome bracelets.

Braids! I find them so feminine and beautiful. Especially when they are a tad messy.

Looser tank tops with large arm holes. I can't explain this one, I just like 'em. 

These are all fashion/beauty, but oh well, that's me :)