Fuzzy Thoughts:

So last night, my roommates and I got into a bit of an argument which led to us basically stripping our personalities and philosophies down and just explaining to each other who we are at our core, so that there is no misunderstanding. It was a very interesting discussion that led to an exchange of a lot of ideas, many of which I don't agree with and some of which I did.

It also led me to wonder about the person I am and have strived to be for the last few years. I have always catered to a few important philosophies in my life and tried to uphold these to the best of my abilities

1. Live a balanced life: Above all, this is one of the core ideals I have tried to live up to, and that is to always strive to find the balance in life. Also the most vague of my ideals and difficult to describe exactly how to live up to it.
2. Respect others: Kinda cheesy, but basically true: the Golden Rule. Deal with other people however you'd like, but just be sure to treat them with respect (up until the point that they start to disrespect you). Everybody wants to be treated with dignity and shown some seriousness, so why should you rob them of this?
3. Consider the other side: A lot of people in this world are quick to take sides and defend them staunchly. However, I believe that it is important to consider all sides of an issue. Obviously there is merit to both sides of an argument, as there would not be supporters of that side if it wasn't true. Maybe if we started considering opposing views a little more, we could understand each other a little better. And on that note:
4. There is always more than two sides: This is not a world of black and white, this is a world of grays. People will always have a plethora of different perspectives on various issues. I have always believed this is true, and it is important to realize this. When Bush said "Either you're with us or you're with the terrorists," I realized how important it is to keep this ideal in mind.
5. Embrace change: The most recent addition to my core ideals, but one that is very true. Maybe this is a cheesy thing to say, but college has been an eye-opener to me. There are so many different things out there in the world, so many people to meet, so many things to experience, so many ways to change and better yourself. And if we are not open to change, then these things will simply pass us by without a second thought. It is always scary to embrace change, but how will you ever know what is good for you and what you really like until you experience it?
6. It's never too late: Also a recent addition, and also cheesy, but something I believe. Dreams can be accomplished at any time and age. Sure, you might have to work harder at it the more you put it off, but it can happen if you truly believe in what you're doing.

Of course, the nature of these ideals (especially the last one) is that one must always be willing to change themselves to consider other things and other people. In essence, you might say that these philosophies force me to forever be morphing and unable to define a real persona. This is a stark contrast to my roommate, who is and has been immovable in his core ideals for a very long time.

I dont' think I could live my life like that. In the last few years, I have been so inspired by the people I have met and the sights I have seen and the feelings I have experienced that I often feel like I'm not doing enough. There is so much to learn out there and it will be impossible to learn it all in one lifetime, and the only way we can possibly hope to learn is by willingly changing like this so much. Perhaps I am changing too much simply to cater to other people, and perhaps this is a fault of mine. I like to think of it as discovering who I am and what I like. The more we change, the more we figure out what's good for us and what's bad for us. Thus is the nature of evolution itself! The very concept of survival of the fittest can be applied to intrapersonal ideas as well. I believe it is important for us to continually evolve ourselves and learn from each other so that we not only better ourselves but also discover what is best for ourselves.

And sure, maybe when it's all said and done, I'll have figured out that the only thing I really wanted all along is that girl by my side and a nice country home where nobody can bother us and I don't need to pay attention to the rest of the world. That's fine, but at least I'll have figured it out by doing everything and figuring out what's best for me. After all, how the hell am I supposed to figure out what I will and won't like if I don't do it? Perhaps a simple and childish notion, but sometimes the things we figured out when we were kids are the most fundamental and important things in our lives.

This discussion also led to the nature of friendship and such. And all these ideals relate to how I view friendship. In my opinion, it is important to deal with others in their own way. If you really want to be friends with someone, you must be willing to respect them and change yourself enough to play by their rules. If they like something or behave a certain way or dislike certain things, you must be willing to embrace these things about them and apply them to the way that you behave when you are with this friend.
Of course, this is a two-way street and there is such a thing as give-and-take. I'm not saying you should be a carpet to be walked all over. If this person is truly your friend, they will exercise the same courtesy and respect you have given them and try to change themselves for the same purpose. Thus, there is a middle ground that can be reached and an exchange of ideas and philosophies. Such is the nature of friendship to me, learning about ourselves by learning about each other. I certainly don't have all the answers, but maybe other people have answers that I like. And maybe they'll like some of the answers that I have to offer. And maybe they'll have some answers that I don't like, and that's okay too.

Now admittedly, I have not been doing the best job of upkeeping some of these friendships, and I do feel guilty about that. Part of the reason of that is that I have basically been taking them for granted. But I feel like with certain people, I've been through the woods and back with them, and that's enough that I can pick up the friendship at any point I'd like. This is a bad way of thinking about things, and I admit this much. However, I have experienced that this can work with certain friends of mine. I have also experienced that this apparently doesn't work with certain friends of mine. I honestly don't know what to say about this, as it is something I am striving to change about myself, but is difficult to overcome, especially with everything else I am trying to do in my present life. And perhaps this is the balance I am always struggling to maintain in my life, among other balances.

Meh, I don't know, I don't have all the answers. Come be friends with me, we can exchange ideas. :P

Oh yeah, congrats Italy, I guess.