M&Ms...or Med School?

I often wonder how human beings can be so continuously ridiculous. Why is it that this weekend, despite my intentions to be productive, I spent the majority of my time doing nothing of importance? I suppose I'm asking the age-old question: why do I do things I don't want to do? I understand that sitting on the couch all weekend will not help improve my life. When there is homework to be completed, putting it off until the last minute does not make it go away. Watching the Lord of the Rings does not, despite my wishes, make me more like Frodo so I can go save the world. Watching Pride and Prejudice will not bring me any closer to my Mr. Darcy. So again, I ask, why do I waste my time? I'm no Albert Einstein, but my I.Q. is not 15 either. I understand that



watching movies will not change my life. Why is it that I act in ways that I know are completely futile? Why do I eat so many peanut M&M's, when I know that an apple is much healthier? Something is definitely wrong if I am no longer satisfied with what is "good" for me.

I hate to admit it, but there are times when I grow weary of doing right. I'm just sick of eating salad with a turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread, and drinking water and cranberry juice. Give me a bag of M&M's! I wonder why it is that so many people in my generation have this same problem. We are so easily deceived by looking at the temporary. I think it's because we are such a demanding generation. We want everything now, not in five minutes. I feel like eating a huge tub of ice cream and M&M's, so that' what I'm going to do! I don't take into consideration that I could easily gain twenty-five pounds and eventually have a heart attack due to an inadequate diet. I don't feel like doing my homework right now, so I'll watch a movie. If I were to instead, step back and say "Well if I don't do it tonight I won't have any time to work on it the rest of the week. Then it will be rushed, I'll get a poor grade, and my semester grade could be affected. If I don't keep my GPA up, I'll never get into med school! I better start on this assignment tonight." While that may be a bit extreme, I believe that long-term goals and delayed gratification are two things that people today really need to work on - myself included. If I stay focused on the end result I want, it's easier to stick it through and finish what needs to be done. When I realize that, hey - I don't want to become obese - it's easier to exhibit self control when it comes to eating ice cream.
But hey. It never hurts to sneak a few peanut M&M's every once-in-a-while.

One of my favorite scenes from the newest Pride and Prejudice movie goes like this:

Mr. Bennet: “How happy for you, Mr. Collins, to possess a talent for flattering with such... delicacy.”
Elizabeth Bennet: “Do these pleasing attentions proceed from the impulse of the moment, or are they the result of previous study?”
Mr. Collins: “They arise chiefly from what is passing of the time. And though I do sometimes amuse myself with arranging such little elegant compliments, I always wish to give them as unstudied an air as possible.”
Elizabeth Bennet: “Oh, believe me, no one would suspect your manners to be rehearsed.”

I feel like this is the story of the majority of my visits at Starbucks. While there may be a slight few exceptions, it seems as though the light-hearted gaiety of the baristas are somewhat…how to say this…premeditated: forced. To be perfectly honest, I feel as though their obviously feigned bubbly-ness is just downright ridiculous. I look forward to the day when I ask one such maker-of-expensive-caffeine how their day is going, and they answer that it could be going better. I would prefer to have honest people to converse with rather than absurdly happy people. Don’t take me wrong. I’m sure this situation has a lot to do with the company itself rather than the actual people. But I wonder if either understands the difference between happiness and joy. I’m not attempting to be critical. There have been a few situations where it seems that they are genuinely happy. I struggle with this myself sometimes. Just thought I’d make an observation.