I is Iconic

I'm continuing on my goal to finish the alphabet list challenge. The goal is to work through the alphabet, pick a letter, then write about five favorite things that begin with that letter.

An today's letter is I, and I is Iconic. There are many Incredible words that begin with I. I like Intrepid, Interesting, Intriguing, and Independent. I also like Innocence, Idealistic, and Iridescent. I love Intelligence and Illumination and Illustrious.

Sometimes, I'm Impulsive, Introspective, and feel better when I follow my Instincts. Sometimes, I can be Inquisitive, Imaginative, and Incorrigible. I highly value Ingenuity and Integrity. And I'm very fond of Intercourse. It's Important to have dialogue and debates when Interacting with others. It makes for Invigorating Interjections.

I love the sound of the words Iota, Isosceles, Ingénue, and Idiosyncrasy. I especially love hearing the Spanish soccer announcer call out "Inglaterra!", which sounds much more exotic and mysterious than England.

Which brings me to the places I'd like to see that begins with I: Ireland, Italy, India, and Iceland.

I used to want to see Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Then I saw a very disturbing and disgusting report during the Rio 2016 Olympics that revealed that the beach water is full of high levels of "fecal coliform bacteria"--That's crap! Poop! The city sewer dumps directly into the sea! Why? Brazil? Why? I don't care how picturesque a beach looks or how many sexy people are sunbathing if the beach and water are full of crap! It's just a big old toilet! An outhouse! Blah!

I still shudder at the thought of swimming in Rio ever since I saw that disturbing pollution report. And now, every time I hear that famous classic song, The Girl from Ipanema, I cringe and think, "I hope she washed her hands and took a shower and didn't go to that filthy, dirty beach!"

But let's mentally bleach our thoughts and move on to more pleasant and better things.

I'm a little indecisive about Israel. I'd love to see it for the important historical value. But I fear I may not like the politics and religious conflicts and violence that seem so common there. I still want to see it though. The remnants of the Temple and the Site of where Jesus was crucified and the location of his resurrection are interesting.

But honestly, I want to see The Tomb of Abraham, located in the city of Hebron. Also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs, the Cave of the Patriarchs is the burial site of three of the Old Testament's notable figures/couples: Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and Leah. I just want to see Abraham's resting place. The others are just a big bonus.

And I also want to see and experience the modern city of Tel Aviv. Yes, yes, Jerusalem and Nazareth and Bethlehem would be on my list, but I love Mediterranean beaches, and I also want to see the Dead Sea and the River Jordan. And I would love to sample the local cuisine.

I have a few fave foods that begin with I, like Icebox cakes and Icebox pies and Irish Cream. I also love Iced Tea and Iced Coffee, so long as they're sweet. I don't understand how people can drink tea or coffee black. That's just harsh and bitter and awful to me!

But food is a good way to begin my list of top five favorite things that begin with the letter I:

1. Ice Cream

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream!

I love ice cream! By itself, in a cone, part of a sundae, a banana split, an ice cream cake, or even as a milkshake. Ice cream is a sweet dream come true! It is my guilty pleasure. I once ate two quarts of pistachio ice cream by myself. The power had gone out and the ice cream was melting. I don't like to waste food, so I ate it all. It was delicious! And it was also the only thing that I ate that day.

My favorite flavor is Neapolitan--the one with the vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry flavors packaged side by side. I also love pistachio and the cookies and cream flavors. Actually, I love all flavors, except for mint chocolate--it reminds me too much of toothpaste.

I'm sorry but mint belongs in toothpaste and mouth washes, NOT ice cream! Chocolate is better on its own. It don't need no partner nor backup singers to shine! And while we're talking about things that DON'T belong with ice cream, add to the No list: Frozen Yogurt and Sherbet. Frozen yogurt and sherbet are NOT ice cream! Frozen Yogurt and Sherbet are delightful frozen treats.

Things that do belong in the ice cream category: Gelato? Yes. Gelato is rich and so smooth! Frozen custard? Always! Frozen custard is the best tasting type of ice cream! Ice cream is a treat. I like ice cream all year, any time, no matter what the season, even in winter! And vanilla ice cream is my favorite creamer/topping for my coffee, and I love it on top of warm apple pie or a hot waffle! And ice cream is amazing on cake!


2. Iguazu Falls

I want to see the Iguazu Falls, located between Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil, the largest waterfall system in the world! There's just something magical and enthralling about waterfalls. It would be an adventure just trying to get there to that remote location.

But as beautiful and stunning the jungle and waterfalls might be, I have to keep in mind that this is the wild, and there is danger everywhere. I've got to watch out for bullet ants, poisonous spiders, and deadly vipers. Then there are the ferocious piranhas, anacondas, caimans, and jaguars. I have to be sure not to fall into the water or get lost in the jungle. Better yet, I must surround myself with slow moving tourists, the kind the predators go after while I run away really fast.

But worst of all has to be the world's most vicious predator: Candiru, the tiny catfish that swims up your urethra and lodges itself inside your bladder! That's right! This fish swims up your pee hole and lodges itself inside of your genitals! This parasite is often found feeding inside other fishes' gills. It feeds on blood! So it'll probably feed on the blood vessels inside your jewels! Gah!

But even with all these dangers, I still want to go see Iguazu Falls. I want to witness and experience nature's majesty and awesomeness. I just have to remember not to fall in the water and to wear a spring suit to block off critical body access to any hungry candiru looking for a home and a meal! Go somewhere else, Candiru! These genitals are for authorized personnel only!


3. Islands

I love islands, especially the beautiful, warm tropical ones with great beaches and stunning vistas. My favorites are the ones full of gorgeous landscapes, vibrant flowers, delicious fruits and veggies, and are full of dazzling wildlife with no deadly nor poisonous predators present at all.

Some of the most magnificent places I've been to are delightful islands with stunning beaches and dazzling waterfalls. They're the special places where I've witnessed such glorious sunrises and beheld such riveting sunsets. I've seen some of the most wondrous starry nights on remote, ravishing islands.

I've had an amazing time enjoying the waterfalls, hiking through jungles, trekking up mountains, and playing in the surf and sand. And I love the laid back island atmosphere and the welcoming, wonderful locals. Terrific tropical islands are a precious paradise to me.

When I can't escape to a tropical island in real life, I like to close my eyes and pretend that I am on a tropical beach island getaway. It helps to set the mood by having umbrella drinks on hand and island music playing. I'd sit in a beach chair, sip a cool drink, listen to music, and close my eyes and imagine myself on an enchanting tropical island paradise. It's a fantastic way to relax when I can't do the real thing.


4. Indiana

I love Indiana! Jones, not the state. Truthfully, I consider the original Indiana Jones trilogy to be awesome! That fourth sequel was a horrific and gawd awful mess that is best forgotten! So I will not speak of that atrocity here.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) got my attention. I was hooked the moment Indiana Jones swapped that golden idol and triggered the huge boulder booby trap that chased him out of the temple. The use of the Biblical Ark of the Covenant was very imaginative.

The Temple of Doom (1984) had my fave Indiana character, Short Round!

He cracked me up throughout the whole movie. That feast scene is more hilarious with Short Round's and Willie's faces, their reaction to the food.

Also, they made riding in a mine cart look like fun.

The Last Crusade (1989) is also hilarious. I especially love the depiction and dynamics of Indiana Jones and his father. Also, we get to see some awesome Indiana history, like how he got his style. I like that the story took a Biblical theme, combined it with history--ancient and recent--and ran with it to create an entertaining story. The shots of the desert and ruins are fantastic!

Indiana Jones made being an academic (and archaeologist) really cool! After watching Raiders of the Lost Ark, my two brothers and I went hunting for ancient temples and ruins and hidden treasure. Didn't find any, but we still had a blast searching the woods. And we'd play Indiana Jones, treasure hunter, for many years to come.

One of my favorite things to do while babysitting my nieces and nephews was to introduce them to Indiana Jones. Then I'd watch them have fun pretending to hunt for treasure or escaping booby trapped ruins.

As for the state of Indiana, I'm not sure what to say or think. Not that I have anything against the state of Indiana. I've passed through once on my way to Chicago. The traffic was just awful! I don't really know what there is to see in Indiana. Yes, it is the home of the Colts, and if I recall correctly, The Jackson Five lived there. And The Middle sitcom takes place in Indiana.

Of course, there is the famous Indianapolis 500 car race. But to be honest, I'm not really excited to see cars going round and round in circles for hours on end. That just sounds boring. If I want to see cars racing, I want to see them actually race on real roads through cities, like the Monaco Grand Prix, or off road, like the Baja 1000 in the desert.

But if the Indianapolis 500 ever incorporated some changes, like adding a few new super vehicles and flames and made their drivers and cars more fashionable:

I'd definitely watch that race!


5. Itinerant

It means Traveler or Traveling from place to place, wandering, roaming, and roving.

It's a great big world, and I want to see it all. It's fun and exciting to see new places, meet new people, try new foods, experience different cultures, and trek in new landscapes. I grew up on the remote coast, a small rural village on the frontier, in the middle of nowhere. As soon as I found out that there was a much bigger world out there, I couldn't wait to leave the farm and head out to see that big world.

And I've done it. I've been living and exploring the big world for a long time now. And it's still pretty amazing. I've seen some spectacular sights, felt some astounding things, experienced some extraordinary places, and met many fascinating people. And there's still so much more to see and explore.

But the biggest surprise for me is the realization that I'm not just looking for adventure anymore. I'm actually looking for something special, something that feels right, something wonderful.

I didn't realize it back then, because I was too young, too rash, too blinded to realize that the place where I grew up was pretty special and amazing in its own way. I didn't appreciate it then. I didn't know how until I saw the big world and developed a frame of reference, something to compare home to.

And now that I'm older, and hopefully much wiser, I realize now that there really is no place like home. And I was very lucky and blessed to have grown up in a small, rural, remote coastal community. Home was (and still is) a very beautiful and relaxing place.

When I first left home, I was still a teen, eager to see the big cities and check out the big world. I soaked up as much of the urban and local culture as I could. I didn't tell anyone about my small village upbringing, though it was obvious from my naivety and ignorance of urban life that I wasn't from the city.

Nowadays, I'm pretty proud of my rural roots. I gladly acknowledge that I grew up as a farm boy in a rural, frontier village. And I'm also a beach boy from the remote coast who still revels in pristine blue waters and loves the fresh mountain air.

When I first moved to the city, I was lucky to have met some urban friends who took me under their wing and taught me to be street smart. And I learned how to survive and thrive in the big city from them. And I've adapted those skills and used them to explore the bigger world and travel to far off places that I had once only read about in books and magazines, or seen in movies and on tv. The world is such a magnificent and wondrous place. And I want to see and experience it all.


And there it is, my top five favorite things that begin with the letter I, the things that have left an Impression and that I find are Important and have an Impact. What about you? What are your five favorite things that begin with the letter I? Inquiring minds want to know!


Related Links

A list
B all that you can B
Consumption
What you C is what you get, the beginning
What you C is what you get, the middle
What you C is what you get, the end
D lighted
Essential
F is for Fun
G is Great
H is Heavenly
I is Iconic
Brought to you by the letter S
U doing that thing U do
Zing Zing Zoom