Nurture or Nature

So ever since I was a young'n, I have always been a huge fan of the team the New York Rangers. A weird team for a Canadian to love, but nonetheless, the power of parental brain-washing is pretty powerful stuff. My dad watched the games on TV, I owned a Rangers jersey and hat, and we went to the games when they played the Leafs (sp? Leaves? sheesh, who can cheer for a team with bad grammar. Long sidenote, feel free to not mention my previous band as it makes me look like a hypocrite).

Ever since, my love for watching the team has grown. But in those early years I guess I had a choice. I found a picture of myself at my parents house around the age of 5 wearing a Leafs toque, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. During a more recent visit to my parents house, I started going through my old school stuff from my early elementary years. All I could talk about was hockey and my love for the New York Rangers. The more I read, the more I realized how influenced I was through the process of admiring my Dad at the time and wanting to be just like him. So, the question is, do I still have a choice now? Or am I stuck with the Rangers for life?

It made me realize how much influence a decision can have on us in the future. At the time, I wanted nothing more in the world to be just like my Dad - to like the things he does and do the things he does. Maybe this is from the desire of any child to establish security. I wouldn't rule out my ambition to pursue an engineering degree like my Dad did came from a similar place. And then as I got older, the need to appear consistent and commited would freeze my preferences, because, hey, noone likes a turncoat. I can't all of the sudden by a Sens fan, can I? Not like this would be a good year to pick that team...

Why else can you explain that I can't seem to turn Indie Rock fans to the much-superior realm of Metal? Or why else would a Leafs fan continue cheering for such a terrible team? Or why would someone hang on to shares of a failing stock? Or why did I crawl under my desk and cry in Grade 2 when we switched from writing on the pink lines to the blue ones? Or why is it that I can't seem to find the droids I'm looking for?

As such, I have realized that some of the things I do and feel are a result of my desire for consistency, and I no longer feel I need to stick to them them:

1. I am now doing an MBA degree, cause Engineering isn't totally right for me
2. I will no longer say 'Dude, Where's My Car?' is the best movie ever as I've been saying for years (also, we all know Lord of The Rings is anyways)
3. I am open to Costa Rica not being surrounded by the Caribbean and the Atlantic, but the Caribbean and the Pacific
4. I will admit that perhaps yogurt and pineapple on top of cereal isn't the greatest tasting

However, in all other things I'm still right. The Rangers are still the best, Heavy Metal reigns supreme, and dogs are superior and smarter than monkeys. Maybe I have a long way to go.