Craving phantom ice cream

I love ice cream. More than anything else in the world. I won't bore you with my long personal history related to ice cream. Every so often, I get an intense craving for a specific ice cream that, sadly, doesn't exist anymore. In the late 1990's or maybe early 2000's, Edy's launched a new line of ice cream called "Edy's Dreamery". This was meant to be competition for Ben & Jerry's. That is, individual pints of super rich premium ice cream with catchy names and whimsical illustrations on the cartons. I remember the greatest flavor of this line, Grandma's Cookie Jar. It consisted of plain vanilla ice cream with three, count em, three different types of cookie dough, the old standby chocolate chip, a chocolate fudge cookie dough, and peanut butter cookie dough. I have fond memories of how amazing this ice cream was, and every once and a while, get a strong craving for it. This has inspired me to do a little bit of research on the topic. First, the Dreamery line was discontinued around 2006, although I remember the specific flavor being gone before then. Digging deeper, I began to wonder if I was misremembering the ice cream I loved so much. This was brought on by looking up the official website of Dreamery. Here, they describe my favorite flavor as Grandma's Cookie Dough, consisting of "creamy vanilla ice cream loaded with chunks of chocolate cookie dough". The picture on the carton depicts chocolate chip cookie dough, so I'm not sure where the "chocolate cookie dough" comes into play. In addition, the original flavor had THREE different types of cookie dough. WTF Edy's?

To prove that I wasn't crazy, I dug a little deeper with my internet research. Several message boards revealed people, not unlike myself, craving this delightful flavor years after its passing. In fact, this blog, reports that the Dreamery line is not dead, however, I have yet to see it in ANY stores (and believe me, I check the ice cream aisle every time). Another handy internet source, lists nutritional information for the flavor, confirming the three separate types of cookie dough present.

My theory? I believe the flavor Grandma's Cookie Jar originally existed in all its glory. I even managed to find some fuzzy photographic evidence.

Note the subtle differences in packaging. I believe this flavor was so amazing, that Edy's was probably the victim of lawsuits from people claiming to be addicted to the flavor, or complaints that people were becoming morbidly obese, as a result of indulging in such deliciousness. The flavor was probably modified to become "Grandma's Cookie Dough", a less delicious version of the original. The Dreamery line, may or may not still be in existence. All I know, is that if I ever find this ice cream again, I will buy cases of it, or hire a scientist to replicate it perfectly for me.

In the meantime, I've continued to search for a flavor that comes close. I thought I hit pay dirt a couple of months ago when I purchased Edy's Triple Cookie Fudge Sundae. Instead, I was terribly disappointed. With a flavor that includes "triple cookie" in the title, I expect three types or variations of cookie. Instead, one-third of the ice cream is vanilla with chocolate chip cookie dough, one-third is chocolate ice cream with fudge swirl, and the remaining third is vanilla ice cream with brownies. Not even close to triple cookies! Additionally, the ice cream is of the "lite' variety, with half the fat and one-third the calories of regular ice cream (see also: it tastes like disappointment).

The only other flavor that has come somewhat close is Ben & Jerry's Milk and Cookies. It has vanilla ice cream with an Oreo/cookies and cream type swirl with chocolate chip cookie dough AND chocolate-chocolate chip cookie dough. In addition, it has mini chocolate chips mixed in, in case you didn't get enough chocolate chips in your cookie dough. I'm not gonna lie, I do like this flavor quite a bit, but it still leaves me dreaming about Edy's. Also, Ben & Jerry's is famous for "retiring" flavors just when I am starting to become addicted. Thank guys.

For now, I suppose Ben & Jerry will have to suffice. My next plan is to either suggest the flavor to Ted & Wally's, hoping that they will recognize the potential (and name the flavor after me! Rebecca's cookie jar?), or to roll up my sleeves and make my own version of Grandma's Cookie Jar. However, this would involve me needing an ice cream maker, which would mean I would have to get married. I challenge you to find an unmarried person who owns their own ice cream maker. Perhaps I will venture out and buy one and be the first ever...

You know I used to have a blog...

You know I used to have a blog. Actually, I had a Xanga. Do you remember Xanga? Xanga was something that people used who weren't cool enough to have a Live Journal. Yes, Live Journal used to be a big flippin' deal. It was like Google+, you had to have an invitation to get one. Now, I believed both sites are probably on the same level of MySpace in terms of their progression towards becoming totally obsolete. Nevertheless, Xanga was pretty sweet to a young college student who had recently outgrown their Lisa Frank diary (important note: Lisa Frank was totally badass back in the day. It was also probably the closest I will ever get to doing acid. See picture at the bottom).

My Xanga was full of post-teen angst (a term I invented to describe teen angst that one experiences in their 20's). I recently went back to my old Xanga and downloaded everything into a word document. Reading it was quite a trip. I was pretty good about blogging regularly, even if they were stupid posts like what movie I saw that weekend and who I hung out with. However, it was the deeper stuff that really drew you in. I was concerned about things like whether or not I would pass organic chemistry, what I should major in, if i would get into grad school, and why people didn't show up for marching band sponsored bake sales (one time I skipped classes because no one else showed up to work the bake sale and I felt bad, maybe I would have passed organic chemistry if I had made better choices). It seems trivial now. Who needs organic chemistry? It's just a class. Of course you'll get into grad school, you're a smart kid. Who cares if people don't show up, it's just a bake sale. In seven years none of this will matter. Still, at the time, these were the big issues in my life (along with the occasional dramatic relationship post or the existential "why am I here?" post). I guess it is impressive how far I have come, but on the other hand, has anything really changed? I'm still in a perpetual state of being stressed out. Will I ever finish grad school? Will I find a job that I like? How does health insurance work, and do I really need it? Why am I here? Why don't people show up for committee meetings?

It's amazing to me how reading these things can transport you back to that time where you felt things so intensely. I suppose that is the reason for the present blog. Maybe seven years from now none of this will matter. Of course you finished grad school, you're a smart kid. Naturally you found a job that paid well and actually had benefits. You totally figured out what you are doing with your life and now have your shit together.

I may consider posting some "throwback blogs" (that's a cool name, right?). It can be an academic kind of experiment. Maybe college kids will be tasked with analyzing two of my blogs spaced seven or so years apart. They will have to analyze it and come up with themes, and will generally hate the assignment. Then, I will go look for my junior high diary. Yes, I kept it. That will surely have some legit teen angst in it.



Blogs that are better than mine

I've decided that a cute addition would be for me to feature blogs that I think are superior to mine or ones that I enjoy checking out. Also, it is a cheap way for me to post something without having to write much. The first blog to be featured in this series is my friend Taleen's. Taleen was the inspiration for this blog, and I told her repeatedly that her life was too funny not to blog about. Her blog includes humorous stories about her experience as a substitute teacher, living in Sioux City, and I am even mentioned a couple of times (what's not to love).
Check it out!
Livin' the Dream

Rebirth of a Blog?

I went to create a blog and realized that I already had one that I created last year and promptly forgot about. How silly of me. I suppose this means that I will be trying to do a better job of blogging (I hate that word). I feel like I often have mini-blogs going on in my head throughout the day and feel the narcissistic need to tell everyone about them. You all care a great deal about what I am thinking at all times, right? This blog is in part inspired by my dear friend and avid blogger Taleen, who maintains a first-class blog that I will aspire to be like.

At any rate, here is what I will hopefully be blogging about:
1. As my first and only post indicated, I have now completed my last year of classes in graduate school. I have few reasons to go up to the UNO campus, will not be purchasing a parking permit ever again, and cleaned out 5 years worth of crap out of my cubicle. This blog will serve to document my withdrawal and to answer the great question, "Is there life after graduate school?"
2. Since leaving UNO, I have accepted a "real world" job. I am working on research for a local organization. I am learning a lot of new things, especially about working with people more than twice my age. This blog will serve as an outlet for humorous stories and pent up rage.
3. Weird random things that happen to me. Come on, that cicada story was gold. I re-read it and was instantly transported back to that fateful day.

I should point out that I am at work while I am writing this. Who says you can't get paid to blog?
Hold on to your hats kiddos.