Daily Inspiration 6-12-12

"The weirder you're going to behave, the more normal you should look. It works in reverse, too. When I see a kid with three or four rings in his nose, I know there is absolutely nothing extraordinary about that person." -- P. J. O'Rourke I've gone through some fads in my life and they were fairly short lived. Let's see. . . there was my first entry into junior high 7th grade and I lived in Azusa, CA in southern California. It was about 1960 and I was 11 years old. The fad was called the "surfer" look. It began with Converse low top black canvas tennis shoes (no other brand was allowed), white Levi's, and a madras short sleeve shirt. Had to do it to fit in, so I begged my mom to buy me the Converse which were pricey then. Then in 8th grade in Petaluma, CA moving to Northern California (I thought I was going to another planet) it was "pegged pants." We took our Levi jeans and sewed the legs tight to the leg. Looked so cool with brogue shoes (what were we thinking?). Now they are having a comeback without the extra labor called "skinny jeans." Who could forget (although most want to) the leisure suit craze in the early 1970's. I think I owned three. At the same time was double knit (OMG). The Nehru jackets (couldn't do it). Of course there was hair styles, facial hair changes, especially sideburns in the 70's, long hair, short hair, skinny ties, wide ties, skinny lapels, wide lapels. We were mostly followers not leaders. Someone did it, we followed. We all wanted to be cool. We wanted to be hip. And, we wanted to be liked. Every once in a while we might land on one of those for a moment or two. Speaking of being cool, I loved the coolness of Have Gun, Will Travel and how Paladin was the king of cool with the color on color dress, the polished leather holster, and the calm, cool, collected attitude. So for several years now I've been amazed about a fad that has turned into a movement, and that is young guys (even a few old guys) wearing their pants around their thighs having to hold them as they walk with one hand like a bull rider so they don't fall to the ground. They wear several pair of bermuda shorts exposed with long t-shirts that aren't nearly long enough. It's hilarious to watch them walk, and even funnier to watch them run. Some have attitude with them in the way they walk being so into the style of it, looking in control of life itself. . . with their droopy drawers. . . I've asked young girls if they like that look and most laugh and say, "hell, no!" But they do it anyway. We guys just have to be cool, even when we are really the furthest thing from cool. I mean pegged pants with brogue shoes, size 12 no less, so who am I to inflict judgement? We can't help but emulate others, especially those who we are associated with regularly and this changes throughout our lives. I now try to emulate those who can see through all these facades to the inherent beauty and love of the real person inside. I'm liking it much better.

Fads Come And Go And People Remain. Spread Some Joy Today--Love somebody. Show it, tell them. Today.