Over the last couple of weeks I noticed a handful of houses around my neighborhood and some of the areas I drive regularly finally take down their Christmas lights. This wasn't a situation where the lights were up but not on. The lights were turned on every evening like it was Christmas season.
I have also noticed that an office in my building has a Christmas tree up in a meeting room visible from a public hallway. I haven't seen it lit in a few weeks, but it is still prominently displayed.
Part of me is irrationally irritated at this. However, my irritation doesn't make sense. If someone wants to leave lights up it isn't my business, and really Christmas displays are attractive. It's just that seeing Christmas displays feels incongruous with the season.
I think this part of me is a little hypocritical as well. I have believed and continue to believe that certain fashion rules are made to be broken. This shouldn't be any different, right? Is a lit Christmas display in February the equivalent of an all-white outfit in November?
Showing posts with label clothing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clothing. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Sunday, November 01, 2009
formality
Today was the first day that our church went back to one service from the previous setup of two services. There are good and bad things about it. On the good side, it puts less of a strain on church workers and it encourages people who would otherwise be going to different services to get to know each other. On the bad side, it strains the church's facilities and forces me to get out of bed on Sunday morning earlier than I have been. There is one other thing that I mark as a negative even though it probably is not a big deal. I have really enjoyed the casual nature of the service that I was attending, and I feel a little awkward now that I am ushering in something less formal than a three-piece suit.
I have made no bones about the fact that I like a casual environment more than a formal environment, but since I know a lot of people who disagree with this I have invested some thought and observation into this. I believe that most people are either in the category of those who get serious pleasure out of being in a formal setting (or having letters after their name, or something like that) or they are in the category where they are seriously uncomfortable in that sort of setting (or with listing PhD after their name). I could be wrong, but I think the group of people who are indifferent about this are in the minority.
In my analysis (well, that is what I am calling it) I am excluding the people who just like to wear nice clothes every once in a while to be seen in what they are wearing. For example, girls who look forward to wearing a new dress to the prom are probably less interested in formality than they are in people noticing them. My main focus is on comparing those who see real value in formality to those who see formality as a waste of time or worse. Since my main clashes with those with whom I have disagreed were generally that of receiving a bit of judgment for a lack of respect, I responded by also being judgmental for a while. I used to believe that those who like formality desire it for its ability to act as a tool to discriminate against less civilized inferiors. While there is no doubt that formality has been used in this manner (a lot), it was certainly an improper judgment for me to make because it probably does not describe most people drawn to the formal. As a bit of a confession, I still struggle against this line of judgment.
I now think that there is something different in foundations of the mind between those who strongly favor formality and those who disdain it. I am sure that environment plays a role, but I think the urge is more basic. My best guess at this point is that someone is more likely to appreciate formality if he or she more comfortable with cultural norms that have an appearance of being arbitrary, regardless as to whether they are. For example, to accept that a tie should be worn with a suit without much explanation because it does look better in the ensemble appears to require an acceptance of a social norm. Someone who does not accept the norm will appeal to how arbitrary that article of clothing seems because its only apparent purpose is to limit blood flow to the head. As another example, my experience is that people who believe that formality is important will often point to the importance of respect or dignity or something else like that while people who do not believe that formality is important will respond with the question of whether formality truly adds respect or dignity or whatever. Since it the subject matter is subjective, no headway will have been made in that debate.
The only way I can really get a feel for what makes someone like or dislike formality is to ask. How do you feel about formality? Are there specific reasons that you like or dislike it? Do you believe my line of reasoning is flawed?
I have made no bones about the fact that I like a casual environment more than a formal environment, but since I know a lot of people who disagree with this I have invested some thought and observation into this. I believe that most people are either in the category of those who get serious pleasure out of being in a formal setting (or having letters after their name, or something like that) or they are in the category where they are seriously uncomfortable in that sort of setting (or with listing PhD after their name). I could be wrong, but I think the group of people who are indifferent about this are in the minority.
In my analysis (well, that is what I am calling it) I am excluding the people who just like to wear nice clothes every once in a while to be seen in what they are wearing. For example, girls who look forward to wearing a new dress to the prom are probably less interested in formality than they are in people noticing them. My main focus is on comparing those who see real value in formality to those who see formality as a waste of time or worse. Since my main clashes with those with whom I have disagreed were generally that of receiving a bit of judgment for a lack of respect, I responded by also being judgmental for a while. I used to believe that those who like formality desire it for its ability to act as a tool to discriminate against less civilized inferiors. While there is no doubt that formality has been used in this manner (a lot), it was certainly an improper judgment for me to make because it probably does not describe most people drawn to the formal. As a bit of a confession, I still struggle against this line of judgment.
I now think that there is something different in foundations of the mind between those who strongly favor formality and those who disdain it. I am sure that environment plays a role, but I think the urge is more basic. My best guess at this point is that someone is more likely to appreciate formality if he or she more comfortable with cultural norms that have an appearance of being arbitrary, regardless as to whether they are. For example, to accept that a tie should be worn with a suit without much explanation because it does look better in the ensemble appears to require an acceptance of a social norm. Someone who does not accept the norm will appeal to how arbitrary that article of clothing seems because its only apparent purpose is to limit blood flow to the head. As another example, my experience is that people who believe that formality is important will often point to the importance of respect or dignity or something else like that while people who do not believe that formality is important will respond with the question of whether formality truly adds respect or dignity or whatever. Since it the subject matter is subjective, no headway will have been made in that debate.
The only way I can really get a feel for what makes someone like or dislike formality is to ask. How do you feel about formality? Are there specific reasons that you like or dislike it? Do you believe my line of reasoning is flawed?
Monday, January 05, 2009
put a cap on it
I understand most common etiquette. Generally, it's a good thing, because it allows for interaction between people who might not be able to do so otherwise. It also is a means of shielding your true feelings about a situation, which I have heard lauded and denounced. I think etiquette is generally motr og a good thing a bad thing. There are some individual manners issues that I simply don't understand, though.
Two issues I have already discussed are holding the door open for others and tipping. In both of these cases the issue is that the standards for how to deal with those situations are not standard enough. Today's issue is wearing hats indoors, which is more an issue of me not knowing why it matters.
My hair has a very peculiar nature. If I get within a few feet of a hat it spontaneously gets hat head. It could take the form of a yamaka shaped ring on my head or it could take the form of an Alfalfa-type tuft of hair sticking up for the world to see. In some cases what about my hear has changed is not immediately obvious, to me at least, except that something in general just doesn't look right.
There is actually video of me at my college graduation that perfectly illustrates what I am describing. When I put my mortarboard on I knew something was not quite right, but I did not figure that it mattered. However, at some point during the ceremony there was a prayer where the men were expected to remove their mortarboards. At that moment my mom focused the camcorder on my head. There was one tuft of hair that was pointing the wrong direction and it seriously looks like I had a bald spot there in the video.
Because I am so prone to hat head, I have long avoided wearing any kind of hat. There is no use putting one on if I am going to have to take it off indoors and have everyone find out what my hair decided to look like today. Really, in the last fifteen years I have only worn hats with any frequency in two specific situations. The first was to minimize sunburn when I worked for a general contractor in high school and the second has been to keep from freezing when scraping off my car on frosty or snowy mornings.
If hats were not considered a faux pas for men to wear indoors, I might sport one more often. For example, in the winter I could wear a functional hat outside, like a tuque, and I could wear a less sweltering and more stylish hat indoors to hide the hat head, like a fedora. I know that I would be more likely to wear a cap in the summer months as well if I didn't think I was violating some social rule by wearing it indoors. As it is, I don't own any baseball caps that I am aware of because I wouldn't wear them.
I should look at the positive side of things, though. This rule in etiquette is saving me all of the money that I would otherwise be spending on caps and fedoras. Some day I really should calculate how much I would have saved by not buying hats and invest it in a company that makes head gear. If nothing else, it's would be something mildly interesting to talk about.
Two issues I have already discussed are holding the door open for others and tipping. In both of these cases the issue is that the standards for how to deal with those situations are not standard enough. Today's issue is wearing hats indoors, which is more an issue of me not knowing why it matters.
My hair has a very peculiar nature. If I get within a few feet of a hat it spontaneously gets hat head. It could take the form of a yamaka shaped ring on my head or it could take the form of an Alfalfa-type tuft of hair sticking up for the world to see. In some cases what about my hear has changed is not immediately obvious, to me at least, except that something in general just doesn't look right.
There is actually video of me at my college graduation that perfectly illustrates what I am describing. When I put my mortarboard on I knew something was not quite right, but I did not figure that it mattered. However, at some point during the ceremony there was a prayer where the men were expected to remove their mortarboards. At that moment my mom focused the camcorder on my head. There was one tuft of hair that was pointing the wrong direction and it seriously looks like I had a bald spot there in the video.
Because I am so prone to hat head, I have long avoided wearing any kind of hat. There is no use putting one on if I am going to have to take it off indoors and have everyone find out what my hair decided to look like today. Really, in the last fifteen years I have only worn hats with any frequency in two specific situations. The first was to minimize sunburn when I worked for a general contractor in high school and the second has been to keep from freezing when scraping off my car on frosty or snowy mornings.
If hats were not considered a faux pas for men to wear indoors, I might sport one more often. For example, in the winter I could wear a functional hat outside, like a tuque, and I could wear a less sweltering and more stylish hat indoors to hide the hat head, like a fedora. I know that I would be more likely to wear a cap in the summer months as well if I didn't think I was violating some social rule by wearing it indoors. As it is, I don't own any baseball caps that I am aware of because I wouldn't wear them.
I should look at the positive side of things, though. This rule in etiquette is saving me all of the money that I would otherwise be spending on caps and fedoras. Some day I really should calculate how much I would have saved by not buying hats and invest it in a company that makes head gear. If nothing else, it's would be something mildly interesting to talk about.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
sandals
When I walked into class last night I noticed something that reminded me that summer is around the corner. The room smelled like feet. The smell was not too strong and it didn't bother me, but it was unmistakable. This was due to the fact that a large percentage of the people in the room were wearing sandals or flip-flops.
For several minor reasons, I have never gotten into wearing sandals or flip-flops myself. They aren't any more comfortable to me than tennis shoes are. They are impossible to run in. There are more rules about what you should and shouldn't wear with them. They just aren't worth the effort to me. Regardless, there is no denying sandals' perennial popularity.
A lot of people appear to have different opinions about the value that sandals provide than I do. As a result I more often than not feel like the odd man out for wearing shoes rather than sandals when doing things in the summer. I don't care, because I love wearing sneakers and wearing sandals would go against my personal identity I maintain for myself. I wouldn't feel like myself to bow to the sandal-wearing consensus.
So, this summer, like every season, I intend to continue enjoying my standard footwear and let the sandal-wearers of the world enjoy theirs as well. To do otherwise would make me feel like a heel.
For several minor reasons, I have never gotten into wearing sandals or flip-flops myself. They aren't any more comfortable to me than tennis shoes are. They are impossible to run in. There are more rules about what you should and shouldn't wear with them. They just aren't worth the effort to me. Regardless, there is no denying sandals' perennial popularity.
A lot of people appear to have different opinions about the value that sandals provide than I do. As a result I more often than not feel like the odd man out for wearing shoes rather than sandals when doing things in the summer. I don't care, because I love wearing sneakers and wearing sandals would go against my personal identity I maintain for myself. I wouldn't feel like myself to bow to the sandal-wearing consensus.
So, this summer, like every season, I intend to continue enjoying my standard footwear and let the sandal-wearers of the world enjoy theirs as well. To do otherwise would make me feel like a heel.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
a half baked story
Ann had two loves in life, which were hemp clothing and baked goods. She was granola in every sense of the word. These two loves shaped her actions throughout her early life.
When she was a little girl she spent so many hours with her Easy Bake oven she wore it out from overuse. When she grew older she found that she very much appreciated the earthy qualities of hemp fabric to the less natural materials that composed more fashionable clothes. As a young adult she realized her dream of opening sandwich shop in her local downtown shopping district. She did not make much money, but she was able to pay her bills, she enjoyed her job, and she got to wear her grass clothing every day.
One afternoon, as she was examining a stain on the hemp shirt that she was wearing, Ann noticed a crowd outside her shop. Her blood began to boil when she realized that the crowd was gathered around the local congressman. Under normal circumstances she wouldn't care about random politicians, but this man had recently sponsored a bill that would make her beloved hemp apparel illegal. Someone had to inform him that this move had been a mistake.
She quickly grabbed a few hard biscuits, as they were the most easily accessible objects around, and headed out the door. Angrily, and at the top of her lungs, she shouted her opinions at the congressional representative, but this was to no avail. The crowd surrounding him was too loud and boistrous to pay any heed. So, sensing that she had little alternative, she hurled three biscuits at the politician in quick succession. Much to her surprise, as well as everyone else's, the last missile found its target and disoriented him enough to lose his balance. This caused him minor injuries and her arrest.
When Ann was brought before the judge she was defiant. She felt that she had not done anything that any other rational person in her sandals would not have done. It was only because people judged her as some sort of crazy hippie based on her attire that she was now being charged with assault with a tasty weapon, a serious crime after the raisin riots in the sixties. Unfortunately for Ann, the judge was less than sympathetic. His disparaging response, "You should already know that people in grass blouses shouldn't throw scones."
When she was a little girl she spent so many hours with her Easy Bake oven she wore it out from overuse. When she grew older she found that she very much appreciated the earthy qualities of hemp fabric to the less natural materials that composed more fashionable clothes. As a young adult she realized her dream of opening sandwich shop in her local downtown shopping district. She did not make much money, but she was able to pay her bills, she enjoyed her job, and she got to wear her grass clothing every day.
One afternoon, as she was examining a stain on the hemp shirt that she was wearing, Ann noticed a crowd outside her shop. Her blood began to boil when she realized that the crowd was gathered around the local congressman. Under normal circumstances she wouldn't care about random politicians, but this man had recently sponsored a bill that would make her beloved hemp apparel illegal. Someone had to inform him that this move had been a mistake.
She quickly grabbed a few hard biscuits, as they were the most easily accessible objects around, and headed out the door. Angrily, and at the top of her lungs, she shouted her opinions at the congressional representative, but this was to no avail. The crowd surrounding him was too loud and boistrous to pay any heed. So, sensing that she had little alternative, she hurled three biscuits at the politician in quick succession. Much to her surprise, as well as everyone else's, the last missile found its target and disoriented him enough to lose his balance. This caused him minor injuries and her arrest.
When Ann was brought before the judge she was defiant. She felt that she had not done anything that any other rational person in her sandals would not have done. It was only because people judged her as some sort of crazy hippie based on her attire that she was now being charged with assault with a tasty weapon, a serious crime after the raisin riots in the sixties. Unfortunately for Ann, the judge was less than sympathetic. His disparaging response, "You should already know that people in grass blouses shouldn't throw scones."
Thursday, March 27, 2008
purse of happiness
When I was ten my favorite TV show by far was the old Batman series with Adam West and Burt Ward. There were a lot of reasons for me to like the show, and since I was pretty young, none of them had anything to do with its satirical or ironic nature. The episodes were purposely ridiculous, but I thoroughly enjoyed every one of them in spite of the ridiculousness rather than due to the ridiculousness.
One thing that I remember liking very much about Batman, and wishing that I could emulate in some practical way, was his utility belt. There wasn't anything that wasn't on that belt. I used to think it would be the coolest thing in the world to be able to have such ready access to anything I could practically need.
For a short while, I used a fanny pack so that I could have access to the stuff that I would need. I did like the fanny pack, but it never made sense to me why I was supposed to wear it with the pouch on my backside, as that made it more difficult to access the stuff that I wanted ready access to. Because of this, I shunned society's rules and wore the pouch near my stomach rather than near my butt. However, since fanny packs faded in 1992, that is about the same time I last used one.
As I have gained more things to carry around, I have started to envy previous ages when men could carry bags without the perception that they were carrying purses. As my history indicates, I appreciate practicality in transporting my possessions. I would prefer to not have to use my pockets to carry a cell phone, two sets of keys, a wallet, an iPod, spare change, and whatever else I might need, but there really is not a good alternative. The male fashions to address this are all considered outdated, nerdy, effeminate, or they are generally impractical for everyday life.
This is one area in life where I actually wish I had baggage.
One thing that I remember liking very much about Batman, and wishing that I could emulate in some practical way, was his utility belt. There wasn't anything that wasn't on that belt. I used to think it would be the coolest thing in the world to be able to have such ready access to anything I could practically need.For a short while, I used a fanny pack so that I could have access to the stuff that I would need. I did like the fanny pack, but it never made sense to me why I was supposed to wear it with the pouch on my backside, as that made it more difficult to access the stuff that I wanted ready access to. Because of this, I shunned society's rules and wore the pouch near my stomach rather than near my butt. However, since fanny packs faded in 1992, that is about the same time I last used one.
As I have gained more things to carry around, I have started to envy previous ages when men could carry bags without the perception that they were carrying purses. As my history indicates, I appreciate practicality in transporting my possessions. I would prefer to not have to use my pockets to carry a cell phone, two sets of keys, a wallet, an iPod, spare change, and whatever else I might need, but there really is not a good alternative. The male fashions to address this are all considered outdated, nerdy, effeminate, or they are generally impractical for everyday life.This is one area in life where I actually wish I had baggage.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
dressed for success
One of the things that I appreciate the most about my job is that the environment is casual. I get to wear jeans and t-shirts every day.
On Monday I found out that a couple of senior executives in my company would be visiting my office to meet with my group specifically. So, I made the decision to get kind of dressed up. I wore black jeans, a button-up shirt that I tucked in, and I did not wear tennis shoes. This is more casual than the typical office worker, but it made me the most formally dressed in my office.
After I took some flak for my attire I found out that the executive visit was cancelled. In my mind this can mean only one thing. It had to be a ploy to make me more presentable for an entire day. I'll know better the next time.
On Monday I found out that a couple of senior executives in my company would be visiting my office to meet with my group specifically. So, I made the decision to get kind of dressed up. I wore black jeans, a button-up shirt that I tucked in, and I did not wear tennis shoes. This is more casual than the typical office worker, but it made me the most formally dressed in my office.
After I took some flak for my attire I found out that the executive visit was cancelled. In my mind this can mean only one thing. It had to be a ploy to make me more presentable for an entire day. I'll know better the next time.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
by the seat of my pants
Tuesday night I had a few errands to run on my way to Homer's. The first place I stopped was the post office. When I got back into the car I noticed a strange sound. I felt the car seat thinking that maybe I sat in something. Nothing.
I stopped by the gas station and contemplated on how cold it was. The weather seemed to cut right through me.
I went to Home Depot and returned some materials that did not fit in our bathroom. I also headed to the plumbing section to pick up the last couple of things necessary to get our sink into working order.
As I bent down to look for a specific part that I need I noticed the same noise I heard in the car. This time it was more distinct so there was no doubt what it was. I had torn the seat of my pants. Later, I would confirm a seven inch tear along my rear left pocket.
I wonder what the people who saw me before I realized what had happened thought. Did the guy filling his mini-van at the gas station get a laugh out of me shivering with a tear in my pants? Did the people in the aisle at Home Depot with me hear the tear? Did I look suspicious because of how quickly I left the store? So many questions, so few answers.
I stopped by the gas station and contemplated on how cold it was. The weather seemed to cut right through me.
I went to Home Depot and returned some materials that did not fit in our bathroom. I also headed to the plumbing section to pick up the last couple of things necessary to get our sink into working order.
As I bent down to look for a specific part that I need I noticed the same noise I heard in the car. This time it was more distinct so there was no doubt what it was. I had torn the seat of my pants. Later, I would confirm a seven inch tear along my rear left pocket.
I wonder what the people who saw me before I realized what had happened thought. Did the guy filling his mini-van at the gas station get a laugh out of me shivering with a tear in my pants? Did the people in the aisle at Home Depot with me hear the tear? Did I look suspicious because of how quickly I left the store? So many questions, so few answers.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
it's all a blur
I have been noticing something recently that I do not remember seeing before. There are a lot more blurry areas on the television now than there have been in the past.
As far back as I can remember if something on TV was blurred it was either due to modesty issues (certain parts of an exposed anatomy would be blurred out) or due to identification issues (some people's faces, license plate numbers, etc. would be blurred out). Lately just about anything that has a company logo gets blurred out.
Specifically, when I watch a show that displays people in everyday life any company logos on shirts, hats, pop cans, and other products are frequently blurred. I have to ask why. There are not any good reasons that I can imagine, but there are a few mediocre ones I have considered.
Is there some exclusive product promotion agreement that makes the producers of the show want to blur out the word "Pepsi" to keep marketers from Coke from getting mad? Is there some concern about Calvin Klein suing if someone who does not embody that brand image is shown wearing a Calvin Klein logo on a shirt? Do the video editors just get a kick out of blurring whatever they can get away with blurring? Whatever it is, I guess I will have to get my fix of ogling Pepsi cans elsewhere.
As far back as I can remember if something on TV was blurred it was either due to modesty issues (certain parts of an exposed anatomy would be blurred out) or due to identification issues (some people's faces, license plate numbers, etc. would be blurred out). Lately just about anything that has a company logo gets blurred out.
Specifically, when I watch a show that displays people in everyday life any company logos on shirts, hats, pop cans, and other products are frequently blurred. I have to ask why. There are not any good reasons that I can imagine, but there are a few mediocre ones I have considered.
Is there some exclusive product promotion agreement that makes the producers of the show want to blur out the word "Pepsi" to keep marketers from Coke from getting mad? Is there some concern about Calvin Klein suing if someone who does not embody that brand image is shown wearing a Calvin Klein logo on a shirt? Do the video editors just get a kick out of blurring whatever they can get away with blurring? Whatever it is, I guess I will have to get my fix of ogling Pepsi cans elsewhere.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
diamond and the rough
I don't know where in the country specific commercials have been showing, but one that has been driving me nuts is a Jared Jewelry commercial. In the commercial a woman explains that her new ring comes from Jared's and everyone makes a big deal about it and repeats, "He went to Jared." I looked all over online for a copy of this commercial, but it must be so bad that no one wants to upload it to a video website.
Most of the reason the commercial irritates me is that it is so overacted that it is embarrassing to watch. Beyond that, though, it does not seem to fit the target audience. In theory, the market for jewelry is mostly composed of men buying for their better half. I think that most of the Jared commercials I have seen would make more men not want to go to Jared than go to Jared.
I can imagine a commercial from a Jared competitor where two guys are talking. One would say, "He went to Jared," and the other would respond with, "Bummer." That commercial would probably be more effective than the current Jared commercials.
I am fortunate that Golden, despite her name, is not huge into jewelry. So, I do not feel pressure to buy diamonds every time I see this commercial. I will point out that, so I do not sound like a horrible husband, if she decides she does want jewelry at some point that will not be a big deal. The commercial would even be even more annoying if Golden liked to show off jewelry, though.
I think that, from a marketing perspective, Helzberg has a better idea with their latest commercial, which is shown below. This is a commercial that is well-designed for its target audience, though it may not be well-designed to it's secondary audience of the women who will be receiving the jewelry.
I can see how this commercial would make some women feel like the man was going through the motions in getting jewelry and also going through the motions in other areas of life. If the jewelry does not make the gift recipient feel special, then it is not a good gift.
So maybe, depending on your perspective, both commercials are rough.
* Note: I modified this post a little to address concerns made in the comments.
Most of the reason the commercial irritates me is that it is so overacted that it is embarrassing to watch. Beyond that, though, it does not seem to fit the target audience. In theory, the market for jewelry is mostly composed of men buying for their better half. I think that most of the Jared commercials I have seen would make more men not want to go to Jared than go to Jared.
I can imagine a commercial from a Jared competitor where two guys are talking. One would say, "He went to Jared," and the other would respond with, "Bummer." That commercial would probably be more effective than the current Jared commercials.
I am fortunate that Golden, despite her name, is not huge into jewelry. So, I do not feel pressure to buy diamonds every time I see this commercial. I will point out that, so I do not sound like a horrible husband, if she decides she does want jewelry at some point that will not be a big deal. The commercial would even be even more annoying if Golden liked to show off jewelry, though.
I think that, from a marketing perspective, Helzberg has a better idea with their latest commercial, which is shown below. This is a commercial that is well-designed for its target audience, though it may not be well-designed to it's secondary audience of the women who will be receiving the jewelry.
I can see how this commercial would make some women feel like the man was going through the motions in getting jewelry and also going through the motions in other areas of life. If the jewelry does not make the gift recipient feel special, then it is not a good gift.
So maybe, depending on your perspective, both commercials are rough.
* Note: I modified this post a little to address concerns made in the comments.
Monday, December 03, 2007
hair bands that i like
I know a few people are going to misread that title.
For years now I have had an urge that some would probably find shameful. It's actually a bit of a surprise that I am not embarrassed about it. Maybe I will be now that I am sharing it. I have a thing for hair clips, hair bands, and scrunchies.
For some reason, I find most of the devices designed for girls' hair incredibly entertaining. Give me a banana clip and a hair band (not the 80s rock version) and I can be enthralled for hours.
I think all of this is due to my fidgety nature. I also like fidgeting with office supplies like staple removers, rubber bands, and paper clips. The difference is that few people care if I am playing with a staple remover. Some might be uncomfortable seeing me play with a scrunchy.
The reason I was thinking about this is that Golden just got a couple of new hair clips a couple of days ago, and so I expect to be busy for the next couple of days.
For years now I have had an urge that some would probably find shameful. It's actually a bit of a surprise that I am not embarrassed about it. Maybe I will be now that I am sharing it. I have a thing for hair clips, hair bands, and scrunchies.
For some reason, I find most of the devices designed for girls' hair incredibly entertaining. Give me a banana clip and a hair band (not the 80s rock version) and I can be enthralled for hours.
I think all of this is due to my fidgety nature. I also like fidgeting with office supplies like staple removers, rubber bands, and paper clips. The difference is that few people care if I am playing with a staple remover. Some might be uncomfortable seeing me play with a scrunchy.
The reason I was thinking about this is that Golden just got a couple of new hair clips a couple of days ago, and so I expect to be busy for the next couple of days.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
lost in store
Most of the time I pride myself on having a reasonable sense of direction. While there are exceptions, I generally have an idea of where I am and where I need to be. One huge exception to this is in a department store.
Today, Golden and I visited the local mall. After we picked up some shoes for me, she looked at clothes for herself and I decided to walk around the mall with NJ to keep him occupied. I was quickly reminded of one of the reasons why I feel so out of place in a mall department store. all I could see was a sea of clothes and it took me a good three to five minutes (an eternity in a department store) to find the entry to the rest of the mall.
I think my problem is that navigation within a department store relies on being able to identify that such and such side of the store is the junior's section and such and such part of the store is the formal section and so forth. I don't pay much attention to the clothes, so I don't usually know where I am. All I really know is that the perfume and cheap jewelry is usually near the mall entrance, and that is where I want to be.
Today, Golden and I visited the local mall. After we picked up some shoes for me, she looked at clothes for herself and I decided to walk around the mall with NJ to keep him occupied. I was quickly reminded of one of the reasons why I feel so out of place in a mall department store. all I could see was a sea of clothes and it took me a good three to five minutes (an eternity in a department store) to find the entry to the rest of the mall.
I think my problem is that navigation within a department store relies on being able to identify that such and such side of the store is the junior's section and such and such part of the store is the formal section and so forth. I don't pay much attention to the clothes, so I don't usually know where I am. All I really know is that the perfume and cheap jewelry is usually near the mall entrance, and that is where I want to be.
Friday, August 31, 2007
white after labor day
I pick on fashion quite a bit. This post isn't really going to be any different, but I thought that I would at least acknowledge it.If you want to wear white clothing you'd better work it into your wardrobe in the next three days. Why? Who knows? Someone somewhere decided that white should only be worn in the summer, and no one challenged it.
Don't get me wrong. It doesn't really impact me, so I barely care. I still have to wonder at the insanity of it all. Why don't women stick it to tradition en masse and wear white throughout the year? Why must they let someone else tell them what to wear? Why not let this be the winter of discontent?
Saturday, August 25, 2007
fake
Last night Golden and I watched John Tucker Must Die. While I did have a tiny bit of doubt about the flick, the movie was actually as good as I expected. It is very similar to Mean Girls with the exception that the villain is a player rather than a queen bee. To be honest, I was the one who wanted to see it. This may surprise some people, but I expected this to be more of a thinker than I think most other people expected it to be. Since both Golden and I liked the movie I was not totally off base.
Both movies have one major theme that I greatly appreciate. The main character in each film enters school as a nobody and is eventually catapulted into popularity through some evil scheme to destroy someone else. In the end of both flicks the main character learns that popularity is empty if it is attained through being fake, and that it is easy to become the person that you originally hated.
I think that most people agree that being yourself is a good thing and being fake is a bad thing, but I wonder if people only think that at the extremes. Is letting fashion dictate what you wear so that you don't stick out like a sore thumb being fake? Is rooting for the home team to fit in not being yourself? Is fixing up your house or car to impress others wrong? Is changing some of your interests to match those of your social group wrong? Are the rules different if these things are done by an adult, an adolescent, or a child?
I am deeply concerned about when NJ and any siblings he may have in the future (no, Golden is not pregnant) are old enough to crave acceptance from peers. It is inevitable. God made people that way. How much leeway should I provide in letting my children express themselves, though, when they are really just expressing what is popular in their social context? I wish I knew.
So, even though it appears on the surface that I just watched another dumb teen movie, I think there is a lot to learn from what I saw. For one, I learned that John Tucker doesn't have to die just yet. He is only able to do wrong because his victims allow him through their own selfishness.
Both movies have one major theme that I greatly appreciate. The main character in each film enters school as a nobody and is eventually catapulted into popularity through some evil scheme to destroy someone else. In the end of both flicks the main character learns that popularity is empty if it is attained through being fake, and that it is easy to become the person that you originally hated.
I think that most people agree that being yourself is a good thing and being fake is a bad thing, but I wonder if people only think that at the extremes. Is letting fashion dictate what you wear so that you don't stick out like a sore thumb being fake? Is rooting for the home team to fit in not being yourself? Is fixing up your house or car to impress others wrong? Is changing some of your interests to match those of your social group wrong? Are the rules different if these things are done by an adult, an adolescent, or a child?
I am deeply concerned about when NJ and any siblings he may have in the future (no, Golden is not pregnant) are old enough to crave acceptance from peers. It is inevitable. God made people that way. How much leeway should I provide in letting my children express themselves, though, when they are really just expressing what is popular in their social context? I wish I knew.
So, even though it appears on the surface that I just watched another dumb teen movie, I think there is a lot to learn from what I saw. For one, I learned that John Tucker doesn't have to die just yet. He is only able to do wrong because his victims allow him through their own selfishness.
Friday, July 13, 2007
summer trip: day three
Miles so far: 776
The first day of the trip, while we did a lot of travelling on the road, still felt like a vacation. The last two days have not. There have been good moments, so this isn't all bad. I will try not to make this come across too negative, but I am not going to lie, either.
Wednesday did not start off well because NJ woke up at 5:20 and did not go back to bed. As everyone who reads this blog should have figured out, this ruined Golden's day more than mine. We left Bloomington on schedule and met my cousin south of Chicago. She had a baby three to four months ago and she lives a half mile from one of the roads on our planned itinerary, so it would have been wrong for us not to meet somewhere and take pictures of each other's baby. NJ is just short of twenty pounds at a year and MJ (his cousin) is seventeen pounds at less than four months. Golden and I did not help NJ out too much in the size department.
Golden's grandparents and her aunt and uncle live a little south of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Her grandmother somehow got the idea that we would be in town Wednesday evening rather than Thursday evening, so we were under considerable pressure to get to Michigan as quickly as possible.
The good part was that we all enjoyed playing games at Golden's aunt and uncle's house on Thursday night. The bad part was that NJ had been battling a fever all day and got real hot (about 102 degrees). We had to rush him to the hotel and try to cool him down.
It doesn't sound like much, but Golden and I agreed that Thursday kicked our butts.
Today we visited one of Golden's friends from college and her two kids (pictured below) over lunch. Her husband is in Iraq right now with the Army, so I think she is interested in anything to get out of the house. It was a nice break for us as well.
We went back to see Golden's family after that visit and eventually ended up at her grandparents' apartment. We spent most of the afternoon there before going out for supper. As we were driving back to the apartment, Golden noted that NJ's diaper was leaking. Bad. Really bad.
We had to throw away the clothes that NJ was wearing, and six adults spent about a half hour getting the car, the car seat, and NJ bearable (still not actually clean). The one really funny element to the story was that, while everyone else was heavily involved with cleaning up NJ's mess, Golden's grandfather was preparing his fishing rod as if he had no clue what everyone else was doing. He was so focused on wanting to go fishing, he wasn't phased by anything else that was happening. After the quick cleaning job, we came back to the hotel to clean NJ and the car seat better.
So, the current situation is that NJ is still feverish and our vehicle now smells like the inside of a heavily-utilized cattle car. I am hoping that in short order we can upgrade the situation to mildly warm and a cattle car that has not been used for a while.
The first day of the trip, while we did a lot of travelling on the road, still felt like a vacation. The last two days have not. There have been good moments, so this isn't all bad. I will try not to make this come across too negative, but I am not going to lie, either.
Wednesday did not start off well because NJ woke up at 5:20 and did not go back to bed. As everyone who reads this blog should have figured out, this ruined Golden's day more than mine. We left Bloomington on schedule and met my cousin south of Chicago. She had a baby three to four months ago and she lives a half mile from one of the roads on our planned itinerary, so it would have been wrong for us not to meet somewhere and take pictures of each other's baby. NJ is just short of twenty pounds at a year and MJ (his cousin) is seventeen pounds at less than four months. Golden and I did not help NJ out too much in the size department.
Golden's grandparents and her aunt and uncle live a little south of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Her grandmother somehow got the idea that we would be in town Wednesday evening rather than Thursday evening, so we were under considerable pressure to get to Michigan as quickly as possible.The good part was that we all enjoyed playing games at Golden's aunt and uncle's house on Thursday night. The bad part was that NJ had been battling a fever all day and got real hot (about 102 degrees). We had to rush him to the hotel and try to cool him down.
It doesn't sound like much, but Golden and I agreed that Thursday kicked our butts.
Today we visited one of Golden's friends from college and her two kids (pictured below) over lunch. Her husband is in Iraq right now with the Army, so I think she is interested in anything to get out of the house. It was a nice break for us as well.
We went back to see Golden's family after that visit and eventually ended up at her grandparents' apartment. We spent most of the afternoon there before going out for supper. As we were driving back to the apartment, Golden noted that NJ's diaper was leaking. Bad. Really bad.We had to throw away the clothes that NJ was wearing, and six adults spent about a half hour getting the car, the car seat, and NJ bearable (still not actually clean). The one really funny element to the story was that, while everyone else was heavily involved with cleaning up NJ's mess, Golden's grandfather was preparing his fishing rod as if he had no clue what everyone else was doing. He was so focused on wanting to go fishing, he wasn't phased by anything else that was happening. After the quick cleaning job, we came back to the hotel to clean NJ and the car seat better.
So, the current situation is that NJ is still feverish and our vehicle now smells like the inside of a heavily-utilized cattle car. I am hoping that in short order we can upgrade the situation to mildly warm and a cattle car that has not been used for a while.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
pinko
Last week we had an incident with a red shirt and several of my formerly white articles of clothing in the washing machine. Not only did some of my socks turn pink, I also had some shirts take on a pinkish hue. The only reason I know, of course, is that other people happily told me. Due to my colorblindness, I didn't notice at all.
All my life I have known that blue is a boy's color and pink is a girl's color. Boys can't like pink, though girls can like blue. To parade around in something pink or to even own something pink was to somehow reduce your manhood. I never determined why this was the case. I just knew it was.
I know that little has changed since I was a kid because when I discussed this at work I found that few guys would be willing to wear a large amount of pink clothing in public. Obviously, some people still associate the color with something other than masculinity.
Truth be told, while I don't have any special fondness for the color pink, I don't understand why the color is so quickly identified as feminine. I think the only real problem I have with pink is that I psychologically associate the color with Pepto-Bismol, so it reminds me of all the times I have had nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, or diarrhea. That has nothing to do with pink being a girly color, though. The only reason I would think that men should avoid the color is that I have been told that all my life. I wouldn't come to that conclusion on my own.
It is possible that my colorblindness dulls my perception of pink, and thus changes my opinion of it. For example, Here is a before and after picture of a pink heart run through a protanopia (the type of colorblindness I have) simulator. Notice how the after picture is much more masculine than the before picture.
Before Colorblindness Simulator:
After Colorblindness Simulator:
Okay, so I'm kidding. Below are the real before and after pictures.
Before Colorblindness Simulator:
After Colorblindness Simulator:
I am left with the impression that either my colorblindness causes me to not see the inherent femininity in the color pink, or that the main reason people see pink as feminine is because they have been taught to see it that way. There is no way I'll be able to figure which is the case by myself, though, since I really can't even see the color.
All my life I have known that blue is a boy's color and pink is a girl's color. Boys can't like pink, though girls can like blue. To parade around in something pink or to even own something pink was to somehow reduce your manhood. I never determined why this was the case. I just knew it was.
I know that little has changed since I was a kid because when I discussed this at work I found that few guys would be willing to wear a large amount of pink clothing in public. Obviously, some people still associate the color with something other than masculinity.
Truth be told, while I don't have any special fondness for the color pink, I don't understand why the color is so quickly identified as feminine. I think the only real problem I have with pink is that I psychologically associate the color with Pepto-Bismol, so it reminds me of all the times I have had nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, or diarrhea. That has nothing to do with pink being a girly color, though. The only reason I would think that men should avoid the color is that I have been told that all my life. I wouldn't come to that conclusion on my own.
It is possible that my colorblindness dulls my perception of pink, and thus changes my opinion of it. For example, Here is a before and after picture of a pink heart run through a protanopia (the type of colorblindness I have) simulator. Notice how the after picture is much more masculine than the before picture.
Before Colorblindness Simulator:
After Colorblindness Simulator:
Okay, so I'm kidding. Below are the real before and after pictures.
Before Colorblindness Simulator:
After Colorblindness Simulator:
I am left with the impression that either my colorblindness causes me to not see the inherent femininity in the color pink, or that the main reason people see pink as feminine is because they have been taught to see it that way. There is no way I'll be able to figure which is the case by myself, though, since I really can't even see the color.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
merger
One of the guys at work grew up on the West Coast and often points out things that are different between there and the Midwest. A frequent topic and the basis for a recent discussion is regarding driving habits between the two places. We specifically discussed (meaning that we hotly debated) the ways traffic merges in both places when lanes are closed and what truly is the best way to handle this.
Apparently, the Kansas way is for everyone to merge as soon as they see the "Lane Closed" sign and to get real mad at people who drive all the way to the cones then try to merge. Apparently, the California way is to drive all the way to where the lane ends, then for the traffic in the lane that is going away to merge every other car. I have talked to people on both sides of this issue who get very frustrated at those who prefer to merge different than them because they are convinced everyone else is screwing everything up.
If this is indeed how things work in each locale, I have a theory about why this is. This should interest BB since it has to do with standing in line for a $35 shirt. There are several places where overpriced shirts are sold, but I would like to focus on two of them for the purpose of my example.
If I were to go to the t-shirt stand at most concerts right before the concert started, I would probably have to fight a crowd to purchase a shirt. There would be no lines because there would not be enough room for lines. There really wouldn't be such a thing as cutting because the entire system relies on people elbowing their way to the counter. You snooze you loose.
If I were to buy a shirt at a retail store I would probably have to stand in one of several lines and eventually purchase the shirt at a register. Getting in line at a register that is shut down then cutting in the line at the next register would generally be frowned upon. This system would work because the store has more room for people to line up than exists in front of the shirt stand.
I say this without having driven in California, but I think that driving in the more populated areas of California is like trying to get to the counter at the t-shirt stand at a concert. There is so much traffic in such a confined area that you can't as easily fault someone for cutting you off. This sort of system would encourage people to wait until the last possible moment to merge because why not speed past three or four or forty other cars before merging if you are going to have to force your way in no matter what anyway?
I think that driving in Kansas is like standing line at a retail store. There is less traffic for the amount of roadway we have. When drivers pass up opportunities to merge into gaps in the traffic and instead cut someone off at the last possible moment so they can get further ahead the other drivers think they are jerks. It is like someone just cut in line in front of them.
This is just a theory. I think it would be a cool psychological study to see if people from one area of the United States change their driving habits when they move. I would almost think a person would have to in order to survive. That is probably a good reason not to consider moving to Los Angeles. I know I would hate the traffic.
Apparently, the Kansas way is for everyone to merge as soon as they see the "Lane Closed" sign and to get real mad at people who drive all the way to the cones then try to merge. Apparently, the California way is to drive all the way to where the lane ends, then for the traffic in the lane that is going away to merge every other car. I have talked to people on both sides of this issue who get very frustrated at those who prefer to merge different than them because they are convinced everyone else is screwing everything up.
If this is indeed how things work in each locale, I have a theory about why this is. This should interest BB since it has to do with standing in line for a $35 shirt. There are several places where overpriced shirts are sold, but I would like to focus on two of them for the purpose of my example.
If I were to go to the t-shirt stand at most concerts right before the concert started, I would probably have to fight a crowd to purchase a shirt. There would be no lines because there would not be enough room for lines. There really wouldn't be such a thing as cutting because the entire system relies on people elbowing their way to the counter. You snooze you loose.
If I were to buy a shirt at a retail store I would probably have to stand in one of several lines and eventually purchase the shirt at a register. Getting in line at a register that is shut down then cutting in the line at the next register would generally be frowned upon. This system would work because the store has more room for people to line up than exists in front of the shirt stand.
I say this without having driven in California, but I think that driving in the more populated areas of California is like trying to get to the counter at the t-shirt stand at a concert. There is so much traffic in such a confined area that you can't as easily fault someone for cutting you off. This sort of system would encourage people to wait until the last possible moment to merge because why not speed past three or four or forty other cars before merging if you are going to have to force your way in no matter what anyway?
I think that driving in Kansas is like standing line at a retail store. There is less traffic for the amount of roadway we have. When drivers pass up opportunities to merge into gaps in the traffic and instead cut someone off at the last possible moment so they can get further ahead the other drivers think they are jerks. It is like someone just cut in line in front of them.
This is just a theory. I think it would be a cool psychological study to see if people from one area of the United States change their driving habits when they move. I would almost think a person would have to in order to survive. That is probably a good reason not to consider moving to Los Angeles. I know I would hate the traffic.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
gray shirts
Most people who know me well know I like being casual. Few things are more enjoyable than kicking 
back in jeans and a cotton t-shirt. One thing that I have noticed, though, is that I am somehow drawn specifically to gray t-shirts.
It could be that I just like the color gray. When mixed with a black, especially, gray can be very appealing. It could also be that I don't have to worry about gray clashing with most things. Another possibility is that I psychologically associate gray t-shirts as the most comfortable because I have had a lot of comfy cotton tees that were gray.
At any given time I have one or two t-shirts that I will more often than not grab on a Saturday
to wear around the house when I don't have anything important to do. The majority of these have been gray (though a few blue and orange ones have been in the mix).
At some inevitable point I determine that either the shirt is too threadworn or the shirt has shrunk too much to be very comfortable and I move to a new favorite gray shirt. So, I buy a shirt one size larger and the circle of life starts anew.
back in jeans and a cotton t-shirt. One thing that I have noticed, though, is that I am somehow drawn specifically to gray t-shirts.It could be that I just like the color gray. When mixed with a black, especially, gray can be very appealing. It could also be that I don't have to worry about gray clashing with most things. Another possibility is that I psychologically associate gray t-shirts as the most comfortable because I have had a lot of comfy cotton tees that were gray.
At any given time I have one or two t-shirts that I will more often than not grab on a Saturday
to wear around the house when I don't have anything important to do. The majority of these have been gray (though a few blue and orange ones have been in the mix).At some inevitable point I determine that either the shirt is too threadworn or the shirt has shrunk too much to be very comfortable and I move to a new favorite gray shirt. So, I buy a shirt one size larger and the circle of life starts anew.
Friday, April 06, 2007
fashion versus comfort
We have watched several episodes of the show "How Do I Look?" today. A theme that apparently occurs frequently on the show is that people defend their fashion choices using comfort as an excuse. The hosts of the show liked to point out how lame of an excuse that is. I have to question this perspective, though.
I understand taking general steps to look good because some people deem it acceptable to judge on appearances. I understand that some don't deem it acceptable, but do so anyways. I also understand understand that maintaining a good style helps a lot of people feel good about themselves. I still can't figure out why style is more important than comfort.
I have always valued comfort over any specific style. There have been times that I wanted brand name things, but I do not think there has ever been a time when I would have voluntarily sacrificed comfort for the brand name. If not for Golden I would probably be a prime candidate for one of these style shows. I do not know that I would be happy if someone signed me up for one of those shows, though.
I would not mind someone giving me a recommendation regarding what I could do to look better, but if someone tried to force me to change my philosophy I think I would resist out of principle. Maybe I would be in the wrong, but I have a hard time dealing with people telling me to conform.
I understand taking general steps to look good because some people deem it acceptable to judge on appearances. I understand that some don't deem it acceptable, but do so anyways. I also understand understand that maintaining a good style helps a lot of people feel good about themselves. I still can't figure out why style is more important than comfort.
I have always valued comfort over any specific style. There have been times that I wanted brand name things, but I do not think there has ever been a time when I would have voluntarily sacrificed comfort for the brand name. If not for Golden I would probably be a prime candidate for one of these style shows. I do not know that I would be happy if someone signed me up for one of those shows, though.
I would not mind someone giving me a recommendation regarding what I could do to look better, but if someone tried to force me to change my philosophy I think I would resist out of principle. Maybe I would be in the wrong, but I have a hard time dealing with people telling me to conform.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
metro or not
The argument of the week at work was what counts as metrosexual. Does appearing very stylistic count? Does a person have to care a lot about grooming?
The reason for these questions is that some believe that Ty Pennington of Extreme Makeover counts as a metro. I and at least one other person I work with do not believe so. Others have pointed out that choice in hair and clothing styles are ample evidence of Ty's metroness, but I think that appearances shouldn't count if there is a chance that someone else made the fashion choices. There was also some dispute over whether Ty makes his own fashion choices.
Anyway, this is an issue that has been far from resolved. Does anyone else have input?
The reason for these questions is that some believe that Ty Pennington of Extreme Makeover counts as a metro. I and at least one other person I work with do not believe so. Others have pointed out that choice in hair and clothing styles are ample evidence of Ty's metroness, but I think that appearances shouldn't count if there is a chance that someone else made the fashion choices. There was also some dispute over whether Ty makes his own fashion choices.
Anyway, this is an issue that has been far from resolved. Does anyone else have input?
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