The "Toon" me, which is vastly more interesting than the real one
Just to be different, I’m going to come at this “getting to know you” post a little backward and spend some time discussing what I’m not about. Odd, I know, but since coming at subjects from tilted angles is typical for me, the concept somehow fits. So here’s my little run-down of what you won’t find me spending my time, money, or energy on.
If it’s the rage, chances are, I won’t be into it. I’m sure some psychologist type could have a hay day with my fractured childhood and teen years and drill down to some deep-seated reason I curl my lip at the popular, but whatever the root, you can count on the fact that I won’t root for what’s “in.” For example…
In the early 90’s, when I first started college, I wanted a beret. But then Monica Lewinski turned up on every media outlet available wearing one, and hence, the rest of teen-kind followed. You know what I bought myself as headwear? A rainbow-colored baseball hat with a glow in the dark propeller on top.
I was a certified Star Wars geek in those propeller-hat years, before the 20th anniversary re-release of the original trilogy—back when knowing Admiral Ackbar’s name cordoned you off with a fractional percentage of the population. With the re-release and the new trilogy, however, Star Wars became mainstream, and guess what? My passion turned cold. (OK, a lot of that had to do with the quality of the new movies, but I digress…)
I have always been resistant to reading the books that are selling a gajillion copies. I haven’t read The DaVinci Code. Or The Hunger Games. Or Twilight. I may be missing something. But somehow, the core of my soul just won’t let me go where the crowd is. Even my preferences must be introverted.
In art school, when everybody was dying their hair black and getting something pierced to exert their freedom and individuality (ironic) I was wearing an oversized blazer, jeans, and Victorian-style lace up boots. Yes, I was a sight. It’s a miracle I met and retained my now-husband during those years.
Top Forty music? The only reason I’ve heard of Adele is because customers at my work occasionally order songbooks of her music. I couldn’t hum a single bar of anything she or Katy Perry sing. I’m OK with that.
I have never seen a single minute of a single episode of Glee. Or Lost. Or Desperate Housewives.
However, there is one area where I’m a sucker for a new rage…food. My steel-spined resistance to trends crumples when confronted with the right 
combination of salt and chocolate. (And I will wait in the long line at the candy counter in Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market for salt caramels.) I long for the day I have pockets deep enough to find out what makes wagyu beef worth $200 a pound. Trendy vegetables like broccolini? A second serving, please. Burnt caramel cheesecake flan? I’ll save room.
So if you want to pique my interest, strike up a conversation about a completely under-appreciated animated film produced by an industry underdog. Or else have a tray of assorted olives on hand. If either of those sound intriguing to you, I think we’ll have a lot to talk about here in the coming months at TCT. I hope you’ll join into the unexpected conversation.
I can totally relate to this. I tend to shy from the popular, too. (I do, however, have plenty of piercings–all ear, btw–but I got them *before* they became popular
.) I have a feeling you and I would have been good friends if I’d been at the art school you went to. A friendship probably started by me saying, “Cool boots!”
One thing I *must* say: Adele and Katy Perry do not belong in the same sentence. Not even in the same paragraph. Adele may be popular now, but her music is so totally in a different class. Watch this one video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYEDA3JcQqw&ob=av2e. The fantasy geek in me so wants to write a character based on the samurai warrior chick dancer….
Thanks for the link.
I do apologize for lumping the two vastly different performers together, and I will concede, Adele sings with a soul that most teen-rage performers could never hope to.
And it would have been too awesome if you and I had gone to University of the Arts together. Alas–at least we have found some virtual camaraderie now.
Thanks for stopping by and for weighing in. I learned a little something today.
I agree with Chicky on Adele. I’ll also point out that Hunger Games does not belong with Twilight or The Da Vinci Code.
As far as trends, I like to think our little group are trend setters instead of followers. 
Lol–I should have prefaced those sentences with a disclaimer. Something like “The following lists are only compiled based on the common thread of popularity–quality was not a consideration in the compilation.”
And you are right–we should be trail blazers if we want to rise above the swelling current of reading options out there. I think we can do it.
I’ve never really been one to follow trends either, but I don’t necessarily shy away from one if it’s something I truly enjoy. I learned long ago not to care what the masses are doing. Every once in awhile, though, they get something right. Every once in awhile.. lol…
That’s the trick for me–to be able to appreciate something that is both good AND popular, and not just shun it because of the popularity side. Thanks for reading and for some perspective.
Hehe–example of “good AND popular”: Dr. Who
.
Seriously, yes, it is sometimes a balance. I hate the bandwagon effect, but as Ralene says, every once in a while the masses get it right. (another example: Harry Potter)
I do however do what you do, Becky, and sometimes refuse to like something/someone simply because it’s/they’re popular. I’ve actually done that a lot. I still find myself doing it. It is an independent streak. I have always been (according to my parents) an “I’ll do it my way” kind of person, even (especially?) as a kid. I think that makes me naturally draw away from the popular because it feels like I’m being told what to like.
Hmmm, interesting. Would you say Dr. Who is popular, on a general population scale? Sure, those of us who love Speculative Fiction love it–but what about the random sample of folks on the street? I know I tend to get a skewed sense of the world because of the bubble I live in, and I am reminded how unusual my crew of intelligent friends is every time I read facebook statuses in text-speak from the general public. But it’s good to hang around the brains of the operation, right?
Yeah, and my kids are going to be just as much an oddball as I am. I plugged up my iPod to the radio the other day and was listening to the playlist that has all the foreign-language songs in in (Like the Romanian version of the Numa Numa song, Du Hast and numerous Japanese songs from various anime shows) and Lorien is all about it. She wants to look up what the words mean and really enjoys hearing the different languages I think. This on top of being indoctrinated in the world of magic, dragons, pirates and orchestral sound tracks instead of pop (although the aforementioned songs ARE pop, I clearly had to have the oddball version of pop). She even has posters of the Weasley family (especially Ginny and the twins) in her room instead of the current Disney darlings. Which makes me happy. And she is totally destined for art school if she can get a handle on her learning issues. But all of that is ok, because I’d much rather her march to her own drum than be a craven to society.
Oh, and I totally feel you on the chocolates. I just drove 17 miles today to buy a certain cinnamon bread!
I can identify with you also, I like what I like what I like and if no one else does, too bad.LOL
I too, satisfy my own curiosity before adapting to outside cultures, causes or attitudes. I suppose that I fit out rather than fit in. I am still waiting for someone to open a bookstore that actually carries books that tell the story of people like me. Mind you, I expect it to be cluttered, with half the books still in boxes and all of them written by people with a story to tell but no axe to grind.
I like the concept of having a story to tell without an axe to grind! Come through your experiences stronger and with a positive outlook, and that’s a story I want to hear.
You’re definitely with kindred spirits here. In my teen years, my favourite music was funk and classical (mainly romantic era) which is an odd combination. That used to earn me a lot of raised eyebrows because most of my peers at the time were into (shudder) hi-energy and would greet any mention of my favourite bands with a blank expression.
Well Paul, The funks on them now,(Pun intended.) LOL