A to Z Theme 2016

For my 2016 A to Z theme I used a meme that I ran across on the blog of Bridget Straub who first saw it on the blog of Paula Acton. This meme is a natural for me to use on my memoir blog. It's an A to Z concept and it's about me. No research and nothing complicated. I'm given twenty six questions or topics to discuss that are about me.

In April I kept my posts short and uncomplicated. In the midst of it all you might learn a few things about me that you didn't previously know.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Deja Vu

     


        Once again D.L. Hammons is hosting the Deju Vu Blogfest.  This is the blogging event where participants are invited to share one of their lesser performing blog posts in order to give a wider audience one more chance to read what they may have missed.  My post comes from early February of 2015.  Weirdo addresses the topic of "Being Different".


Arlee at Christmas in Tennessee 2004

        To be called a weirdo is not something to which most of us aspire.  When I was a kid I didn't necessarily think of myself as a weirdo nor did I want to be thought of as one.  But I really didn't think that much about it either.   After all, I was just a kid and being weird is often synonymous with being a kid.  Kids are mostly in their own world of imagination and from the standpoint of an adult they might seem a bit la-la--you know--out there so to speak.   Adults expect silliness and naiveté from children. I delivered on a regular basis.

       There were plenty of other kids whom I thought were a bit odd, but I didn't usually count myself in that category. Oh, there were those times when I reveled in doing weird things. But that's when I was on a mission of strangeness. Whether it was to annoy, shock, amuse, or for whatever other reason, when I was trying to be weird, I was happy if I fulfilled that mission which I had initially set out to do.

      For the most part though I was a normal child. I made decent grades and the teachers always had good reports to send home about me. That's mostly been me even into adulthood. Employers liked me and I always got promotions. I've typically had good relationships with people--other than certain people who were really weird in kind of a bad way.

        And yet I see myself as a bit on the weird side.   Not wacky weird or scary or like some kind of a pervert or anything like that.  My neighbors and people who I encounter in public probably rarely give me a second look because I appear to be so damn normal.  When I'm in Walmart no one would ever think to take a picture of me to post on the internet because I look so--well--normal.   That's me--Mr. Normal Average Guy.

         It's some of my tastes I guess that put me out there some.  I like classical music, seventies rock, and jazz influenced pop music from the 20's and 30's.  My interest in films is eclectic though I have a strong interest in the films of Fellini, David Lynch, and old film noir.  I often read things that most people I know don't read.  Give me a thin crust pizza with onions, jalapenos, and anchovies and I'm in food heaven.

         I'm not saying that I'm the only one in the world who likes the things I like, but often I feel in a distinct minority regarding my tastes.  Some people think I'm weird because of what I like.  Or they at least think I like odd things.  I know there are plenty of people who do like what I like but I rarely seem to encounter them.  My tastes don't bother me, but often I have no one with whom to share what I like.  I never have anyone to discuss Fellini movies with me.  When my pizza arrives you can bet that I'll likely be the only one eating it if I've ordered my favorite.

         Being different is fine with me.   I've not only gotten used to it, but I'm a bit proud of it.  A lifetime of being a bit of a weirdo is something that one usually can adapt to.   After all, we're all just a bit daft in our own ways.  Aren't we?   Well, don't just stare at me like I'm weird or something.  Come on and admit it:  You're a bit of a weirdo too--in one way or another.

          I think its kind of the human condition.

         Do you think you're weird?   What do you think comprises "weirdness"?    Who are some weirdos that you have known?

          For more Deja Vu fun visit D.L. Hammons for the list of participants.






13 comments:

  1. mission of strangeness
    I like that! I think the word weird has morphed into a definition that is less deragatory. I often aspire to weirdness! :)

    Thank you for taking part today!

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    1. DL, I think weird can be fun and interesting. I'm proud to be weird.

      Lee

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  2. Oh I KNOW I'm weird. Being an only child raised in a very quiet and rural part of town, I was definitely an odd duck compared to my classmates. I did my own thing and didn't really care if it wasn't popular. Like my punk rock years in high school. I took a lot of crap from my classmates for being weird. But the funny thing is, when everyone joined Facebook and friended me, I got a few messages from people saying that they always admired how I wasn't afraid to be myself in those days and they were just trying to go along w/ everyone else. So there you go. And I saw and experienced a lot of good weirdness during my Grateful Dead years too. Good times.

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  3. Weird is a misused word or a definition in progress. I had a coworker friend who would say everyone who disagreed with her was weird. Imagine that if you will with the diphthong fully pronounced and dragged out in a Southern accent.
    Anyway, I would say eclectic is how you describe yourself. We are all unique. Some a little more unique than others.

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  4. Back in the day, being weird was a defense. If you were self conscious about the things you didn't want the others to laugh about, Give them something you ARE comfortable with to laugh about. Pretty much framed my personality. Now that I am an "old bumpy guy" like I call me and Scrappy, I don't care what "they" think, and I can be weird for sheer entertainment.

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  5. I've had times when I think I must be weird - I do things that my cohort aren't doing, and like things that nobody else I knew did. You know what, it's pretty much the same list as yours. We're neither of us weird - we have only just got to find people with the same good tastes!

    Although I did kind of cultivate the 'eccentric aunt' thing for my nieces :)

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  6. If being unique and individual is weird, then I think most can use that description at some time or another. Geek is the term I hear more often these days but it is just another in the long list of "different" terminology.

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  7. As Rhonda says ... being an individual is the most important thing to me - living one's own life, yet fitting ... great re-post - this happened when I was recovering from hip op. Cheers Hilary

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  8. I don't tolerate fools or stupid, especially at work, where you really have to kiss ass and stroke fragile egos in order to get along. I don't so that makes me truly weird, since I'm always on the outside looking.

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  9. I definitely see myself as weird - but who would want to be normal?
    I'm 30 and still mostly live in a world of my own imagination - it's OK they know me there :)

    Chippy

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  10. I teach middle school. Being a weirdo helps. Like they say, "You don't have to be crazy to work here, but it helps." Nice to hear from a fellow odd duck.

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  11. I think we're all a little weird, each in our own way. But isn't that delightful. Who wants to live in a world filled with cookie cutter "normal" people?

    Of course, I can live without those truly evil weirdos who hurt people, but I haven't encountered too many of them in my lifetime (thanks goodness).

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Arlee Bird