Saturday, March 6, 2010

The Spectrum of Cool



As I'm getting out more, making friends, I've been thinking about what is cool. And if I'm cool, how do I recognize others like me?

During my first year in college there was this one guy, I think his name was Pete. He was tall and had scraggly, long brown hair. Not attractive. Very skinny. And make no mistake, he was a total flaming geek. And when we would bowl, us and our friends, he would dance a geeky jig with each strike. He went on to work at frito lay, making artificial flavorings. He was way cool. I miss him a bit.



I think he was cool because he owned who he was. Which is tricky when you are everything that is not, by definition, cool.

Then there are the smart people, possessed in self confidence, all indy as get out. Urban, thrift store chick wardrobe. Ultra cool. I knew a girl who fit that description. We hung out a lot in college. She had a boyfriend who was macho and grew his own vegetables. They were vegans. I was all like, here are my people. All smart and sassy like. This hip duo was the first couple friends Mr. Hall and I had. I thought they were cooler than us. They were definitely cooler looking.



Then we all went to a Halloween Haunted House constructed by local high schoolers. It was cool for what it was. They, the ultra cool couple, kind of rolled their eyes and called it lame. Which I thought was totally bad manners. Then they were jabbering about politics. Because politics WAS A FAVORITE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION OF THEIRS. And not just any politics BUT KARL MARX. Yeah, I know. So cliche.

Then Mr. Hall and I were getting all into the Haunted House. Loving the hand painted doors, the teenage kids with rubber masks who trying to scare us, the candy corn . . . getting into it. Cause that's what we do.



We get into things cause we ENJOY OURSELVES ALL THE TIME. Then I started waxing poetic about Christmas. And she, of our first couple friends, did the "Pssh-shaaww" noise and said, "Oh, I hate Christmas."

It was then I decided that for the rest of my life-- I would never be friends with anyone who wasn't a fan of Christmas.

True to my word, we never spoke to the cool couple again.

So, to me, cool is a spectrum. In order to even register as cool, one must have ownership of self. But, the self needs to be awesome. Happy and passionate for life. Then the exterior needs to match that interior. Because frumpy and not showering is uncool. And above all, being kind is the coolest. Cause no one likes a cool asshat. In fact, that defeats the purpose.

And now, a very cool song indeed. . . Lust for Life by Iggy Pop.

Stupid adverts in front of videos ARE NOT COOL but I just couldn't find another copy.

apologies.




;)

12 Left a message at the beep:

Mrs. Hall said...

I have seen that movie like 3 times AND EACH TIME I HAVE YET TO SEE THE LAST 15 MINUTES SO I DON'T KNOW HOW IT ENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

True and weird fact of the life of Mrs. Hall

Rebecka said...

Very 'cool' post.
I agree with your definition of what makes a person cool and if I get in there and get me a shower I'm set.

Stepping out and making friends is very courageous and that's what makes YOU cool.

Mrs. Hall said...

Hee hee Don't forget to use soap!!

:)

the queen said...

I think we need a semi-cool category for the frumpy and unwashed yet interiorally cool.

Mrs. Hall said...

merrr . . . . takes five minutes to shower Queen. NO EXCUSE!!

The Savage said...

You are Ferris Bueller cool....

Mrs. Hall said...

WHOA DUDE!!

Thanks!

Well, i think you are A-Team level cool!!!

Heff said...

I think the key to EVERYTHING is to "own it".

BTW - Use windows movie maker, and you can edit that krap out of videos.

Hank said...

Mrs. Hall, honey....now I git whutcher sayin' 'bout ownin' yerself an' all, but whut's wrong with bein' frumpy an' unshowered? I mean, have ya SEEN my pitcher???

I'M cool....right?!

Mrs. Hall said...

Oh . . Hank!

you are cool as a cucumber ;)

woof woof!!

Cam said...

I'm tepid, with intermittent bouts of cool. But, I own that, so it's all good!

Bruce Johnson said...

On the spectrum of cool....I am way cool these days, but that wasn't always the case. Before I owned myself, i was always looking to hang out with the cool folks. Then I realized they were all jerks, so I owned myself...and then found out, that once you become cool.....everyone wants to hang with you....how bizarre....I just don't have time for all these cool wanna-bes.

P.S. you pictures submission is in the works, but it has been pretty busy around here....and I will probably photocopy the image and post it in my office as well.

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