Casual Thursday, or A Study in Flannel
Today is Casual Thursday. I get every other Friday off, and I have made the executive decision that I will wear jeans to the office at least one day a week. If I'm not working on a particular Friday, then Thursday becomes my casual day. Aside from the obvious comfort, it also serves as a visual reminder to my colleagues that I won't be around the next day. Beats having to send out an all-points email, anyway.
I never thought I'd become a flannel shirt guy, but that seems to be the case of the last few years. Maybe it has something to do with a slowing metabolism combined with a sort of reverse elitism (lots of -ism there). The overarching sense of self-importance/entitlement that pervades the DC area, along with the premium put on looks, is infuriating to me. Having been born and raised in a fairly typical middle class family in the Midwest, I occasionally still have issues with the East Coast presumptive superiority thing, even though I've been out here for nearly 12 years. So maybe the flannel shirts (aside from the obvious comfort and oh-so-stylish plaid) are some lame shot at the dominant local paradigm. (Love that word, paradigm.) I suppose I could be completely wacked on this one, too. I don't give a lot of credence to self-reflection, but others' mileage may vary.
The Midwest is not necessarily "better" that the East Coast per se, but people seem to be a bit more genuine and more inclined to engage on a human level. I do get the feeling (at times) in the DC area that a lot of people are actually hungry for some kind of human interaction but they just don't quite know how to pull it off, as if condescending to have a regular conversation would somehow lower their coolness factor. Of course, it could just be that they don't talk to strangers.
One other thing about the Midwest which might tip the balance in its favor: Midwesterners know Jell-O like nobody's business.
I never thought I'd become a flannel shirt guy, but that seems to be the case of the last few years. Maybe it has something to do with a slowing metabolism combined with a sort of reverse elitism (lots of -ism there). The overarching sense of self-importance/entitlement that pervades the DC area, along with the premium put on looks, is infuriating to me. Having been born and raised in a fairly typical middle class family in the Midwest, I occasionally still have issues with the East Coast presumptive superiority thing, even though I've been out here for nearly 12 years. So maybe the flannel shirts (aside from the obvious comfort and oh-so-stylish plaid) are some lame shot at the dominant local paradigm. (Love that word, paradigm.) I suppose I could be completely wacked on this one, too. I don't give a lot of credence to self-reflection, but others' mileage may vary.
The Midwest is not necessarily "better" that the East Coast per se, but people seem to be a bit more genuine and more inclined to engage on a human level. I do get the feeling (at times) in the DC area that a lot of people are actually hungry for some kind of human interaction but they just don't quite know how to pull it off, as if condescending to have a regular conversation would somehow lower their coolness factor. Of course, it could just be that they don't talk to strangers.
One other thing about the Midwest which might tip the balance in its favor: Midwesterners know Jell-O like nobody's business.
posted by Sasquatch at
12:35 PM
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