Friday, January 12, 2007

I Hate Being Trendy

I don't watch Survivor, 24, or Grey's Anatomy.

I don't have an
iPod, Tivo, or satellite radio.

I don't wear
Gap, Old Navy, or Aeropostale clothes.

I don't do
yoga, crave Starbucks, or read Harry Potter.

I don't join knit-a-longs, swaps, or Stitch N Bitch groups.

I don't want to be just like everybody else.

I have yet to be confronted, but I'm completely prepared with my argument that I started knitting before it became totally trendy to do so. (Hopefully
Brenda will back me up on this.) I don't just say that because this month marks five years that I've devoted to this craft. I say it because I want people to know that I've never knitted a fun fur scarf, and I couldn't be more okay with that.

So I got all cranky the other day when I realized that there exists a
Central Park Hoodie knit-along with over 75 people signed up. No, I'm not signed up; I didn't even know about the KAL until it had already been closed. But the fact remains. And I was cranky.

But then I thought about it. It's not so bad being a little bit trendy. I do, after all, watch American Idol. I have a knitting blog. I have a cell phone and a digital camera. I like Jelly Belly jelly beans. Trendy isn't all bad.

I realized that when other people knit the same thing I do, I can get tips from them and learn from their experiences. So I decided not to rip out the back of the Central Park Hoodie that I finished almost entirely during my trip to Washington. That's two pieces down, three to go. I'm going to love this sweater, even if everyone else in the world decides to knit one.

But, I hope they don't.

p.b. That other picture shows how much I got done. This picture shows the true colors in the yarn.

4 comments:

SKH said...

I watch 24. I own an iPod. And I crave Starbucks. Some people might call those "having taste" rather than "being trendy."

By the way, I like the new look.

Yonners said...

Sometimes when I notice that something I'm doing is trendy I just remember that I am completely dorky enough that it doesn't matter, I will never be trendy. Another way of looking at it is that not doing anything trendy at the expense of what you like is a trendy thing to do, like how some people try way too hard to look like they don't care about their clothing but you know they spent 45 minutes trying on various outfits to make sure that they look like they never tried. Your hoodie is amazing and it will be unique because you made it and even if there are hordes of KAL for the hoodie the liklihood that you will come across someone who knitted one is very unlikely, and the possibility of coming across someone who knit it as well as you are knitting yours? Impossible (for dramatic effect, say that will a french accent).

And seriously, believe me when I say HARRY POTTER ROCKS MY WORLD!!! Like, just yeah, I mean, wow. My friend and I are planning on dressing up like wizards and going to a bookstore party for the release of the next book, I kid you not.

Joy said...

Hey -- you wrote six things that are weird about you! How incredibly subtle.

I am blown away by the progress you have made on the hoodie. That's an astounding amount of knitting on one thing. Love the colors. Love it.

Brenda said...

Hey! Look on the bright side. In a couple of years when knitting isn't cool anymore, you'll still be doing it. Then people will look at you and say "OMG! Knitting is so last year. What a loser."

Well, they won't actually say it to you. They'll giggle and say it to their friends. And then you can say "OMG! I am so glad I can think for MYSELF!" And then they will roll their eyes and make little disgusted noises and go back to talking about how pretty they are and how much money they spent on their shoes.