Afraid of judgement?

OregonEllen · May 29, 2013

I couldn't decide between "no" and "indifferent" so I chose "indifferent".  Which is just a way of saying "who cares?"  You don't have to color your hair blue or bright red----just gain weight and go grey.  That's enough.   The trouble with this world these days, though, is that there are so many people who try to talk tough and who have the need to look down on other people.  It's a dirty shame that that's what it takes for them to feel okay about themselves.   I've never fit in with "regular" people and now that I'm old, I really don't care.  The younger folks are too wrapped up in their own lives to care very much what old people are doing or not doing, anyway.  I like me and I enjoy my own company so that's what's important, I think.   I've always lacked any big desire to have material things.  People I've known haven't understood that I just don't care that much about having "stuff".  I'd rather travel light and meet more people, create more art, write more, bead more, go to more pow wows----I'm a real easy to please person.

Varmint · Jun 3, 2013

I went with OregonEllen's advice to "gain weight and go grey"....didn't seem to have much choice, either. I may have gone a wee-bit overboard (I look 13 months pregnant to me) but I'll survive it. Once I'm away in my own trailer build I'm sure my stress levels will drop and I'll lose weight again. I don't care about my gray/silver hair, but it is getting long again. A female friend advised "Don't you DARE cut that!" so I may oblige. Just 'cuz she's adorable.

I'm not really concerned enough about the judgement of others enough to stop planning and prepping for my own build. Anyone that would squawk about me living in a home-built cargo trailer or van is likely just as ignorant as someone whining about an RV/camper, or tent. It's none of their business, and I only share such knowledge to test their limits. I ain't got any.

As for tats, hair color, and other artificial "enhancements", my normal response is "Why?" These things have no purpose or meaning for me (I like natural), but I've learned over the years that they have meaning for those that get them, therefore, who cares? You want wild, crazy hair color? Tats all over? Fire for effect! Go crazy! Bigger boobs? Knock yer bra off! (I still think gravity wins). I don't like ANY of those things, but I love some people that have them, regardless.

Ultimately, we do the things we do, including our living arrangements, because it pleases US, and is an ultimate expression of who and what we are and were created to be. Nobody should ever be denied the right to express that, or to live the life we choose.

73....

highdesertranger · Jun 3, 2013

ok who voted yes?  isn't no and indifferent the same?  highdesertranger

creationode · Jun 4, 2013

LOLOLOL, the one person that voted yes is going to have a hard time admitting it, if we are all too bold about our lack of concern!  Although I believe I know who it is already. I have found that, for men, the largest confidence booster - and people comforter - is a good degree of visible physical fitness in your muscles.  Enough to actually be comfortable to wear tank tops and whatever you want, anytime you want.  I used to be very out of shape and super duper skinny.  I have changed that, but I am still nothing like a weight lifter. I am in Texas, and the more boots and tight jeans and cowboy hats you wear, the more you stand out, and dressing like that, is Peacocking...they do it to catch attention, because they usually have nothing else going in their personalities except a very aggressive, ugly, and vain Type-A personality, that NOBODY wants to deal with.  They are dangerous people.  Nobody cares about the car you have, because there are tons of ways to get money, and having money to flaunt means absolutely nothing to me, at all, period. I also take pride in what I HAVE, naturally. Which is hair.  I have had it long, short, and bald.  But I always do it with pride.  My beard grows very quickly, and I always style it in some way.  Yeah, people sometimes...look. I am sure they are just looking at it because it is a bit unusual.  Now, only twice, has a person said something truly negative about my beards.  I expained to them, that to be jealous of my hair makes them much weaker than me, and if they want to fight me about it, I am happy to smash their face in with my beard.  That shuts them up immediately.  And actually earns their respect! I have always, always attempted to emulate my heros.  My heros are generally tough, but very humane men, from fantasy and scifi movies and novels.  These men are rare, in real life, and usually do things like...live in wilder areas!  Just like I want!  There are fewer in the cities, but they do exist, and I am always happy to see them exist.  Now, just becuase they appear a certain way, does not mean they are actually kind people.  But the strength to keep your hair however you want, short or long, and dress however you want...gives you confidence points. Throughout history, dress and hair styles were signs of social classes. Now is the time to just reverse it, and let everyone look how they want. I only start to judge people when they make noise.  And even then, I always recognize they are just going through...life! Life is hard.

Seraphim · Jun 6, 2013

There are other people in the world???

Salida Scarlett · Jun 7, 2013

I have two kids who'll be cool with my new adopted nomadic lifestyle. One yuppie son and wife will think I've gone trailer trash in my old age. I intend to inform them the lawnmower, the endlessly growing grass and all the problems with "home ownership" just got left behind, and that I never intend to own another house and yard as long as I live. That being the case, when I kick off, they won't have to deal with the issues, and can just drive away whatever I leave behind without an ordeal of estate sales, etc, etc. As for other folks on the road? Actually, what other people think of us is not nearly as important as we might imagine. But my motto is "a smile is never wasted".

DollarJoe67 · Jun 7, 2013

Varmint, your words speak directly to my sentiment behind this thread. "Ultimately, we do the things we do, including our living arrangements, because it pleases US, and is an ultimate expression of who and what we are and were created to be." Too many people DON'T live their lives by this philosophy.  My "blue hair experiment," as it has been dubbed, wasn't really an experiment at all.  After 30yrs on our planet, it suddenly occurred to me that there is nothing in my life preventing me from doing whatever I want to do.  My dad was a straight and narrow US Air Force officer who didn't let his boys step out of line, and then I joined the military and as you may imagine very little difference.  So, now I decided to dye my hair blue because I wanted blue hair and it "pleases" me.  Some people laugh at me (doesn't phase me, I like making people laugh), some laugh with me (love it, I like making people laugh), some people stare (you can tell they are thinking, I like making people think).  But in the end I hold the realization that my life is about me.  So, the judgment by others pales in comparison to the entirety of my life and that liberates my soul.