Resistant to change
I've always been set in my ways and very resistant to change. Familiarity equates to safety and security right?
When I was a little kid and I outgrew my clothes, I had to have the exact same thing, just one size bigger. When my mom would bring home something different that I wasn't used to, I wouldn't wear it. This was about the only time I crossed my mother. Luckily my grandmother took pity on me and would take me shopping. She always wanted to buy me designer clothes and the latest fads. Like parachute pants, and Jordache jeans and Michael Jackson jackets with 75 zippers. Nope, sorry. I politely picked out the same type clothes I always wore. It frustrated the shit out of grandma, but she knew it would be a waste of money to buy me candy assed preppy shit that everyone else was wearing.
Sadly my mom took it as a challenge and bought me gayer and gayer clothes each year until I was finally able to buy my own. Just this past Christmas, my mother sent me a baby blue V neck velour sweat shirt with three quarter sleeves. I can see she still hasn't admitted defeat.
I'm still the same way, I have a closet full of gay looking clothes that I will never wear but haven't got rid of yet. I will never ever wear a pink or purple shirt. There is something in my genetic code that makes me reject clothes the color of Easter eggs.
Food was the same way. I ate the exact same thing every meal. I bought the exact same flavor of ice cream every time and the never changed brands of candy, soda or bubble gum. I was a loyal customer or had a disorder, not sure which.
When I was a kid, my mom would give me 5 bucks and drop me off at the barber shop. This was fine. Barber shops were masculine and comfortable. They didn't smell like perms and passion-blossom-fruit shampoo. The same old man cut my hair the exact same way every time.
Until one day, I was about 6 years old and was dropped off at the shop like normal. I walked in and saw a woman standing behind an empty barber chair. I panicked, ran outside and stepped into the alley, I decided to wait for her to get a customer so I could get a "regular" barber. This didn't happen and the old men went to lunch. Shit! I could just imagine all the fruity gay things a woman barber could do to little boy's hair. I was scared shitless.
Then my mom pulled up...
"Why haven't you got your hair cut yet?" mom angrily demanded. I sheepishly pointed inside at the scary lady standing by the barber chair..."mom theres a lady in there, I want a man barber." She dragged me in and sat me in the chair, and I got my hair cut. I cautiously looked in in the mirror, it wasn't perfect, but it seemed fairly normal. However, I was sure that it could have just as easily been a pink bouffant if I hadn't kept my guard up. This was also my first lesson in valuing diversity...
I'm a little more adventurous these days, but not much. I eat about the same food each day, haven't got a haircut in 16 years and I'm wearing a 12 year old shirt. But I really do try new things...I just need to think of one. Maybe next post.
posted by Bill Rowland @ March 20, 2007
35 Comments
35 Comments:
I always eat the same things when I go to a restaurant. I like the safety of something that I know I like.
My hubby is the same way about clothes the color of easter eggs.
I wear the same clothes until they are literally rags. Hey, ya want some ties? I haven't worn them for years. Or displayed my diplomas on the wall for years.
It's all a bunch of bullshit.
I love this post. And I love a man who is averse to easter-egg colored shirts.
haha! you should get a haircut.
the clothes thing sounds like my daughter. she's only 4 and hates everything I pick out for her so I just let her think it was her idea. Works for now. :S
"I said "Hey Hammer, take a walk on the wild side'"
Do de doo....
You haven't cut your hair for 16 years? Please say it isn't so... oR are you bald?
my son has worn mostly jeans & white t-shirits his whole life. He had the same woman cut his hair for the whole 21 years he's been alive. He's been insistent about those things too. Hmmm, like you I think he doesn't like change.
snowmanpoop: I do the same thing at restaurants. Why take a chance when you know what works :)
BBC: I've got a whole rack of ties.
I haven't worn one in years.
phlegmfatale: lol I've received plenty as gifts, I guess they just don't know me.
Pinkangel: I shave my neck, does that count? ;)
Stucco: The wild side walks on me ;)
L>T: I just pull it back and put a hair tie on it. Yep your son has it right :)
For some reason, I seem to wear only green clothing every day...
My son is just like you with clothes and haircuts. When he was five he would only wear grey shorts. Anything else I had to return. He still will only wear certain colours - navy, black, grey, grey/green and khaki. We did get him to wear a couple of dark red sweaters because the colour looks so good on him but he's still not 100% sure of those.
With food though, he loves to try new things. Except he's partial to the way I cook some things, like spaghetti sauce and chili.
I miss the days the barber would shave the neckline and around you ears. It made the haircut look nicer and last longer. That and I refuse to pay over $7 for a haircut, even that is outrageous considering the little bit of hair I have.
Dear Hammer
My friend has not had a haircut in 16 years.
How do i tell him ZZ Top called and they want their hair back?
Shouldn't he get at least a trim?
-The Barber of Seville
Shit. I am the one who gets saddled with the bizarre blue and sequin green Hawaiin shirt with fishies swimming upside down because my sister knows that if she gives it to me, I will wear it to make her happy.
she'll buy stuff on the super duper sale table because nobody would EVER wear something like that and then buy it for me.
THere was a time when I enjoyed the oddity of her choices.
But now, with a belly, you just can't pull that fashion shit off...
gunny: That would simplify things wouldn't it :)
Jeannie: I thought I was the only bizzare one. It must be some guy thing.
Phosgene: I wouldn't be adverse to getting my neck shaved. It's hard to do backwards in the mirror. Barber shops are getting few and far between.
Infinitesimal: It seems your friend gave up on his looks years ago. just be happy if he still trims his nose hair ;)
Scott: You are such a nice guy to wear all that stuff your sister bought. Clothes are my only avenue to being mean and insensitive :)
My goodness! I guess the hammer description of not changing for 5000 years is correct. I can understand holding on to clothing for years on end but you must cut that mop on your head! My hubby was/kinda still is opposed to trying new restaurants, but after a few awesome arm-twisting involved experiences he is a little more open. In fact, not long ago he turned me on to DanActive when I've tried to get him to taste yogart for 15 years!
I'm the same way about always ordering the same things at restaurants.
sounds familiar. Stopped letting mom buy my clothes decades ago, but she still amazes me at X-mas. Not a clue.
Oh god, you're right! We are alike. I am so type A personality. People always tell me I need to do something new and different, but I always drive the same route to where I need to go, listen to only one radio station and don't switch. Get my gas at the same gas-station every time, and only shop at that same one grocery store. I keep saying I'm loyal, but I'm sure there is something slightly wrong with me.
Well, they say if it ain't broke...but on the other hand, my husband looks smokin' hot in a pink shirt so I'm glad he took a risk and started wearing one. ;0
Nomas: I'll get there eventually :)
Brandon: When dropping 20-50 bucks eating out I want to be sure I like it. :)
fathairybastard: lol I guess I'lll be making more trips to the goodwill.
vancouver: lol lets just say loyalty, those meds make my head feel funny ;)
liz: Gah! I remember the late 80's pink izod craze. I barely survived.
dare you to shave your head. :)
DOUBLE DARE!!!
I change everything all the time ...
I assume I am an adventurist ;)
Change is good. Invigorating, motivational. I cut my hair for the first time in about 20 last year, whole new me.
Why screw with what works...
It's always good to venture out and try new things... food, women, cars - BUT NEVER BARBERS. Especially female barbers. That's just wrong.
Hammer,
My Goodness, I didn't know anyone else felt the same way I did about things like that !
I eat the same things I always have since I wasa little kid, like salads and spaghetti;
and dress the same way, sweats or blue jeans, white t-shirts, pink sweatshirts...
I have my routines and am comfortable in them...
I'd throw anything out in your closet though, that you won't wear...
It just feels better. More you, if that makes any sense...
Wait a minute -- you haven't got a haircut in 16 years -- or a different kind of haircut ???
Hope you have a good Tuesday, Hammer !
This made me smile so much, infact my grin just kept getting broader and broader the more I read.
You haven't had a haircut in 16 years?? I shudder to think of the split ends you must have.
My son is a lot like you were Hammer. He likes familiarity and tends to avoid new things. He would also throw a big fit if I tried to get him to wear pink or purple, those are strictly girl colors.
Just recently I took him to the salon for a haircut and he was all stressed about it. His dad always cuts his hair so he was real apprehensive, however when it was all said and done he loved his new haircut.
LOL I seem to wear blue almost daily.. da' man keeps me down! Won't even let me wear Halloween tights or candy cane ones during the holidays.. rat~bastard! My kids often say.."oh that looks so like something Mommmers would wear".. I am afraid to ask them what that means exactly.. I am by no means a clothes horse.
My oldest son wouldnt wear new clothes. He ALWAYS had to go school shopping at Goodwill...god I loved him!
Middle boy kiddo would wear t~shirts of white grey or black and black jeans. One day after he was grown we went to Kentucky for his older sister's college grad.. he showed up at the event wearing khaki shorts and a bright orange t~shirt and OMG sandles! [it was like 150 degrees lol]
None of us recognized him lol...what a freeking shock!
My brother would eat just about anything but, had to eat each item one by one finishing the vegies first-then the meat- then the starch.. he is now 40 and STILL eats this way.
Middle daughter still to this day will wear her shirt inside out .. all day.. if thats the way she put it on.. not at work but just around the house ect.. damned if I still dont find it cute!
m: That's a scary thought!
Kirsten: I would say so :)
Kat: Forced change is like that with me. It ends up being exciting.
Ryan: Food, cars, women you pretty much outlined a males basic needs.
annie: Glad to hear I'm not so weird, and no I haven't got a haircut there either lol
sugar: thanks! That's my intention :)
Janet: Not too bad actually, hmm I better go look.
mrsjosegoldbloom: lol girl colors.. that's the term I was trying to think of :)
Cheesy: thats funny! I used to take my son to goodwill. he loved it. Now he's spoiled and now my kids love new clothes and new stuff all the time.
No haircut in 16 years? Hammer's true identity is Crystal Gayle!
I've been to a "hair stylist" once and only once, in my life. Never again. If they don't have an old school barber pole out front, I don`t even bother going in.
Oh yea I hate change too, I'm still stuck in the 80's myself.
And in the Corps even though I've been out for quite sometime.
Ohh.. I like the loyalty angle, lol.
I don't care for change at all. It makes me uncomfortable and then I end up making everyone around me uncomfortable.
I think the next time I discuss sock numbering with my doc I'm going to use that.. "I'm not OCD! I'm just loyal to my socks."
I change a lot. Was thinking while reading the comments that maybe it just simply means you are happy with 'you' - the way you are, the way you look. And on consideration (and after trying to change the clothes my partners have worn, time and time again!!), perhaps that is the BEST thing?
I do think though, that life is more rich when you try new things....but you, Hammer, have had many experiences, even without having a haircut!!! ;)
jam: lol, nah it's not near that long :)
gunz: me too. I still think of my graduation in 1988 as not that long ago.
kb: thanks, I try to be neat and clean and don't wear black socks with sandals ;) but other than that my clothing is laid back and comfortable. Yeah, you're right I don't feel much need to try new things because they always find me:)
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