I'm usually a few years behind the latest trends. It's not because I'm not "cool" or "happening" or "with it" (although these phrases may make you think otherwise). It's because I'm stubborn. The more everyone raves about something, the more reluctant I am to hop on the bandwagon. It's more of a pride thing.
Example? Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. I'm pretty sure that I am the only evangelical Christian in Birmingham, AL, that has not read this book. Until now. I bought it last week and finished reading it in a day. I will say that, in this instance, I'm glad I resisted the peer pressure and waited until all the buzz calmed down. I don't think I would have been able to relate to this book in any way until this time in my life.
In one chapter, Miller explains the fascinating mating rituals of penguins. I'll let you read the book for more information on that subject. But he goes on to say:
"In his book Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton says chess players go crazy, not poets. I think he is right. You'd go crazy trying to explain penguins. It's just best to watch them and be entertained. I don't think you can explain how the Christian faith works either. It is a mystery. And I love this about Christian spirituality. It cannot be explained, and yet it is beautiful and true."
Speaking of Jazz (sorry for the awkward segue), there is another trend that I have avoided until this summer: Jazzercise. Yes, I know it was cool fifteen years ago. And yes, I know that this is now an activity associated with middle-aged women who love Michael Jackson. But when I saw that there were classes being offered at our local civic center at a great price, I knew it would be the perfect summer activity for my cousin and I. Twice a week for... um... a while, we danced our little hearts out to the sweet tunes of the Ting Tings, Lady Gaga and Orianthi (barf). We felt pretty silly at times, but it was a great workout. I have a six-pack now (because I just bought some Diet Cokes). We haven't been in three weeks, but that's not important. The music was getting too trendy for me anyway.
Behold: the debut of "jazz hands." And yes, I did purchase that outfit last week.
It's another trend I'm just now catching on to.
So what's the next bandwagon I'm going to join? Well, my friend Emma has some Beanie Babies that I might try to buy. I think she used to love them back in the day. I'm also going to read Charlotte's Web and watch The Wizard of Oz... I hear they're pretty good. And only eight more years until I can read the Twilight books!
Oh, and does anyone know where I can get a good deal on a Furbie?
i'm doing a lot of catching up on your blog (though no more worries, i am FINALLY putting you on my feed!), and of course laughing the whole time. i had to pause and say a) i love picturing you and any one of your cousins doing jazzercise, and b) i'm a fellow trend rebel and put off reading BLJ for quite a while too, and loved it, and recently read donald's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. and loved it. and highly recommend to a writer like yourself. but forget that i said that.....nobody's really read it. ;) oh, and i happen to have an extra copy you can just have if you want next week!
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