I'm once again rereading Bailey White's books, Mama Makes Up Her Mind and Sleeping at the Starlite Motel. On days when I must give myself permission to be happy (like this one) I bring out one of those books and dream about becoming eccentric.
Oh my, I so want to become eccentric one day! But I'm thinking I'm too straight-laced and the kind of person who must have everything so, well, neat and organized and on schedule. Darn.
But in my heart of hearts I want to be like Bailey White's friends and relatives, people who make it through hard times and don't become all grouchy on the other side. People who laugh a lot, even when things aren't especially funny and who are naturally creative, so much so, that nearly everything they do is done differently than the way the rest of us are doing it. And of course, they get away with more things, too--folks just nod their way, then tell their friends, "She's ok. She's just a tad eccentric."
I want to pick a decade and live like it's still here (and not let Today's news affect me) and have a house with layers of history and Life all over the tables, floors and shelves (and not let it make me insane) and not feel guilty if I eat Twinkies and Pop Tarts. I want to attract people because I accept them just the way they are.... and not be devastated if they don't accept me, warts, flaws, goofiness and all.
But as I said, so far it's just not happening, at least, not the way I think it should. I am becoming quite forgetful, though, and I'm not as organized as I used to be and I'm more bold about saying how I feel. Some eccentric people are like that so perhaps there's yet hope for me.
Well, anyway, now you know my goal in Life. And I do hope you'll look up the two Bailey White books I mentioned, especially if you, too, have hopes of becoming eccentric one day. They'll give you inspiration as well as a good head start.
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Do any of you reading this dream of becoming eccentric, too?
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Both these books can be found through my Amazon widget thingamajig to the right.
Oh yes indeed! :)
ReplyDeleteHA, I'll have to find these books and read them...just to see how similar they are to me...I AM the essentric one! Well, part of me is sorta civilized too....
ReplyDeleteBy hey, just be who you REALLY are and not what you think others think you should be!
Oh these sound like the type of books I would really enjoy reading! I think I need to go to the bookstore at lunch tomorrow - we've been even too busy to eat lunch - but I NEED my time! So, yes, it's off to the bookstore...thanks for the recommendation ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnd yes,if it's possible to be more eccentric, I wanna be.
Sounds good to me!
ReplyDeleteI am eccentric! I have arived years ago and the older I get the more I am free of societies constraints. I is what I is!! Love me or leave me, like me or go away! Sure is fun!
ReplyDeleteI have never read her books, but Bailey White used to be a regular contributor on NPR, I think on "All Things Considered". She was interesting to listen to and quite a contrast to the fast-paced lifestyle and news stories of the 90s.
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