Whats on my shirt?
I turn around, but he’s clearly talking to my friend. I love her, but I had spent a lot more time on my outfit. She was wearing a t-shirt. She smiled up at the guy, “Yeah, my brother used to work a Space X.”
Oh. Now that I think about it, the Space X t-shirt is worthy of notice. That’s a group I’d like to be associated with.
When I was a teenager I tried to build my identity with whatever scraps were lying around, and clothing choices were very significant. I got whatever cast-offs I could find and assembled my look carefully. I wore mismatched socks every day as a signature look. The goal at the time was to be different. I didn’t want to be like everyone or even anyone else. I wanted to fit in by standing out. On my own terms.
But my T-shirt wearing friend had a philosophy I’d ignored. Advertising what sort of group I did want to join.
As I’m doing the job-hunting thing again, I advertise what group I’d like to join as I carefully phrase my resume. ”Pick me for your company!” I don’t like how I choose to (have to?) portray myself to the market to get invited to join the sort of business I want to be part of.
When I was a teenager, socks and underwear the only new clothes I got. I have more resources now. I could wake up from the old script and signal what I’m hoping for.
We are grownups at the table, drinking our adult beverages as we scan the people nearby and the far horizon. It is clear to me now that I every person is unique. Now I’m looking for ways to categorize people.
A slogan on a t-shirt is a good way to show it. In a wide world of unique individuals, obvious signs help.
I think about my sad little ankle socks back then.
I can find old versions of my resume on my hard drive. These are snapshots of my attempts to be relevant. Cringe.
And yet the saving grace is that I’m not the only one with awkward attempts. Any high school year book shows the experiments with style. Nobody come out looking the way they imagine.
Each day is a new canvas upon which to sketch the outline of who I’m trying to be.