Thursday, May 11, 2006

"Gray is the New Black" and Adventures in Neckwear

It didn't take American Idol's Taylor Hicks' newfound fame to bring the issue to the minds of SOME of us, but in case you haven't heard "Gray is the New Black."

At least in the Indy Star it is. The local paper here picked up the story, which posits the idea that, in short, it's OK to be gray. (Did I mention that George Clooney dropped out the college -- Northern Kentucky University -- from which I obtained my B.A.? Also sold women's shoes at the local mall.)

It's not just me! Read for yourself:

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060507/LIVING/605070320

Alas, for every George and Taylor there's a tool like Anderson Cooper.

----------------------

The yin to George's yang (I hear you out there: "Leave George Clooney's yang out of this!") came today when I chose to wear a bowtie to the high school where I teach. Unlike the time I did it several months ago, when nary a student had anything to say about it one way or the other, today it was a dog-eat-dog world and I was wearing Milk-Bone underwear.

Trying to steal their thunder in my first class, I switched on a stopwatch and told my first students, "OK, who knows any good bowtie jokes? You've got 2 minutes. GO." The room fell silent for a second and one voice said, "I don't think 2 minutes will be enough."

He wasn't kidding. I had a whole day's worth of abuse. One student told me I looked like an ice cream man. Another asked me where he could get one, laughing and poking his friends in the ribs as he did so. The best part came late in the day when another teacher told me a student we have in common told him I was trying to look "like a white Muslim."

OK, my cover's blown. Guess it's time to quit the teaching gig and start selling "The Call" down on the boulevard.

Until next time, as sala'amu alaikum .

Posted by Unclejbird @ 8:41 PM