In Defense of Weird
Weekend Reads v. 9.8.2025
This week, I had two separate conversations on the same day about “being weird.” Which is kind of weird, when you think about it. Both conversations – with entirely different people at drastically different stations in life – centered around their disdain for the word and my delight for it.
One gentleman, early 30’s, is allergic to the idea of doing anything that could remotely be described as weird lest he – shudder – be singled out as odd. The other gentleman, living somewhere north of 50, tiptoed around the word as a descriptor because it could be harsh.
Gentlemen, gentlemen, I now pronounce you free of your aversion to “weird!”
I get it, though. The thought of being singled out for being different harkens back to flushed cheeks in the middle school cafeteria. Being different for some can be a brutal burden. But that’s only if those around them allow the charade to carry on.
When that gent in his early 30’s admitted he did not do something because he thought his fellow colleagues would make a rude remark, I immediately shut that thinking down. “No way. We’d have joined in with you!” I commented because that’s the kind of crew he works with whether he realized it or not. He is surrounded by kind people who would join in and celebrate his differentness.
Different isn’t a state of being that’s only tethered to youth or new environments.I certainly feel different down to my core at the moment. While in my mind I may still feel young and hip and able to provide enjoyable company to all, a few encounters with a select few people set me straight to the reality that I am not, in fact, young nor am I entirely hip. I may still be youthful, but I know I am no longer young because my ever-aging body tells me so. And I’ve learned what’s qualified as “hip” by those certified as being in the know often turns me off. Take trendy restaurants with their complicated recipes and dim lighting. I can’t see the menu without reaching for my readers! As for my company, I am not everyone’s cup of tea. Nor is everyone my cup of tea.
But to those who may not appreciate what I bring to the table because they view me as “weird” or “too much” I say, “So be it.” Their departure signifies the potential entrance for someone who appreciates my uniqueness.
You see, when we edit ourselves to avoid standing out, we deny others the chance to possibly feel more at home in their own skin. There might be an opportunity for connection over that attribute you feel shy about displaying. Perhaps someone else shares that exact same quality? We also limit our bravery when we are focused on not standing out for fear of failing, looking weak, or insert-adjective-for-vulnerable-state-of-being here. This is a lesson I am reminded of when I watch my very young nephews and nieces or my colleague’s fearless 2-year old daughter. Their self consciousness hasn’t quite set in just yet, and as a result their quirky observations and snap decisions to participate in new activities feels thrilling to me. What freedom!
So this weekend, let’s take a break from editing ourselves and indulge in being exactly, unapologetically, thoroughly who we are. Every fantastically weird or quirky bit of us, let’s make it a point to celebrate. Those are the factors that turn our lives from black and white into vibrant technicolor.
For some reason a stanza from one of my favorite Beach House songs is playing in my head as I write this.
Found yourself in a new direction - arrows falling from the sun - canyon calling - Would they come to greet you - let you know you’re not the only one”
Maybe this can be our soundtrack for the weekend we pledged to celebrate ourselves as we are?
There are a lot of things about me that are “old school,” and I’m quite happy to say writing notecards is one of them. If you, too, enjoy the thrill of sending (and receiving!) a handwritten note, perhaps this new line of slender correspondence cards will be of interest to you?
Ah, it’s that time. No, not back to school! We are not triggering stress dreams here. The annual waitlist is open for the spectacular Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar. It’s a thing I dream of every year and yet never actually buy. (There is a version for men which is also quite wonderful.)
One day I will share my thoughts about paywalls with you, but until then please admire only this photo and not the accompanying article about a close-to-perfect home in Virginia from a very paywalled Architectural Digest.
Speaking of homes I am making every effort to go see Southern Living’s Idea House in person this year.
This week’s Big Read from The Free Press is packed with truisms worth remembering. While the piece is focused on what we lose when we mindlessly scroll through social media, the author, Gurwinder Bhogal, also does a beautiful job of reminding the reader of the value they hold while fully present. I’m including two excerpts because the piece is just that good.
“This moment is the youngest you’ll ever be. It’s a moment your future selves will wish they could have back.” (Source)
And
“In the 1970s, a man named Bill Friedman went from gambling addict to casino manager by studying the tricks used to manipulate him, and perfecting them. He eventually published his ideas about optimal casino design in several books, which would become bibles of the industry…
These ends acted much like right-angle turns, snapping the scroller out of autopilot by forcing them to change course. Soon, however, the feeds were made “curvilinear” by the infinite scroll and autoplay function. We now know that these features impair awareness and memory by lulling people into passivity.
Further, just as Friedman’s casinos were made like mazes to maximize wandering and getting lost, so social media platforms have increasingly become labyrinthine to trap people in them. The Gruen effect is now commonly elicited online similarly to the real world, by continually placing distractions in people’s way. Every web page is littered with links, each a path to another maze. And many of these links are deliberately placed where they don’t belong; search results are sneakily scattered with recommendations unrelated to your search, and personal notifications often have generic news links hiding among them. The goal is to alienate you from your own intentions, so you lose track of where you were, and when you were.
But what makes social media even more disorienting than a casino is that our feeds are not just mazes in space, but also in time.” (Source) See! This is a piece worth reading.
Upon reading the About section of the ChickLits Substack, I immediately hit subscribe. One, I enjoy book recommendations. Two, she is singing my song when she says, “Honestly, who can afford to pay for all of the many brilliant Substacks out there? So, for now, ChickLits is a free newsletter. I’m just so happy you’re here.” A gentle reminder to myself thatI really need to finish putting my thoughts on paywalls together!
I’m loving the aesthetic of Faherty’s “Lake Resort Collection.”
If you are opting for more non-alcoholic drinks that are worthy of your gorgeous glassware, Figlia has a new apertivo. And allow me to take this opportunity to say yet again this sparkling rosé, which has been liberated from alcohol by the clever people at Oddbird is wonderful. Available via Amazon, made from Syrah grapes from the South of France, and brought to us by the Swedes. What’s not to love?
Speaking of Swedish, I stumbled across websites for the architect and designer Josef Frank and the renowned store Svenskt Tenn, and now I’d like to book a ticket to Stockholm, please.
Wimbledon has an incredible online gift shop.
If you’re looking to make something from all those lovely summer vegetables you picked up at the market, might I suggest the massive collection of flawless salad recipes from Ali Stafford?
An Amazon Affiliate link is lurking in this post, so if you stumble upon it and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you kindly!