Out and About -- In the World at Large

[Kilty]

Dennis, thanks for taking the wheel and wrestling the thread back in the right direction! My speling and grammer is terrible

Jeans skirt today, the black D&G one. To the shops, bought some tights, was expecting a few snide remarks and guffaws, but surprisingly nothing. The cashier asked about why I was buying tights, I explained that sometimes I don't always shave my legs and how the weather is still unpredictable seeing the skirt, she understood. It is more comfortable than shorts and looks better, IMHO.

Headed home, one guy shouted at me from a passing car, how brave of him

[dillon]

I am satisfied that I have busted the notion that all writers are created equal, and thus like fashion, we all have our different styles and taste. Some more agreeable to others, and vice versa. Live and let live.

I have illustrated the evolution of language using sources such as the KJV of the bible.

Now I must bust the myth that once upon a time, great men wrote with perfect grammar and spelling.

Ahem...

"But this Affair having turn'd my Thoughts to Marriage, I look'd round me, and made Overtures of Acquaintance in other Places; but soon found that the Business of a Printer being generally thought a poor one, as I should not otherwise thing agreable. In the mean time, that hard-to-be-govern'd Passion of Youth, had in my Way, which were attended with some Expence and great Inconvenience, besides a continual Risque to my Health by a Distemper which of all Things I dreaded, tho' by great good Luck I escaped it."

-Snippet from the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
(all typographical errors, punctuation, capitalization, etc directly quoted from the text)

Yes there appears to be a gold standard in as far as grammar is concerned. Yet as elsewhere on this site, in regards to the rules of skirts for women and trousers for men, I ask the same question regarding rules of human communication.... who makes these rules?

What's wrong with having to "think" about whats being read? Why must we skim everything in a hurry?

I can respect that many of us may not think highly of "gansta talk"... but when you really get right down to it... who are we to judge? Is the message not communicated in any event?

When the radio signal is weak, do we not listen more closely?

Also keep in mind, that 50 years ago, a good percentage of the western population couldn't read, and 100 years ago, most common folk couldn't read or write, save for maybe their name. I think most people are doing pretty darned good these days as far as literacy goes. Perfect? No. But the vast majority of modern common folks ability to read and write at the most basic levels is proliferating the expansion of new ideas, and thus making the world a more better, and tolerant place. Are they perfect writers? No. But recall the dark ages, when only those who could read were high Bishops. Common folks interpretation of the bible was considered heresy. And the knowledge of being able to read and write was equated with witchcraft. Folks simply had to accept doctrine from the pulpit at face value.

These days people are reading, writing, creating blogs, sharing ideas, asking questions and DEMANDING answers! It really is the "end times"! The end of the dark times, and (hopefully) the dawning of an age of enlightenment! Lets not silence people over a little harmless "bad grammar", and split hairs over the placement of an apostrophe.

Of course, if we were to write as the founding fathers did, we would speak of "thif miferable Republican Congrefs" instead of "this miserable Republican Congress", as we know it to exist...

[crfriend]

Of course, if we were to write as the founding fathers did, we would speak of "thif miferable Republican Congrefs" instead of "this miserable Republican Congress", as we know it to exist...

I a perverse sort of way, I think that both the "hard-S" character and a character for the "th" utterance would be a welcome addition to the alphabet. Old English got it right with the "f"-like hard-S, and both Nordic and Anglo-Saxon runes had "thorn" for the "th" sound.

Back in the early 1980s, both my father and I were fiddling with runes as a mode of private communication -- and, as usual, we came up with different approaches. He took the historical avenue with phonetic representation and I went with a transliteration scheme because I was using them on computers, my writing ability having already atrophied in favour of the keyboard. The VIC-20 I had at the time could be coaxed into using my rune-set on its screen, and my printer of the time (which I still have) could print them reasonably accurately. (I think I still have the routines on disk (in a decades-obsolete format) to prime the printer with the character-set.)

Of course, the divergent schemes caused problems over time -- and especially the long haul -- because of a maddening disparity between them in the midst of a whole lot of commonality. I still occasionally get taken aback when I stumble upon a cassette tape labelled in either set, although "my" set falls to memory slightly quicker than "his", even if I can decipher both. I still have a copy of a page of notes I took back in 1982 on SA-10 data-channel programming written in runic -- and there's quite the story about the rediscovery in the very late 1990s.

Evolution in action? I believe we have an example there.

[crfriend]

Dennis, thanks for taking the wheel and wrestling the thread back in the right direction!

I guess that for me, being "out and about" is no longer much of an adventure or anything unusual whatsoever. It's just commonplace nowadays. Today, for instance, it was my burgundy velveteen Mouse Works skirt, white dress shirt (needed someplace to put my wallet), and a black waistcoat. 'Twas just another day in the life. I'll likely wear a skirt tomorrow as well, and in all probability at the weekend.

[crfriend]

So worry not and don't denigrate your achievements as you have developed, and will develop more.

Indeed! As it is with sartorial style, so it can be too with language. If any of us are "having a go" at somebody, it'll likely be very plain; everything else is meant in a constructive way so that at the end of the day we all wind up a little bit richer.

Anyway, to get back to the theme of this thread, although I have appeared in a skirt at work it has been is rather particular circumstances and some, who were not in attendance that day, haven't seen the spectacle. In fact one of my colleagues who hasn't seen me in a skirt and only wears trousers herself was incredulous when I said that I went out in a skirt. I have agreed to call in next Tuesday skirted before I start work. Should be interesting.

Please do regale us with the outcome of that! I, for one, would love to hear about it. Hopefully, as has been put here by others, there's nowhere to go but up.

[moonshadow]

Anyway, to get back to the theme of this thread, although I have appeared in a skirt at work it has been is rather particular circumstances and some, who were not in attendance that day, haven't seen the spectacle. In fact one of my colleagues who hasn't seen me in a skirt and only wears trousers herself was incredulous when I said that I went out in a skirt. I have agreed to call in next Tuesday skirted before I start work. Should be interesting.

It's funny Dennis, I envy your employers acceptance of your choice in dress. And I had a close call with termination over mine.

You envy the acceptance of my wife, and fight a lot at home...

It's weird how we have opposite issues....

Maybe we should switch life's for a week or two. You know... like "swap souls" or something... maybe we can fix each others problems!

Then again... you might come back to a divorce, and I might come back to unemployment.... never mind!

[Kilted_John]

Since we're trying to get back on track, most of my day was spent wearing the last outfit in my pics & looks thread. I did have to deal with some family later in the afternoon, so I changed into a red long-sleeve tee, the black ruffled mini, and, later on, threw the black cardigan back on, since it was raining heavily.

-J

[moonshadow]

Now about grammar.. NAH JUST KIDDING!

Anyway, today my wife and I went to the store to get our weekly grocery supplies. Prior to us going there we stopped off at the GoodWill. I was wearing one of my black tanks, and a long "loud" midi skirt, with "quilt" like designs on it, and my fedora hat. As I browsed the shirts and skirts, a woman seemed to remain next to me regardless of what section of the aisle I was on. She was dressed in a floor length skirt, and top in the typical conservative style. I noticed her husband also hanging around, he was dressed well, clean jeans, and a polo tucked in, trim hair and shaved face. Very clean cut couple. My mental barrier immediately went up as I expected some type of sermon, as these people striked me as very conservative, most likely Pentecostal, or Apostolic. I kept turning away thinking "oh boy... here we go". I figured they thought I was probably a transgendered woman, and expected them to make a big scene.

They never said a word.

Upon leaving, I noticed the husband pulled their car around in the rain, on the back the vehicle was covered in COEXIST, TOLERANCE, PEACE, EQUALITY, etc bumper stickers. It's interesting because they circled our car once before they left for no apparent reason.

Well.... shame on me... Guess it goes to show you can't judge a book by it's cover! Had I had not acted so cold, they might have struck up a conversation, I think that's what they were trying to do. And here I sit preaching not to judge people by the clothes they wear, and when I saw these people dressed like they were going to church... I naturally assumed the worst.

Damn... oh well, if I ever see them again, I'll be sure to make it right. I'll at least act approachable. I learned my lesson, let that be a lesson to the rest of us...

[skirted_in_SF]

Damn... oh well, if I ever see them again, I'll be sure to make it right. I'll at least act approachable. I learned my lesson, let that be a lesson to the rest of us...

Isn't it humbling when you realize your own prejudices? I know I have one or two that rear up from deep in the lizard brain part of me and the rational side has to talk me down.
This isn't one of them, but a few years ago I used to shop in an Oroweat day old bread store. The manager was an African-American church lady type, she would wish me a good and blessed day when I was leaving. But she was the one who shut down a couple of homeless type men who were hassling me for not being sufficiently masculine. (Comments like "are you a man or a woman?") I don't think I was wearing a skirt that day, but I may have previously. They were probably seeing my polished nails.

[moonshadow]

Damn... oh well, if I ever see them again, I'll be sure to make it right. I'll at least act approachable. I learned my lesson, let that be a lesson to the rest of us...

Isn't it humbling when you realize your own prejudices? I know I have one or two that rear up from deep in the lizard brain part of me and the rational side has to talk me down.
This isn't one of them, but a few years ago I used to shop in an Oroweat day old bread store. The manager was an African-American church lady type, she would wish me a good and blessed day when I was leaving. But she was the one who shut down a couple of homeless type men who were hassling me for not being sufficiently masculine. (Comments like "are you a man or a woman?") I don't think I was wearing a skirt that day, but I may have previously. They were probably seeing my polished nails.

Yes, I needed that proverbial kick in the nads today. I have been in a nasty funk for a while on account of the incident at work, the transgender thing, politics, etc. I needed that to remind me that not everyone is a pompous, arrogant, bigoted, religious ass. In fact, I'd wager than most people are pretty reasonable.

Well, when we made it to Food Lion, I was in a much better mood, smiling, cutting up, twirling my skirt in the aisles, and I only picked up good vibes from the people around me.

Like attracts like!

[Fred in Skirts]

Yes, I needed that proverbial kick in the nads today. I have been in a nasty funk for a while on account of the incident at work, the transgender thing, politics, etc. I needed that to remind me that not everyone is a pompous, arrogant, bigoted, religious ass. In fact, I'd wager than most people are pretty reasonable. Well, when we made it to Food Lion, I was in a much better mood, smiling, cutting up, twirling my skirt in the aisles, and I only picked up good vibes from the people around me. Like attracts like!

I bet you were a sight to behold, twirling in the aisles of Food Lion. I haven't seen that in the Food Lion here though. Although I was singing in Publix last week while wearing my skirt. Some young ladies had their cell phones out so I guess that I may be the next You Tube entertainer.

Fred

[moonshadow]

I bet you were a sight to behold, twirling in the aisles of Food Lion. I haven't seen that in the Food Lion here though. Although I was singing in Publix last week while wearing my skirt. Some young ladies had their cell phones out so I guess that I may be the next You Tube entertainer.

I'll keep my eyes peeled for the singing South Carolina man in a skirt on you tube!

BTW: Jenn gave me your message about the anniversary well wishes... Thanks!

[Fred in Skirts]

I'll keep my eyes peeled for the singing South Carolina man in a skirt on you tube! BTW: Jenn gave me your message about the anniversary well wishes... Thanks!

Did she tell of the problems I am having on Face Plant? I can not for some reason post anything to yours or her facebook pages. The most it has let me do are some likes. Stupid Face S**t.

Fred

[moonshadow]

I'll keep my eyes peeled for the singing South Carolina man in a skirt on you tube! BTW: Jenn gave me your message about the anniversary well wishes... Thanks!

Did she tell of the problems I am having on Face Plant? I can not for some reason post anything to yours or her facebook pages. The most it has let me do are some likes. Stupid Face S**t.

Fred

I'll check into it tomorrow. I locked the account down pretty tight due to work, I may have accidentally hit a button to make it difficult for friends to post on the wall. I'll look into remedying the situation. Jenn can, and does successfully post to the wall, but it could be because she's listed as a "wife". I dunno. don't know.

[JeffB1959]

I went on a spur of the moment outing today, experimenting with a printed skirt instead of a solid color which is what I often sport on my little adventures. I thought I looked nice in it, giving me inspiration to wear more printed skirts in the future. While in a bookstore, a black woman said she liked the skirt and that I looked cute. Quite the compliment.