Some like to be herded while others do not.

The first things one considers are of course those assuming, on-the-surface, at-a-glance indicators of behavioral patterns such as food choice, daily activities, pastimes. We generalize certain categories of things with what we determine to be appropriate assumptions such as pizza equals high school, beer equals college, sit down restaurants with fancy décor equals adulthood. We conveniently load up our box of shame with parties, games and pop culture, stashing it away in some dark corner after tagging it with “forbidden past times”, all the while displaying supposedly more mature and urbane alternatives such as the ballet or the symphony as if they were some hard earned, well deserved trophy. Fiction to non-fiction, movies to musicals, sneakers to heels, sandwiches to shrimp scampi ffettuccine. We love to show the world that we’ve finally graduated and grown up. Surely I exaggerate; there are plenty of those that actually enjoy musicals, and eating seafood over ham and cheese, but stop!

How many times have we negatively judged someone for having made the “less refined”, “less interesting”, “less chic” choice? Deeming them as inferior in taste, culture, maturity because surely it’s a waste of life to indulge and give in to our most personal desires.

How many times have you been asked the question: “So what did you do this weekend?” and been embarrassed to respond with “Oh I sat home, watched dvds, played some computer games, ordered takeout. It was fabulous.” Feeling guilty we might tag some lame excuse at the end of it all like “yeah, I wasn’t feeling too well” or “I’ve been spending too much money going out lately”.

Obviously we didn’t always feel this way. At what point did we start to feel the need for justification? At what point did we feel the right to become condescending and presumptuous about those who just want to enjoy their personal time doing the things they actually enjoy instead of what “Luxury Living” magazine force fed them. So excuse me while I enjoy my 4.99 wonton noodle soup while sorting through my netflix queue. I’m most graciously leaving what are obviously life’s highlights all to you.