Just as I was walking out the front door this morning after kissing Tara goodbye, she glanced down at my feet and remarked, “Interesting shoes.”
Well, shit.
She might as well have said, “Are you really going out in public wearing those?!” because it certainly didn’t sound like a compliment, but rather a polite way to dis my footwear.
I think there’s a fine line between whether “interesting” is a compliment or a passive-aggressive attempt at sparing a person’s feelings. Like, if you’re serving dinner to friends and they describe your lasagna as interesting, it’s doubtful anybody will be leaving with a doggie bag of leftovers. Unless they describe the meal as “delicious,” it’s probably not wise to quit your day job and open a bistro.
Likewise, if you’re walking out of a movie theater after catching the latest Star Wars film and somebody in line asks you how it was, “interesting” is not the word they’re hoping to hear. It’s a far cry from “cinematic masterpiece” (though, in all fairness, that would be a generous assessment of even the best in that franchise…offense to Yoda fans, none I meant). I’ll put it this way: I bet a lot of people left the theater muttering “interesting” after sitting through two hours of Jar-Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace.
Here’s one more example. Let’s say you’ve just gone out on a blind date with somebody and your friends want to know what the goodnight kiss was like. Calling it interesting would lead me to assume she had poor tongue technique or bad breath or something.
However, if they want to know how the conversation went and you say, “it was interesting,” that’s another thing entirely. An interesting conversationalist has thought-provoking ideas on a myriad of topics. An interesting kisser is sloppy. It’s all about context.
Back to the shoes. Tara insists she didn’t mean for her comment to come across negatively and suggested I might be overreacting, to which I replied, I NEVER, EVER OVERREACT! YOU TAKE THAT BACK RIGHT NOW OR I’M GOING TO HOLD MY BREATH UNTIL I’M BLUE IN THE FACE!
Granted, I was thinking outside the (shoe)box this morning. I’ve been wearing dress boots for the past few weeks, but today, I slipped into this pair of loafers.
She hadn’t seen me wear them to work before, but I actually do on occasion. Usually on those days where I’m feeling extra lazy and the idea of tying laces seems like a Herculean task. I just usually leave through the garage, slipping on my shoes at the last minute after we’ve said goodbye, and I always get home before her. This time I went out the front door because my car was warming up in the driveway. I’m telling you, the threat of death by carbon monoxide poisoning has changed my whole routine, folks!
Honestly, the most interesting part of my attire was the sweater vest I was wearing. Many years ago I was dating a woman (interesting kisser, that one) who suggested, after we’d watched (500) Days of Summer, that I could pull off the sweater vest look like Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character) did in the movie. At the time, I scoffed at the “preppy pretentiousness” of such a get-up, as my wardrobe was more thrift store chic. Think $2 t-shirts advertising attractions I’d never been to in states I’d never set foot in.
“Why no, I am not a season ticket holder for the Toledo Mud Hens, why do you ask? Oh, the shirt. Ha-ha. It was cheap and available in my size. Go, Mud Hens!”
I have a $300 annual clothing allowance through CenturyCo, and while it’s branded apparel, the logo is unobtrusive (and actually pretty cool) and the clothes are high quality and stylish. So, I ordered me a couple of sweater vests, and what do you know? I like the look. And with our recent cold snap (more like 500 Days of Winter, amirite?!), they add an extra layer of warmth to my core.
Now that we’re not hurting for money and I work in a classier joint, most of those thrift store tees have been donated back to thrift stores. It’s the circle of life.
Isn’t that interesting?
Mark My Words 
I know you wrote a whole bunch of funny words but I am stuck on this one thing.
You get a clothing allowance?! I now can think of nothing else.
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Yes Mark, this needs more explanation I think.
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Yep! That’s one of the benefits/perks at CenturyCo. And because I started late in the year, I got to use it last fall (prorated) and again in January. I am well-stocked on work clothes now, as well as some hoodies. Pretty sweet deal, huh?
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Circle of t-shirt life. I like it. I thought those shoes looked cozy and generally fine. Which is I’m sure what Tara meant to. Go grab another bloody mary and relax.
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You say “another” Bloody Mary like I’ve already had one today. No such luck!
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Well that needs to be remedied, stat. Once you get home from work, that is. Your new workplace seems pretty chill, (I saw those slippers you call work shoes) but not THAT chill.
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I like the loafers. I like the idea of a sweater vest…. but am hoping you add a pipe to the ensemble to complete the thoughtful writer ensemble.
Oh, and yes… go Mud Hens! Klinger approves.
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I actually have a pipe! I usually pair it with my smoking jacket at home.
Kidding about the smoking jacket. But the pipe is legit. I’ve only used it a couple of times and it’s been years.
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The sweater vest is screaming for it…
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A clothing allowance? WTH? My husband will occasionally come home with a tshirt or baseball cap with the company logo, but if he had an allowance, I’d be putting in my own order!
My dad always wore sweater vests, so they seem like a dad thing to me. Those shoes don’t look snow hardy to me.
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The very reason I haven’t worn the loafers lately is because of all the snow. And they weren’t a great choice yesterday, but at least I was able to slip them off the moment I walked through the door and not track melted snow through the kitchen. For that, Tara is thankful.
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Super envious of those shoes!!! Man I need a pair of loafers. Although to be fair, I’ve worn bare feet to work every day for a year and that’s been pretty sweet too.
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Even in the winter? You must keep your home office nice and toasty!
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500 days of winter is right. And it’s not that interesting. I rather like the preppy pretentious look when it is worn by a smart-ass. No disrespect intended, of course.
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Ha! None taken. I wear that as a badge of honor.
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A $300 annual allowance? For clothing?! For frick’s sake, I gotta get out of public education.
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I’ve never had a job with a clothing allowance benefit before. This is the beauty of working for a co-op with a national affiliation.
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I like my husband in sweater vests, and he owns several, but since he’s worked at home near a year, I haven’t seen a one 😛
I like the loafers. I have nice loafers, but when I am feeling lazy and it’s cold, I opt for moccasins with the shearling interior. I wore them today, in fact.
I had a clothing allowance long ago, and as I’ve gotten older, I realize those are jobs less suitable to me, as I would much rather be myself 9 hours a day, hm?
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My work attire was much more casual 11 months ago, that’s for sure.
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