Weird Pride Day

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Weird Pride Day

Yesterday was Weird Pride Day 2021. 03/04/2021 or 04/03/2021 for you date based weirdos out there. I’ll be honest. I didn’t hear about it until lunch time partly because I had a busy week and partly because it’s brand new. A thing for 2021 and onwards. A day to take pride in being weird. Yay!

What is ‘weird’ though? Is it a good thing or not? Being different is fine. How often do you hear someone say “Aw its something different eh?” I’d expect you hear that phrase a fair bit. People like “something different” like a vegan sausage roll or jam doughnut craft beer. “Something different innit.” I’ve heard the phrase enough to believe it means “Something different in an acceptable way.” If I was to pour a jam doughnut craft beer out and dip my finger in it while singing “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood I think that would be considered “weird” and not “something a bit different”. Weird is bad.

Is it? Is weird bad? No. Not one bit. Creepy is bad. Weird is fine. It’s simply something you do not fully understand so don’t throw judgement on it. Be curious instead.

A few weird things I take pride in

Wearing nail polish. Nothing wrong with having a tattoo, colourful socks, wearing sports ball cosplay outfits, or wearing a colourful hat so why should there be anything wrong with having colourful nails? Is it simply because its historically a woman’s thing and for a man to do it is weird? Maybe. That just means it’s not popular yet. Nothing wrong with it.
I wear leggings. Outside. Business casual style. Now I know male cyclists wear leggings. I’ve seen them whizz by in them. I’ve also seen one or two men running in them. Women have been wearing them for years and while popular I don’t think they’re accepted. I’ve been wearing them during lockdown and I love them. Super comfy and my legs look great! Really shows off the only muscles I have. I’ve been trying to start a local trend and I’ve worn them outside a few times on short walks. I have a messenger bag that covers my bum. A man wearing leggings and a coat outside is a bit weird but strip away the social conventions and I’m simply wearing comfortable and practical clothing. My eyes are up here.

I listen to JPop and JRock. Japanese music. Nothing wrong with that! Icelandic group Sigur Ros sing in a made up language but are popular so it is fine. JPop isn’t popular so I get a little embarrassed when I’ve got it on loud in my car and I’m stuck at the lights. I shouldn’t get embarrassed but I do. Years of being shamed for what I enjoy. Hard to undo.
I wear shades on overcast days. “Oh that’s weird. Can’t see his eyes. He must be up to something. It’s not sunny.” Jog on ableballs. It’s bright for me. I should buy some new shades.
I can listen to the same 3 minute long song on repeat all day and not get bored. I can eat the same food each day and not get bored. Things like that don’t bore me which is great because it saves me making decisions.

I prefer winter to summer. I can manage my temperature better. The light is fantastic which for a photographer is a real treat. The weather is more interesting. There are less people outside. It’s an easier time for me. Less hours of daylight mean less hours of blinding sun forcing me to wear a peaked cap and shades which make it hard to use a camera.
Attempting to be cool with who I am. That’s pretty weird right? Somedays I like who I am. Somedays it empowers me. Like today for example. I’m enjoying music I like. I’m writing. I’m taking photos. I’m feeling and being creative. All because I’m cool with being weird. I wrote about this a while back. Liking yourself. Warts and all. Weird. I’m trying it. I’m liking it. I’m weird that way.

You be you. Be weird. Be awesome. Be 100% cool with who you are. If anyone has a problem it is their issue not yours. Faith. Manages. Believe!

weekly prints

You can get prints of the photos in this weeks newsletter on my print store.

I have a limited selection prints for sale on my archive print shop. Featuring Liverpool, New York, Venice, The Wirral, and beyond (starscapes!)

I found the time to scan negatives of photographs I took in Venice back in 2014. I wasn’t happy with the original scans. Now I am. They’re simple every day photos of a very photographed city. Hopefully they’re something a bit different.