In the middle of my sophomore year of high school I moved to a small town in Iowa and started a new high school. Perhaps you can image what 16 year old Heather was like based on the present extrapolation. No, I did not fit in. I didn't wear the same clothes, or have the same attitude and I challenged myself. I wasn't a punk rocker, I wasn't a goth, I wasn't a prep or emo or hippy or anything. I was myself. One of the ways I expressed myself was through my beaded necklaces.
I had a huge collection from thrift stores. I collected beads and made my own out of Fimo or Sculpy. My peers would make fun of my necklaces, calling me a hippy and other things I can no longer remember. I thought they were lame white idiots out walking around. Clueless. They could have their ignorant opinions and I went to read Kafka and Pirsig and dream of California and open roads.
Two years went by. I said sayonara from high school and graduated a semester early. Moved on with my life and my adventures. That last month as I tromped up and down the stairs I started to see more and more handmade necklaces. An acquaintance asked me how I made the beaded flowers without a loom. Others were making their own beads like I had. I found much amusement in the situation. What they once mocked, they now desired to be a part of.
That's what it's like as a trend setter. All the lame ass early adopter naysayers will eventually jump on the trend. By that time, I'll be doing something novel.
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