Perilous Pink

Today brought about one of those moments where three different things you at once and you see a strange kind of convergence between disassociated events.  Well, I'm going to try and explain mine.

First, I was mowing the lawn when the moment hit me.  I had my headphones on and I was listening to a shuffle of my library.  Well, Pink's "Raise Your Glass" came on.  I love this song and I found myself singing along as I pushed the mower up and down my lawn.  It's the perfect underdog party anthem.  I never fail to bounce when this song comes on.  This is part one.

Second, I went to my brother's wedding last weekend.  The groomsmen were made up of me, my oldest brother, and an old family friend.  Somehow, the groom, the family friend and I were standing outside when Pink came up again.  "Who was that girl you used to listen to back in the day," the guys asked. 

"Pink?"  I knew exactly who it was they were talking about.  They used to give me all kinds of crap for listening to her album Misunderstood. 

"Yeah, Pink.  We should almost pull your 'man' card for that one."

I nodded and walked to the car so we could go get pictures.

Third, I tend to write about men going through some kind of struggle that grows out of some challenge to their "manhood".  I feel this force is so aggressively pervasive in our culture that there are many men out there who don't feel like who they are is represented by "manhood and masculinity."  Without a ritual movement from childhood to adulthood, most men stumble through adolescence, and beyond, desperate for a role model or a figurehead who can mirror their own masculinity back to them.

Now, I know that the guys were just giving me shit, playing, having a good time, and I want them to know that my feelings aren't hurt or anything (they subscribe to the blog), but I find this phenomenon fascinating.  I wouldn't be me if I didn't have these strange associative moments that most people tell me is just me "thinking too hard."  It is more grist for the mill of my fiction.  Things to consider that bring me back to this blog and back to my other work.

I've finished mowing the lawn, but I'm going to hit "back" on the iPod and "Raise My Glass" to the woman who brought about today's rant.  Thank you, Miss Perilous Pink.