Yupp-iphany

OMG- I had the truest of epiphanies last night, and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about this. A feeling of total realisation, that it all makes sense, and perhaps some acceptance that this is what I am. The good thing is that in this realisation, I can get on with myself and embrace my true self- yes, I am a yuppie!

Context: we went to a small gig last night, and I've always thought as a passerby, you can usually make a good guess of the music genre by the people waiting outside. Craig made the comment this time, and I looked around and instantly and nonchalantly thought- I'm amongst a crowd of yuppies.

Lots of coiffed salt and pepper short hair, chunky or half rimmed rectangular specs, blazers, bootcut jeans, collared shirts, round-toed shoes or boots, rectangle looped-around-once scarves, couples or groups of four at-most. The average age of this crowd is late 30's. The band is I am Kloot- a traditional Manchester indie rock band- but not a hipster indie rock band like Vampire Weekend, a yuppie-indie rock band.

We went into the old church-turned-music-venue for small crowds (I'm not doing that stadium stuff anymore) and lined up at the bar to get some local cider on tap. We took our drinks back to the floor and stood patiently as the support act was on. This is when it smacked me in the face. I looked around, looked at myself (also wearing a blazer, jeans, and the cutest of round-toed kitten heels) and thought- shit... if these guys are yuppies, then I am definitely a yuppie. I look as average as everyone else at this small bespoke gig, so it must be.

So I Googled the term "yuppie?" and was brought to the Wiki link for yuppie: a young urban professional usually referring to a member of the upper middle class (or aspiring) in their 20's or 30's... blah blah blah...and now quoting from the Wikipedia page: Author and political commentator Victor Davis Hanson has written:

Yuppism... is not definable entirely by income or class. Rather, it is a late-20th-century cultural phenomenon of self-absorbed young professionals, earning good pay, enjoying the cultural attractions of sophisticated urban life and thought, and generally out of touch with, indeed antithetical to, most of the challenges and concerns of a far less well-off and more parochial Middle America. For the yuppie male a well-paying job in law, finance, academia, or consulting in a cultural hub, hip fashion, cool appearance, studied poise, elite education, proper recreation and fitness, and general proximity to liberal-thinking elites, especially of the more rarefied sort in the arts, are the mark of a real man.[5]

Or I might offer up my favourite Urban Dictionary offering: "Group whose culture blends the hippie/counterculture values of the 60s and the materialistic monetary-based values of the 80s. Usually congregate in Starbucks, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and a wide variety of vintage clothing boutiques. Includes both moderate Liberals (Majority of yuppies), and moderate Conservatives (smaller group of yuppies- to which I belong) although both the far left and the far right enjoy dissing them.

Far left dude: I hate these damn yuppies! They claim to be "artists" and "bohemians", yet their materialistic pursuits embody the very antithesis of the counterculture, and price real "artists" like me out of the neighborhoods they move to!

Far right dude: I hate these damn yuppies. I can't stand they flaunt their metrosexuality with their designer labels, lattes, luxury cars, and globally conscious health food stores. It's European-wannabe wimps like them that corrupt America!

I am laughing my head off at all of this probably because I agree with it! And here are the reasons why I have now self identified with this term:

• Hipsters have always got on my nerves- maybe because I know I will never be as cool as one, but I will never be a hipster because I am a yuppie. I described the picture of the yuppie above- let me paint a hipster picture- Lots of un-coiffed blonde buffonted back combed hair piled high, chunky round specs (of the 80's style), chunky 80's knits, skinny jeans, collared shirts (unchecked), always pointy-toed brogues or ankle boots, triangular loosely tied scarves with morbid patterns of guns or skulls or Middle Eastern check, heards of "individuals". The average age of this crowd is under 25.
• Hipsters still go to festivals and shower twice a week at most. Yuppies go to small gigs where you might still be able to have an in-depth conversation with your friend (and can shower before and after).
• Yuppies drink posh coffee in the day and drink wine after noon- they even have wine plans, not supermarket offers. They might alternatively drink microbrewery beer or else gin.
• Yuppies recognise famous chefs when they go out- This is true and was the icing on the cake for me because at the gig yesterday, I recognised and had a small chat with 2 Michelin star chef Tom Kerridge. When I am in London I never recognise any of the supermodels or band-members in the streets.
• Yuppies like comedy such as David O'Doherty's Party Song and Jon Richardson for his comedic teachings on washing your wine glasses before the pork and leek sausage pan. I could go on, but I will keep it at that so I can get back to my grande Pike Place with sugar-free hazelnut syrup...

And for those of you that are now worried that you might also be a *gasp- yuppie, let me leave you with some observations as to what exempts you from yuppie-ism:

• you have kids
• you are 28 and under... I have arbitrarly picked this number, but I feel like this is when I definitely started to lose my youth- but I think this also coincided with the advent of my job title becoming Scientist- how very yuppie
• you are 50+
• you wear sneakers out... but not posh tennis-style pumps. I'm talking about proper sporty sneakers.
• you probably play team sports rather than doing a "session" at the gym or going for a run for longer than an hour
• you buy booze on offer
• you listen to top 40 music
• aaaannd... you don't have a blog ;)

Tradition- TRADITION!

The title is meant to be sung in the style of the song "Tradition" from the Fiddler on the Roof, and for this last post of the year, I thought it would be nice to talk about some family and holiday traditions. And with any luck for those of you that know the song I am talking about, then hopefully it is stuck in your head now!

I started thinking about this earlier in the month, mostly because my new (this year) co-workers kept asking me about Canadian Christmas traditions. Really, it's the same in Canada as it is in the UK. It depends on what you call a tradition, but the same year-on-year happenings unfold in a comforting way.

Stores start decorating and merchandising in November.

December comes along and you can start to threaten your children with being on the Naughty or Nice list for Santa/ Father Christmas- In the UK, people tend more towards Father Christmas, but like Halloween, an Americanized Santa seems to be creeping in more and more every year. With this, some kids will write (or e-mail or text) Santa their list. Most families have Advent calendars with waxy chocolate... I can affirm the quality of Advent calendar chocolate is the same on both continents. 

December also brings magical bliss like glitter, flashing lights, sounds of bells, a new Starbucks holiday menu, the ever-more-worldly-and-popular-German-Christmas-Market, and old movies on TV from either the 70's or 90's. I'm not joking, films like Fiddler on the Roof, the Sound of Music, Home Alone, and Die Hard are on repeat here and there. You put these old classics on to get you in the mood whilst you decorate the house and the tree. And if not the films, then definitely some Christmas tunes: Feliz Navidad and the Little Drummer Boy off of a record (in a light blue sleeve?) bring me right back to my childhood. They are practically the soundtrack to decorating the tree with my sisters- all the homemade decorations on the bottom of the leaning real tree and the nice glass baubles on the top. Not to forget the fight to who gets to put the angel on the top of the tree.

Socialisation increases in December- Christmas parties at work are similar across the ocean: You have a meal together, there might be a dance depending on the size of your business. You generally get dressed up in something that isn't very comfortable and eat an attempt at a Christmas dinner that will never be as good as it is on the actual day. I remember going to my Grandpa's work Christmas party when I was young: three things I remember in particular: 1) having to wear the itchiest white lace tights; 2) riding the train around the campus; and 3) playing the fishing game to win a present. Itchy tights aside (which have turned into shoes that "aren't-made-for-walking" let alone dancing), I remember really looking forward to it, regardless of how naff a Christmas party always is. You might also visit family and friends you haven't seen since someone's birthday or else Christmas the previous year- Aunties and Uncles and "Aunties" and "Uncles".

The shopping frenzy of what to buy your Aunties and Uncles and "Aunties" and "Uncles" and friends and "friends" is the same. Weirdly, Leanna- the most disorganised sister, is the most organised and prepared Christmas shopper. And I remember sitting with my Mom learning how to wrap presents (I am the better sister at wrapping)- how to tuck the corners in and how to wrap gift-baskets.

The baking and food preparing frenzy also begins sometime after the 20th. Shopping for the big day purchasing cheeses, crackers, pates, and nibbles that are a treat. Also baking more and more cookies, and pies, and cakes, and all the calorific goodness that is associated with comfort over the holidays. On the note of food, don't forget to leave your cookies and milk (and Whiskey) for Santa + food for the reindeer (carrots or oats) regardless if you are in Canada or the UK.

It surmounts to the big day(s) where you gather as a family, and maybe even an extended family, have a big meal together, and exchange gifts. Who you visit and when depends on the number of families you have to accommodate and their traditions. It was easy for us as kids with the Polish half of the family celebrating on the 24th and the Canadian half on the 25th. Most in the UK do the 25th and into the 26th. In all cases, the feast is so similar with a large meat or two (turkey+cranberry and ham are the most common), stuffing, steamed vegetables, supds often in more than one form, and various desserts/puddings. Brussel sprouts, trifle, and fruitcake/Christmas pud are UK staples- three items that I happily trade out for my Mom's marinated vegetable salad and my Grandma's chiffon pumpkin pie any day! You chat, you banter, you drink, and then you exchange presents: I must say I haven't had socks or a calendar for the past three years and they have been missed! You chat a bit more, you put on your new clothes, you drink a lot more, and then it's time for it all to end. 

You pack up your new belongings and go home. You recover for a day, you make another indulgent visit and you cycle this until New Years where you have one last boozey feast of the year. You pack up your decorations (this time to the new CD you got, not at all festive) and you pack up the socks/sweater/jumper until the next December when you visit your family and "family" and friends and "friends" again. And you spend the next few months recovering and getting into the swing of all that will be good in the New Year- which for many of us is a comforting repeat of the last.

Happy New Year to all my family and friends and "family" and "friends" around the world. All the best and keep in touch!