I’m bringing thirsty back

It’s a grey day in Rockford, raining off and on. In a matter of hours, the rain will turn to ice. Yesterday it was in the 50s; today it’s in the 20s. Yesterday I was in my 50s and today I am…still in my 50s.

It’s good that I’m consistent but even in my old age, I appreciate the Midwest’s mercurial weather. Today’s fluctuating temperatures and conditions remind me of something that happened three years ago when the weather was much like today’s.

It was 2019. I was sitting next to a young man who was wearing a fitted t-shirt even though it was cold. He was looking at my laptop and asked me a Mac-related question. It was a simple question about its version but I didn’t know the answer. I told him to give me a minute to figure it out.

“That’s okay,” he said. “You don’t have to be so thirsty.” It shocked me when he said it. Like a slap in the face.

He was rude, but he wasn’t wrong.

However, I think that if I had been twenty years younger, this same person would have referred to me as “hungry” instead of thirsty. Might have even called me “a real go-getter.”

I wonder: When does someone go from being hungry to thirsty? From hardworking to extra? From respectful to obsequious? I’ve been called all of those things.

When you reach a certain age and you want to learn or create something new, if you’re not careful, you’re going to look “thirsty.” Most people understand this and adjust their behavior accordingly but I’m not ready to conform. Justin Timberlake brought sexy back. I’m bringing thirsty back.

And speaking of JT, he’s 41 years old. I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts that going forward, he will go through a similar struggle to prove his relevance and artistry simply because he’s older. That’s just how it goes.

Artists often have a multi-dimensional process. New information and ideas bombard us from all angles and we like it that way. But I guarantee you that when we are receiving and creating, we’re going to look thirsty. Shield your eyes if you must. Or…give thirsty a try.

Thanks for reading my blog. At the risk of sounding thirsty, extra and obsequious, I hope to see you tomorrow! -Connie