Vinceland

I never drank a beer until 1991, my senior year at Seton Hall Preparatory School for Boys of Higher Learning and Education. I was 17. I remember not liking it at all, until I had enough to let the taste of it pass by and reap the benefits. Now the upside of alcohol is something I preach about daily, and am constantly reminded of through advertising.

Same goes for coffee. I clearly hated coffee until recently. I made fun of it. Now my head pounds without the creamy, delicious stuff. In Portland, good coffee is as easy to find as puddles of rainwater.

Another example of my developing tastes is the delicate world of raw fish. I despised sushi and was completely repulsed for years as friends and colleagues attempted to lure me to taste the mushy, expensive Japanese delights. Now, I crave sushi every day, all day. But I stick to the basics, no egg-y stuff or blowfish.

I own a Treo 650 now, with Palm software. I remember making fun of Palm Pilots and I still giggle inside when I think of nerds playing pocket-pool with their friggin palm-pilots. But now, it's a useful device for me. And I'm fine with the name "Treo".

I recently chose to purchase my third pair of jeans ever from Old Navy. They are artificially faded in places. This is a first for me as well. But I will NEVER purchase an artificially faded, worn hat. That's the worst thing that ever happened to hats, especially Burton hats.

I will continue to resist new things, ridicule them for fun and then join in them on my terms. When I do, I am not acting as a hypocrite. I'll let things change in a natural way and may remain slightly behind the curve, but ahead of the times just enough.