Legit-ism

Do you guys know Ayn Rand?  The author/philospher?  She wrote an amazing book called "Atlas Shrugged" in which she revealed her take on life, which she called "Objectivism".  The book showed how her philosophy played out in every detail of life in America.

Well, I have news today my friends.  Not only have I shamelessly likened myself to Oprah due to the vaguely moderate MASSIVE appeal of my blog, but am now ready to join Ayn Rand in coining my own world view.  It is called  Legit-ism.  I just want things to be Legit.

I know what you are thinking, so here you go, get it out of your system...

And maybe..

Okay, back to business.  Legitism means that I don't like stuff unless its Legit.  It manifests itself in many facets of life.

Interior Decor  

My house is not very decorated.  I'm not saying its poorly decorated, but I do NOT want to go to Target, buy a box of 3 wrought-iron swirly things with no point to them and  hang them on my wall to take up space.  I want the things in my house to have meaning.  And, since I've been home with babies for 6 years, there isn't much there yet except for construction paper butterflies stuck to my wall.

I do not believe that, just because I like Tuscany, my house should look like this...

If my house is going to have yellowed plaster, its because I live in Italy in an 800 year old chateau, with windows draped in real grape vines brought in from our latest harvest.


The Tuscan needs to be Legit.

My house is so bare....so very very devoid of style...because I'm waiting for Legit things.  My carpet is old.  I have white Florida Retirement Home-style tile flooring in my kitchen.  Why?  Because even though I COULD afford some variation of wood flooring, I'm holding out for wide-plank walnut floors that have just been hand crafted from a local walnut tree..orchard...do they have those?  Not particle board or veneers...wood.

Basically, because I have SUCH Legit and exquisite taste...I don't actually own anything.

I try.  I see random wooden vases in a type of Modern Aboriginal Fusion style in TJ Maxx but I just can't.  I've never been to Australia.  Besides, those things are made in South Korea not by a man in a loin cloth from the outback.

Fashion

I will be so angry if this pattern does not go all the way around

I do not own as many clothes as I would like.  Because, again, they need to be Legit.  A shirt is not Legit if it has a pattern on the front but it does not go all the way around to the back.  With some things that makes sense, but you know what I mean.  A nice flowery pattern when I look at myself in the mirror and then a blank canvas on the back because someone was too cheap to think it mattered.  Why wouldn't I want to look good leaving?  And I also will not buy a V-neck shirt that has that tiny triangle of fabric sewn into it as if there is a camisole underneath.  No.  Not Legit.

My prized wardrobe possession is a fisherman's sweater from Nazare', Portugal.  Its huge on me, but its the sweater that they actually wear to keep warm while fishing.  I haven't dry-cleaned it in 11 years because it still smells like Portugal.

 Hair

Britney Spears started the "Sexy, Messy,Homeless Person Ponytail" trend several years ago.  Its still big out here in the Atlanta burbs.  I can rock the track suit at Kroger, but my homeless ponytail is truly repulsive.  Why?  Because if I actually have to take 30 minutes to achieve a Messy Ponytail...its...not...Legit.

Stoners

I was an anomaly in high school.  Totally uptight evangelical christian girl, but most of my friends were stoners.  My husband and I were talking about this the other night.  His high school stoners wore plaid shirts from Abercrombie, drove BMWs and used "Bed Head" hair product to achieve that grungy nasty look.  Psh.  I bet his stoners even wore underwear.  MY stoners, were actually grungy.  Like, as in, they didn't "shower much".  Their clothes were awesomely old, some actually handed down from their hippie parents.  Their hair was long, shaggy, and my friend Matt had the dreads of a god.  You hopped into their cars and they had that musty incense smell.  I may not have approved of their lifestyle choices and may have been very astounded that they liked me, but they were...say it with me...Legit.

I didn't mean to follow the days-old, momentarily-honored tradition of Legit-ism, its just a product of how I already live!  I find myself complimenting something by saying, "Wow, that's Legit!"   If I hear a song on the radio that is not over-produced, has soul, and obviously some very talented musicians, declaring them "Legit" is the best compliment I can give!

The list goes on and on.  Literature, Music, Movies, Souvenirs...don't even get me started on China Patterns!  I guess you could take "Legit-ism" and think I mean "Snobbery".  Its just that in a "Faux World", I'm ready for some authenticity.  It may be in people or in the antique suitcases stacked up to make an end table.  Those suitcases had BETTER be your great-grandmother's or I'll be just a teensy bit disappointed.

Be Legit.  Be Too Legit To Quit.  (there...happy now?)