I have learned that unless they are really into it people don't care all too much about the awesome time you had at the tennis tournament. I'm guessing you're in that boat. So I will just tell you a funny story from it.
The tournament is out in the desert, so even though it was a glorious 80 degrees it still feels like you're baking in an Easy Bake Oven because the sun is so much brighter and sunnier out there. So everyone dresses in summer clothes (Fact: an alarming amount of women come to this tournament dressed in tennis attire, like they're ready to play if called upon.) But then around 4 pm the sun starts to head toward the mountains and the wind starts to pick up. A lot. Oh, does the wind pick up. And then in about 30 minutes time the temperature plummets and you're freezing.
We were watching Nadal play when this happened (And I know that you don't care the slightest about this but he is awesome. Amen.) and we were sitting up in the top of the stadium being buffeted by the winds and there were these two fellas sitting a few rows ahead. Mid-twenty hipster types. They kept adding layers of clothes - long sleeve shirts and hoodies and thick socks. And then suddenly one of the guys REMOVED HIS SHORTS - so he's just standing there in his pantaloons - and pulled on a pair of skinny jeans. But before he could zip up he took about a minute to stuff his boxers into his pants. There was a lot of hopping and shimming about. They were very loosey-goosey drawers and very skinny jeans - which seemed a bit of a contradiction but which made for a pretty good show. Well worth the price of admission.
This example has caused me to think. There were MANY shirtless men at this tournament. And almost all of them really should have kept those shirts on. When the guy took his shorts off it was more funny than shocking because it seemed like all day long there were men removing their clothes. But what would have happened if a woman had taken her shorts off and stood there in her underwear before putting on a pair of pants. She would have first been flashed up on the big screen and gotten a load of cat calls and then second would have been escorted off the premises. Why is it that we expect modesty of women (which I agree with, by the way) but not of men? And is this an enormous double-standard or just one of many examples that boys are weird and do unacceptable things in public (i.e. peeing on the side of the freeway) simply because they can?
And suddenly I got all feministy and serious. I blame daylight savings.
5 comments:
First of all, jealous! You got to see Nadal play? So jealous. Second, funny, Tim and I were just discussing styles we hope go away soon and never return. The skinny man jeans are at the top of the list. It's not just that they're so skinny in the leg, but that the crotch is also near their knees, so they have to walk like a penguin. I'm convinced that some peon that works for some snooty designer decided to experiment and see if he could present the penguin pants from Mary Poppins, adding tapered legs and putting it in denim, and get the snooty designer to convince the populous that is was cool. He's laughing now, and so am I at how ridiculous those pants are. Third, I agree about the modesty for women vs. men issue. But it was pointed out to me (by my husband, of course), that housewives across the country can ooh and aah over Taylor Lautner's newly fit body and fantasize about a perfect vampire boyfriend, but if the man even mentions a 17-year-old girl, they are labeled a perv. We have to keep things even, right?
Rac, you may also like to know that we saw Andy Roddick and James Blake play a doubles match against Andy Murray and Some Other British Guy. Awesome!
It's an interesting double standard. And yet, watching this, it's the gals that I worry about more than the fellas....
http://colormekatie.blogspot.com/2010/01/no-pants.html
I seriously regret that we didn't clap as soon as Mr. Tuck-My-Chones-Into-My-Tight-Pants was done with his wardrobe change.
After having lived in said desert for 8 years, nothing surprises anymore. Now, if I saw that same behavior here in my new neighborhood, which is only 80-some miles south?...I would be a skosh shocked...
The double-standard thing wigs me out also, but I dare say it's getting better than when I was coming up. Back then, I wasn't ALLOWED to take out the garbage...and my bro wasn't even asked to dust the furniture....roles were roles were roles...
We've come a mediocre way, baby...
And daylight savings is as good a reason as anything...
:)
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