Tastes

The past few days I've seen a handful of examples of just how different people's tastes are. Some people love anything meringue but hate jello pudding pops and will expound on their atrocities. Some folks live for NASCAR but would rather die than watch horses make left turns. Some folks hang on Larry King's every word while others would rather choke themselves with suspenders. Some like Gilly while others like Jim Belushi situational comedies.

Here's what I'm thinking this morning. I need to do a better job respecting other people's tastes. Sometimes I feel the need to point out that I think their tastes are wrong. Or argue. Or make fun. And maybe there's a time and place for that friendly banter. But sometimes I can take it too far with little jokes that are meant to be "good fun" but end up being hurtful or insulting. Like yesterday when I made a "friendly" jab at a friend for a matter of taste. It served no purpose. I was just being negative and I had to spend the morning apologizing for being a jerk. That's stupid. And pointless. The reality is you can't really change someone's tastes. Nor should you want to. It's like hoping to turn the ocean yellow by peeing in it.

So what I'm saying is I'm going to try and stop peeing on you. I'm going to still haggle with you (especially you, Fuller) over taste-related issues. But I want to come at it from a place of respect. I don't want to be the consummate voice of negativity. Nobody likes that voice. It's like a loud, wet blanket. It all goes back to what we learned in kindergarten doesn't it? If you don't have anything nice to say....