Since I got a nasty email accusing me of making fun of the guy below I just want to clarify that he was not some homeless mentally ill guy. If you look close, he has his car keys in his hand.
Austin was having a festival that day called Keep Austin Weird. You can learn more about it here. Keep Austin Weird is a slogan that is used to support local small businesses. You can also learn more about it here.
We chatted with him for a while, he was inviting people to head down to the festival and to the Dog and Duck Pub. He was dressed up in a skirt and he happened to be missing a few teeth. There were lots of people roaming around that day in crazy outfits.
That’s what is so great about Austin. It is weird and diverse and full of fun silly people.
And for 5 years I was one of them.
I realize that it is sometimes hard to “read” someones intention on a blog or email but my intent was not to make fun of him. I try to only make fun of myself. Well and Andy too, he’s always a good target 🙂
All you have to do is look at the guy and you can see he’s an old Austin hippie – there are tons of them down there.
I was telling Mom recently that I want to get the kids down there now that they are old enough to remember it. My most vivid early memory of Austin is being at the Co-op on the Drag with my family and seeing some guy with overalls on. The back pocket was torn off of them and you could see his BUTT because he had no underpants on. Of course, he was probably an actual hippie, given that it was probably the early 70s. Maybe it was the same guy as in your picture…
I totally agree Julie, and the email that your mom sent me this morning hits the nail on the head.
“Those of us who know what Austin (the city) is like, can appreciate this guy. He was fun to talk to. ”
Just goes to show how easily things can be taken the wrong way- where I saw it as showing how fun and diverse one of my favorite cities can be- someone else saw it as offensive.
Oh and the email also told me that I worship sport heroes. Hmmm, you try having three boys and trying to find good role models for them- sorry if it sounds like hero worship- my boys aren’t terribly interested in fabric.
Sounds to me like whomever is reading your blog and taking offense to this kind of stuff should stop reading it or get a life. I personally did not take any offense to your photo or comments. I see stuff like this in Portland all the time. It’s what makes our city what it is. Fun and interesting.
Elisa, I have two boys(three including my husband) who eat, sleep and breathe hockey. My oldest is a HUGE Sidney Crosby fan and my youngest is all about the goaltender for our local WHL team. They worship the ground these boys walk on. There is nothing wrong with that.
NOW i’m really jealous!!!! for 13 years i was on of them, weird that is, still am and proud of it. some sense of weird is good after all. i have the “keep austin weird” sticker on my car here in colorado. of course it’s from the buy local/support local campaign. HUGE supporters of that even living here in denver, it’s a way of life actually. AND the dog and duck is an absolute favorite, we went there the last thing we went on spring road trip to austin. i’m pouting SO much right now – truly missing austin today! thanks for sharing. hugs, rachel