Dear Ron,
I always think I am doing something wrong, but I don’t know what it is. I seem to be out of step with other people. Am I imagining it or, if not, how do I do something to change it.?
Offbeat
Dear Offbeat,
It is quite possible that you are out of step with others. and yes, there are things you could do to get in step. First of all, watching is important. Look at other people and try to move like them. Mirror their movements. You could try sidling up to someone on the street and then work your legs and arms just the way they are doing it. You might get a negative response at first, but I wouldn’t let that bother you. Just smile and keep going.
Another tack you might take is to listen to how others speak, what they say, and then say the same things . Learn catch phrases, slang, , hip terminology. Make sure you are up on the latest words everyone is using. TV is good for that, especially the sitcoms (American sitcoms, natch) For example, I have learned recently that people don’t use hi” anymore when they greet each other, they say “hey. ” If you say “ hi”, not “hey”, chances are people might not want to speak to you for too long.
Another phrase bandied about these days on the Internet forums is “drama,” as in “I like you, but no drama, please.” I take this to mean that the person does not want the other one to be extreme in some way and cause commotions, because the speaker could not handle it. He or she might become too emotional if that happened and is not prepared for it.
By the way, you don’t really need to know the exact meaning behind what you say, all you need do is to use it in the right context.
If you are a younger person, make sure to check out hip hop music. There is gold in them hills, as they say. And always ape the best. Of course, dressing like others is always so important for fitting in. That’s not difficult. If you don’t want to stand out, consider carefully what you see around you in those in your target age bracket: Jeans, trousers, tops, jackets, shoes, hats, type of eyeglasses, jewelry, tattooes .
Always notice the brands too, Just buy whatever you see others using. Make certain the colours are not too wild, but not too drab either. Blue is always a staple. The point is to be indistinguishable, and if you can carry this off, you will have it made. Good luck and let me know how it all went.
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