Greetings all!

Sorry for not writing in a while. "Spring" break came along and I totally relaxed the entire time and didn't get around to making many updates. However, tomorrow starts the second half of the semester, so I'm backed, refreshed and ready to go!

So, for the topic of today. I had a heated discussion today as to whether or not I am a yuppie. It started off with one of my compnaions (who we'll call Bob for the sake of argument) asserting that he was one, but I said I wasn't. After a 45 minute discussion, I was well entrenched in my position that I'm not and he was in his that I am.

Well, I am not. Hear are several points to rebuke Bob and his silly argument.

First point. My atire. Circumstances forced me to change the way I dressed from slob (lack of combed hair, jeans, t-shirt) to khakis and at times, knit shirts. This does not classify me as a yuppie. I would much rahter wear jeans and a t-shirt, besides, how many yuppies wear hooded sweatshirts? Besides, for a while I was president of an engineering honor society chapter, i had to play the part.

Second point. My work. I've never held a real "professional" job. I was a co-op/intern at EDS for a while, and that brought me pretty close, but I resisted the tempation of the darkside. I rejected the money and possible benefits to return to school. I am now a gradudate student, not exactly the yuppie life style. Lots of school, research, reading, and decent pay, not yuppie pay. How many grad students drive around in a BMW? I think not.

Third point. Spending habits. I do not spend lots of money on material things. I wear cheap clothes and don't buy lots of showing things. What type of car do I want when I grow up? A Ford Focus, or Toyota Prius, or something else that is economical and good for the encironment. No BMWs, Jaguars, Mercedes, etc. for the likes of Mr. Curt. That would violate my very existence...yeah, yeah, yeah. I know, I drive a yellow pickup. However, that was for two reasons...A) I half jokingly mentioned it to my parents who went out and got it for me, and B) it's much easier to find a yellow car in a big parking lot...unless you're in a school.

Yes, I do buy computers to play with, but that is no different than the mechanic who likes to buy old cars and fix them up...it's called a hobby. I like computers. So, I buy fun computer stuff to play with. It hardly makes me a yuppie. Besides, everyone knows the word yuppie came into use in the early 80's, before the huge computer revolution...and at the time, those people were called (and still are at times) computer geeks.

Forth point. Sports. Golf is the big time huge yuppie sport...I hate golf. It drives me up a wall. Putt-putt is cool, but not regular...ick! Of course, if you like to play it, that is totally cool, just not for Mr. Curt. Yes, I do want to play tennis, but that is out of necessity, a requirement of the "profession" I might one day enter, not have not yet done so.

I may need to add more to this argument, but it's time to go to bed :) By the way...Kristine and Goran, are you yuppies? :)

Oh, and I know how my first book will be dedicated..."To Bob, You drive me up a wall."

So there.

Posted by Curt at March 3, 2002 11:58 PM