Two basically unrelated observations from two different working days:

I noticed how long I've been "off the market". I struck up a rather pleasant conversation with a girl who happened to be a Missionary Kid who'd spent time in South Africa, Sweden and Scotland, and was on a scholarship to the little seminary down the road from where we live. We talked about a bunch of random stuff, and it was fun. It did not even begin to cross my mind to try and impress her.

It did cross my mind that it hadn't crossed my mind when, about a half hour later, another guy started to talk to her and was so obviously flirting with her that is was almost physically painful to watch. She's an attractive woman, and it's not like I didn't notice that, but the idea of taking a "relationship" somewhere (whatever the variety) was non-existant. Probably not a shocker for an "old married guy"...but just weird.

Observation two:

On an add shoot for Rascal Flatts' new clothing line "American Living" most of the younger extras almost had a competition to see who knew the least about this "Rascal whatever band". While not necessarily surprising, it confirmed this sneaking suspicion I have about country music. There is something about it that is powerful enough to drive people to ravenous sectarianism. Like, if it was a religious conviction, there'd be wars fought over it. These pretty people (I'm always the runt, pretty-wise, at these commercial shoots) seemed like they would shamelessly admit to a career in porn (vanilla, kinky, bestial, or otherwise) before they would admit to even knowing the band's entire name.

It's as if cosmopolitanism has some kind of messianic redemptive benefit in itself, and any hint of the taint of rusticity risks the loss of one's urban sanctification.

Never mind the fact that the number of people in America who would have gladly paid three times as money money as we received to be in similar physical proximity to this band is probably greater than the population of Los Angeles proper.

Musical factionalism is the new ethnicity.

These guys have won Grammys, for God's sake. Somebody thinks they're worthwhile.

P.S. Apparently "rusticity" is a real word, and "there'd" is not. Thanks blogger.