Hipster Identity

*deep breath*
Going to admit it.

I think I've become a hipster.

Most of you in the typosphere are aware of this term, as it has a direct impact on the growing costs of typewriters, so I'm not going to define it in general. However, I will clarify what I mean by it.

Where I'm from, there are different types of hipsters--and all of this is gross generalization, I know, so sorry if I offend anyone. You have the hipster hipsters, who look homeless as they sit on their Macbook Pro outside the local coffee shop. There's the drunk hipsters, who love their PBR. There's the scientists, hanging out at coffee hour, riding their 80s road bikes all over campus. And then there is the group that I feel like I belong to--and one of the more prevalent groups where I come from--the outdoors hipster.

We're the ones who drive the "outdoorsy" car--usually a Subaru, often covered with stickers from companies we by our gear from, bike or ski rack on the top, and of course, dirty, because we have to let everyone know that we do stuff outside. We wear the skinny jeans and flannel shirts and boots partially because it is stylish, and partially because it is practical. See, cool thing about skinny jeans is that they don't get caught in bike chains--because yeah, we tend to ride bikes. We do things like rock climb and ski and hike and generally enjoy being outdoors. Some enjoy their microbrews and local food, while others love the cheapness of PBR. We're all about supporting our small local businesses--coffeshops and gear shops and those quirky little bookshops that pop up in random places.

I definitely fit into that category. No, I don't exactly drive a Subaru, but the only reason that my car isn't covered in stickers is that they got lost in the move. I own and use multiple typewriters, write movies and novels, and my daily pen case carries more than one fountain pen. I ride my bike most days, but have carried a Timbuktu bag for far longer than I've been riding my bike--same for the skinny jeans too. One of the things I miss most about home are those quirky little shops--there aren't the used bookstores and stationary shops and galleries and hole in the wall restaurants here that we had at home. Same with coffeeshops. I've found one, so far, that even comes close to fitting the category of cool local place--in the middle of a shopping mall. Whole foods is mainstream, which is good, because there aren't little markets anywhere either. The guys at the gear shop here are more used to tourists than locals, you can tell that. But it's okay. I'm bringing my slight hipsterness to where I live, so that's a good thing, right?

Funny thing is hipster is one group I never really planned on fitting into, but when I think about the people back home, and look for an easy way to explain them to the people I meet, it's the one word that kinda describes us. That, and hippies, the kind that wear Chacos until the snow is deep and are proud to show up to class covered in dirt from an early morning climbing trip, and will serve you squash for dinner when you go home with them. I guess we're a weird combination of both.

And that's where we kind of aren't hipsters. We don't like things because they're ironic or do them to make a point. We do what we do, love what we love because we love it, pure and simple. I collect typewriters and fountain pens because they make me happy. I ride my bike to save gas and to exercise--I do far too much sitting on my butt lately. I eat organic produce not because it costs more or makes any sort of statement. It just lasts longer and tastes better--shopping at Whole Foods isn't a status thing for me. It mostly just keeps my body happier.

So maybe my calling myself a hipster isn't exactly true. I have the traits but it's not something that I could ever give myself fully too--I'm too much of a hippie to ever adhere to one school of thought. But, I will admit to embracing my hipster side. And, now, I'm proud of it.