89) Cool?

As part of our course, we are expected to pick up any free magazines lying around on the streets or at events, so we can keep up with the going-ons of the city. I was surprised to see how many of them there were - more often than not, I come home with my tote digging into my shoulders. I'm also always surprised at just how cool these magazines look. Sure, I can't read what's written in them. But the layout, the visuals all ooze urban cool.

I've never dared to think of myself as cool, or design oriented in any way. I'd like to think that I have good taste, but I've never considered myself on the forefront of cool. And I'm not saying this in the ironic way in which people who are effortlessly cool claim that they aren't cool. In a lot of ways, I think that I am more of a trend follower than a trend discoverer. So when I flip through these magazines, sometimes I hear Wayne Campbell saying, we are not worthy! in my head. I feel a little like a voyeuristic outsider trying to understand something a bit foreign.

I don't say this as a lament, but more as an observation about myself. This coolhunting class isn't meant to be a class on how to be cool. In fact, one of the first things our teacher told us was that you don't have to be cool to be a coolhunter. And I'm beginning to realize that being cool may just be a matter of walking the walk. When I get back to LA, there's no reason why I can't continue to pick up ubercool free pubs, to get familiar with them, to be (or at least feel) worthy.