Punkified Philosophy

I've been wondering something for the last year or so? Punk, is it a fashion statement, a state of mine or a phase that someone goes through?

A few weeks ago, I was in downtown Portland waiting on the train, when a group of "modern day punks" walked up. Now clearly, they were trying to shock and or offend by their language/posturing and hand gestures. Me, I had to seriously control the laughter. I guess my attempt at controlling my snickering wasn't a success because one of them asked me "what I was laughing at". Another one said, that "laughing at freedom of expression was just wrong".

I guess in my jeans, tshirt, mundane hair cut and color, I looked like the proverbial mom from the suburbs to them. I turned around and told them that I had been spray painting London, wearing ripped jeans and paint spattered MC's before they were a gleam in their father's eye. I was the one that cut the way for them to dress and act as they were and for their freedom of expression. That got me a weird look. I then pointed out that I was sneaking into Slayer concerts before they were even thought of...that of all things, got me respect. I was then totally cool!

I guess Punk is for me a state of mind. I may dress to the norms and I may act and talk to the norms, but inside, I'm still running around with green spray paint, painting up the town. I have had to fact facts that there is nothing worse than a 40 year old woman trying to dress like a 20 year old. I actually still have the spiked collar my boyfriend gave me back in 1985 and my old doc martin's from way back when. Ah, the good old days of the mosh pits, the punk concerts, the parties in Hell's park. Sigh.... Even now, the skull and cross bones has become a fasionista thing, is nothing sacred anymore?

And for present day and future punks...when doing the graffiti thing...make sure you change your clothes and ditch them before the cops get ahold of you!