Socially conscious or Eco fashion?

What is up with this wilderness clothing trend? I understand the need for water resistant clothing when you are outdoors but when did carbon-neutral, 87% recycled content, organic pants become de rigueur?

I mean really, some people take it too far. There's a women on my train every morning who must own stock in REI. She is always dressed head to toe in North Face, Patagonia or Columbia. Is it really necessary to wear insect shield SPF 30 convertible pants, mixed terrain mountaineering boots and a moisture wicking, ventilated sombrero for your morning commute? Must you carry that ubiquitous water bottle strapped to your abrasion-resistant backpack? Does your morning commute engender the potential risk of dehydration? Might you run across a bear in the treacherous journey from your front door to your minivan?

What is the source of this fascination with outdoor apparel? Because to be honest most of the gruppies don't look like they spend much time outdoors. It seems to be more about eco-conscious posturing. I'm pretty sure that Blackberry they pull from their ventilated reinforced nylon expedition pack doesn't get signal on Mt. Kilimanjaro.

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Welcome!

So...I'm new to this blogging thing and thought I'd give it a try though I feel as though I am writing into a literary black hole of sorts.

Awhile back I began putting my experiences and observations as a single woman to paper. Scores of frustrating dating experiences began to codify. (Yes my babies, triple word score). I began writing these down and ended up with the beginnings of a book. But I digress...

To give you a little background, I am a licensed mental health professional currently working on "the dark side". Those of you in the field know exactly what the "dark side" is. The fact is I have happily sold-out, snitched, gone to the other side...whatever you want to call it. I've paid my dues. I've been hit, kicked, spat upon and cursed out. (What-you thought mentally illness somehow engendered good manners?). A girl has to eat. And frankly years of wading through others' horrific life experiences warrants an occupational sabbatical if not an extended trip to the loony bin yourself. Simply put-I love my field but I love myself more. I'm not a martyr. I want to help people but until our society monetarily recognizes the value of the mental health field I refuse to starve.

Hence my foray into the dark side. And I'll let you in on a little secret: the "dark side" isn't nearly as morally corrupt as you might think. It's those ivory tower institutions that you have to watch. You would be shocked at the goings on at some of the most prestigious psychiatric facilities. But that's for another time...

So...why did you title your blog "Hysterical Woman" you may be thinking... Without going into too much psychobabble, the early roots of personality disorders were based upon the concept of "hysteria". (I sure do seem to love using " don't I?). Hysteria was a female disorder thought to be caused by a wandering uterus. (Yep, totally true. Google it my babies. Have yourself a good laugh). The most popular cure for hysteria was pregnancy. (Yeah, riiiight).

Fortunately we are all progressive enough to now recognize the lunacy of this premise. But...the phenomena of the "hysterical woman" (there I go again) persists. Rather than rally against a clearly patriarchal bias against the female experience I've decided to adopt the cliché as my own. I embrace hysteria. It is my own. Let me show you how hysterical I can really be.

Join me on my journey into modern madness...the trip will be entertaining and the results possibly revolutionary.

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