Origins, or originality.

In junior high I wanted to be just like my older brother Patrick so I listened to Pearl Jam religiously until I knew every single word to every single album. I saw them in concert three times.

My college roommate Kelli - & still friend – always wore fun socks. Stripes, polka dots & mixed patterns. Never plain, always fun. Since then, I always try to wear fun socks with sneakers. It's just more interesting.

My friend Missy – she started using italics instead of quote marks for dialogue or extra-emphasis in her writing on her blog. She's a really good writer. I liked it, so I started doing it. She was also the first person I noted who was using {these pretties} instead of (these). There was a period of time where I decided to use them, too.

My first visiting teacher in NYC was this beautiful, classy girl who had lived here for a few years already & was so sophisticated. She signed all of her emails "w.". I've been doing "k." for the 3 ½ years since.

My sister Joanna has beautiful, dark hair. I wanted beautiful, dark hair too, so that's been my shade of choice off & on for the past few years. I like that I look sort of like her.

A girl at my first job in NYC had a Longchamp bag, along with every other early-20's girl in Manhattan. I had to have one.

My across-the-pond friend Lindsey bought a pair of shoes & posted them on her blog. I bought them a few days later.

When I worked at Goldman Sachs, all of the girls (typically prissy, & from New Jersey) had Vera Bradley travel bags for our frequent trips. I bought one. I think it's sort of ugly now.

My friend Kellie is smart & driven & feisty & balanced all at the same time. I want to be like her.

My friend Jill uses (+) instead of (&) or (and). I also use (+) sometimes now. I like the way it looks.

A friend in high school introduced me to MAC when I was an impressionable sophomore. I wanted my eyes to look just like hers.

My friend Caitlin has great style. She wears a lot of flats & convinced me that I can look just as cute in them as I can in heels.

Ruth, Caitlin, Sarah Jane & I all have the same skirt from JCrew that we often wear to church. Ruth & I were twinners on Sunday. It was cute.

I've been influenced by people. Obviously. We all are, directly or indirectly. We have friends, colleagues & random strangers that we interact with on a daily basis that give us ideas, inspire & influence us. We don't live in bubbles, & none of us can claim 100% originality, right? That's perfectly okay. They say imitation is the finest form of flattery.

Isn't it sort of weird sometimes, though? This mimic dance? We all do it, to some extent, but where do you draw the line? How do you maintain your own individuality while still appreciating the talents & unique traits of others? How do you snag good ideas without seemingly trying to morph into someone else - through how you dress, what you buy, or even your writing style?

The blog sphere makes things quite strange sometimes. On top of all of the (ridiculous) keeping up with Jones' business, there's a lot of recycling going on. Have you ever had someone who copies you? Like, maybe sort of blatantly (or even subtly, but still rather obviously)? Sometimes I feel like my thoughts are being stolen and I'm not sure that I like it. Sometimes it's hard to decide whether or not I'm paranoid, arrogant, or justified. Intellectual property is an interesting concept, right?

Have I ever done this? Maybe taken something that wasn't mine?

Do I really care if other people do?

The feeling is sort of strange.