associate (verb)

Its a funny word. Associate. I like to use it to vary my sentences a bit. The etymology of the word you ask? Well my kidz, its Latin, and according to Chambers: 14c, from ad to + socius united. Solved? Good.

What makes us as humans so special?
Is it that we are unique and supp to be different from another, and all our little quirks are tagged either good or bad, which in turn makes us either like or dislike another.
OR
Is it that we can adapt to surroundings, mix among the masses, assimilate if you like, and "do as others do" or for the "betterment" of society we follow the norm.

Really- how normal is the word "unique". It means unparrallelled, or one, none other like it. Hell i thought i was unique in High School during my little hippie stage. Granted, not everyone was into Tie Dyes, Hologram sunglasses, and the rest of my fantastic fashion at the time; but there was the typical Jocks, Preps, Idiots, Druggies, Loners, Freaks, and then us, the Potheads / Hippies. We listened to John Lennon, Led Zep, The Doors, took acid... you get the idea right? We were cool. We were unique.

Damn unique. I was doing the same thing my mom did in her High School all but years apart. Unique? Yeah, for that particular school, that particular region etc. But unique might be far-fetched.

Ok, back to the original rant of the day. Associate.. remember when i was mentioning that? Follow along kidz. We all look for some sort of association. We want to belong. We as humans feel this burning desire (no, not the STD kind of burn) to make sure we are accepted by others, somewhere, somehow. NO MATTER WHAT. Example? Emos... they all look so damn alike. And wearing black? well, anyone with fashion inklings can tell you that black is a basic color which is ALWAYS in bloody season and goes with anything. except blue. oh, and its slimming.

right, sorry... delayed thoughts again. I met someone yesterday who wasnt really on my particularly high "I think your nice" sheet, instead he was more of a "please leave, i have work to do and your just wasting my time babbling nothing" sheet. He discovers that he and i live in the same town. Fantastic! Mr sales rep is thinking he has me sold, after all... we have an ASSOCIATION. so much so, that he even tells me the street... HA! I laugh in his face (i dont even know the street he was mumbling.. afterall, i didnt care as he wasnt going to be part of my association. Told him i actually lived in a different section, near the particular town. Not in my association. thank you kindly.

Music? We all associate to the same circle regarding music. Tell me how unique you are in your music tastes? I am positive even the strangest tastes will somehow have even HEARD of a song you like, or might enjoy a particular artist. Second thought, they might at least know the artist, they might think shes a slut bag who has lost her mind and her parents should SEND HER TO REHAB... nah, no winno heroin support here, but its still an association of some sorts.

I often hear a song and it takes me back to somewhere else. Sometimes I can even associate smells to a song, or a feeling for that time, or the boy who made me smile when he sang his lungs out to the song. Or the car trips blasting the song all the way, over and over. Somedays a song can make or break a day. And sometimes it can UNITE you wth another person or stranger.

What do you associate with? Would it be the same that others would classify the association with you?

Its a funny word. Associate.