should I swallow my pride?

[dudewithasock]

Originally Posted by cathwood

I have found recently that riding through my home town on my unicycle dressed clownishly made me feel really liberated in that it was impossible to take myself too seriously. It's good to make a complete fool of yourself sometimes.

But I can understand if you're fundamentally opposed to the clown thing. Would they let you dress up as Spider man or something?

*imagines Kristine in a tight spidey-suit*

Hawt.

[thejdw]

Originally Posted by mafiamike

Don't do it. Clowns and Jousting have no place with this generation of unicycling.

so true,

[mill_mobile]

Originally Posted by Unibugg

Sort of like asking Kris Holm to dress up as a clown?

Good call, I dont think he would do it.

[kristine]

Originally Posted by One on one

I think a lot of people are a bit too sensitive with the clown thing. Are you afraid that someone will will finally find out that it's really only clowns that ride unicycles. You gotta get over it. What's the big deal? Do we have some closet clowns out there that could get exposed to who they really are?

If I missed something in unicycle 101 regarding clowns, could someone please bring me up to speed?

My reasons for not wanting to dress like a clown are not part of a unicycling community revolt against clowns. 1st, my reason (and don't laugh guys... Im actually serious) is the face paint is horriable for your skin and clogs your pores very badly. I can't even wear foundation on my face (hence why I 'm one of the few 20something females out there who is actually always makeup free... and damn proud of it too-haha) without breaking out. All that white make-up would probably turn me into a red blotch for weeks (or at least days).

Second, despite the fact that I unicycle I hate drawing attention to myself. I usually like to unicycle around the subdivisions and small side roads near my place and stay away from main roads as it seems as though it's just a big "look at me sign" when I do.

Third, (and sorry to all the clowns out there, its not personal) they're just lame.



Although I guess I'll probably end up doing this, as I am naturally a pushover and a suck up to the boss (hey it's helped me so far, why quit now?)... either that or do what someone said and comprimise to wear a "carlton cards" shirt (which I already own, aren't I cool?) to promote the company.

[kristine]

Originally Posted by BillyTheMountain

Suppose you were a women, in a society where women weren't valued as much as men (like the USA), where women were paid only 75% of what a man were paid for the same work, and their were no women CEOs of any Fortune 500 companies. You'd probably start to feel ashamed to be a woman.

In which case, if you were considering a sex change, I'd say it's better to deal with your self-hate as a woman.

Haha, I loved that. Good analogy, but I have no self-hate for being a woman. And I get paid just as little as the men doing my job in my company, and luckly I don't live in the USA-whoo!

[GILD]

I believe i'm on record as suggesting Kristine should take to unicycling in a CatWoman costume.
But I can't imagine why.
I seem to stop thinking when I think of Kristine in a CatWoman costume.

Meauw.

[thefish]

I wouldn't want to dress up like a clown because clowns are expected to have clown skills. I can't juggle, do magic tricks, or anything else clownish except for unicycle.
I wouldn't want people coming up to me and being like "blow a balloon animal" and for me to have to say "sorry, kids, this is all I've got!"
I would have no problem dressing up as something else. I might even be dressed up as Santa this christmas and ride around front of the store I work at.

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by dudewithasock

To summarize:

You need to be a team player so that:

1. You can be lazy when you want.

2. You can get paid more.

3. Your co-workers don't tattle on you so often.

I love the business world.

This post gave me ultra deja-vu. I swear that last summer there was a thread about jobs, and we had this discussion.

[john_childs]

Look at some of the clothing that street performers wear (jugglers and such). It's bright and contrasty, but not the stereotypical clown outfit. Very few of them are wearing makeup.

So dress up street performer style instead of clown style. No makeup. Just loud clothing that sets you apart and says "I'm a performer and not just some random person riding a unicycle".

The full clown getup is hard to pull off and few can actually do it. I couldn't do it. You have to have the right flair and skills. Just putting on a clown outfit and the makeup doesn't make you a clown. Nothing is more pathetic that someone dressed as a full clown but doesn't have the flair for actual clowning.

Dressing up as a performer and not as a clown gives you the freedom to not act like a clown 100% of the time.

[mattsmith]

Being a Team Player is all about putting the needs of the group ahead of the needs of the individual. Another word for that is "Communism". Is she trying to recruit you to join the Communists!?

Seriosly though, I get the impression that being a Team Player is something that's in your heart, BUT on this occassion you'd be doing yourself a real disservice to comply.

How are you going to feel when you're doing it? Appreciated and proud? More likely you'll feel demeaned and exploited.

Your unicycle is *your* thing. They want to take your thing and use you for their own gains, and there's probably nothing extra in it for you.

Maybe you feel that it's important that you're doing your bit for the company, which is noble, but what might you lose as a consequence? What if you're out on your own riding and all you can think of is having been seen as a clown? You have a definite feeling that you don't want to be seen as a clown, or even an entertainer for that matter. Whose entertainment do you ride for? Yours or the public's?

I think it is most unfair that anyone would put you in that position for the sake of a few sales. There's no shame in keeping some things just for yourself.

If it isn't your style them be firm. Just say "no".

[Ducttape]

I would never dress like a clown... mainly because I am scared of clowns and know that about 75% of people around here dislike clowns or are absolutely terrified of clowns.... and almost all the little kids I know are terrified of clowns... and most of them have kicked quite a few clowns in the testicles....

[dudewithasock]

Originally Posted by Ducttape

and most of them have kicked quite a few clowns in the testicles....

At least Kristine doesn't have to worry about that.

[Into the blue]

Originally Posted by GILD

I believe i'm on record as suggesting Kristine should take to unicycling in a CatWoman costume.

Wouldn't there be a danger of her tail getting caught up in her cranks?

(Gah! Listen to me! I'm turning into my own worst nightmare! A Health and Safety official!)

[pix]

Originally Posted by Into the blue

Wouldn't there be a danger of her tail getting caught up in her cranks?

(Gah! Listen to me! I'm turning into my own worst nightmare! A Health and Safety official!)

These observations are bound to come up if you are imagining the situation in vivid detail

Back to the clown suit tho...

I think I'd do it. I don't get the anti-clown thing. If anything I have become pro-clown since starting to unicycle (I used to hate them as a kid). If someone sings the clown song at me, I just smile, they are just getting involved.

As for drawing attention to yourself, I can understand that, I normally put a lot of effort into 'blending in', but every now and then it's fun to step outside of yourself a little. I'm in this mode pretty much all the time that I'm on my unicycle. The uni provides a strange kind of cultural screen, you are no longer an individual who has to take things personally and get upset, you are a transient event. And better yet, a transient event that generally makes people happy in some way. Even someone that shouts an insult is enjoying themselves in a way, and you are facilitating that. The insult only becomes a problem if you choose to take it personally.

As for the make-up thing, that's excellent, I have a lot of respect for that. As a guy I'm not under a whole lot of pressure to wear make up but I used to have really bad acne and that only went away when I quit using anything other than water to clean my face.

But a weird hat, loud clothes and a red nose is pretty clowney, without assaulting your pores. All you need to do is look differentiated enough that if someone says, "you look ridiculous!", you can honestly respond, "mission accomplished!".

pix.

[mcnuggets300]

Originally Posted by kristine

My reasons for not wanting to dress like a clown are not part of a unicycling community revolt against clowns. 1st, my reason (and don't laugh guys... Im actually serious) is the face paint is horrible for your skin and clogs your pores very badly. I can't even wear foundation on my face (hence why I 'm one of the few 20something females out there who is actually always makeup free... and damn proud of it too-haha) without breaking out. All that white make-up would probably turn me into a red blotch for weeks (or at least days).

a compromise there would be to wear the suit, but not the makeup. which i think would be good enough
but ya know...

EDIT: oh wait, john and pix got to this before me, dangit, i hate being a late poster, i feel i didn't come to this thread when it was 'cool,' ah well.