Copycats – Part 2 (The Silly Side)
Ten days ago, I wrote about the little copycat I was as a kid. And how on one occasion in high school, a pretty and popular girl paid me a small but important compliment by copying my outfit.
Because I wanted that story to be a sweet tribute to the memory of my beautiful classmate, I omitted my two recent stupid experiences with copycats – the incidents that made me reflect on the meaning of Imitation in the first place.
They always say…. (well, my mother always says that ‘they’ say…) “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” It always seemed to me to be not only trite but untrue.
Copying is bad, right? And people who copy you are stealing your ideas, right?
As a general rule, that’s true.
A few years ago, I was part of a blogging group, and after sharing one of my more popular posts, another blogger in the group, published a nearly identical piece on her own blog under her own name. I was furious. And I had every right to be. That’s plagiarism. That’s theft.
But on the other hand, when someone admires you, and wants to be like you, that feels pretty good. You’re a leader. You’re a trend-setter.
Copycat #1
Just a few weeks ago, my dog Theo got the chance to be such a trend-setter. He was in obedience class. Theo was a little over his head in this class, which is called “Beyond Basic Obedience.” Due to one freak display of cooperation, he had qualified for the class. (He has since flunked out… we start “Basic Obedience” – no ‘Beyond’ – next week.)
Anyway, he’s in class with all these show dogs and mature little robots. He’s the youngest little dude. He hasn’t got a clue as to what he is supposed to be doing. He’s spinning in circles and jumping around and basically acting like a nut.
And he poops. Right in the middle of the training ring. And the dog next to him, a champion Aussie, the star of the class, observes Theo mid-poop. And poops himself.
That’s what I call leadership skills.
Copycat #2
Last month after years of procrastination, which is a synonym for “I have no idea how to do this” – I joined Instagram. I’m not a particularly good photographer, but I don’t have to be. I have pets. Doggy and Kitty pics are all you need to get lots of Likes and Followers on Instagram. My artsy stuff languishes with maybe one Sympathy-Like from a loyal friend.
But those filters and edits are so much fun. I can take a mediocre picture and fix it up later. Why, I can’t even SEE what I am photographing in bright sunlight. I took a shitload of shots of Theo at the beach this week but I couldn’t even find the shutter in the sunlight.. but I kept snapping away, knowing that I could crop and edit and sharpen and highlight, and look like a genius. Only somewhere along the line, I had inadvertently touched the selfie button and turned the camera on me. I had three dozen pics of my crazy-photographer face, and no amount of editing of any of those shots can make me look like a genius.
But back to the story. I finally joined Instagram. And exactly one week later – who joins Instagram?
The Pope that’s who.
I rest my case.
“I want to be just like HER!” – The Pope.
- Posted in: Humor ♦ Memories ♦ puppies
- Tagged: copycats, Dog Obedience, Dog Training, Dogs, imitation, Instagram, plagiarism
notquiteold 
So funny about the accidental selfie.
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Selfies – plural. Dozens and dozens of them. All idiotic.
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I’ve never taken a good selfie and no amount of editing would help lol
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You need practice, that’s all. Take about 100, and only save the good one.
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I’ll have to try that with maybe a few hundred haha 😀
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Love your dog! He’s an individualist! Is Instagram as good as a face lift?
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It is, as long as you know you are taking a selfie. There is no salvaging an accidental selfie.
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Now, when the Pope starts pooping… Let’s see, was there ever a Pope Theo?
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I just checked.. it looks like there were 3 Pope Theodores. First was a saint (so that is definitely NOT my Theo). Second ruled for like 20 days and was deposed. The third was an “Antipope” whatever that is. A Pope-Pretender, apparently. That sounds like my Theo. He only pretends to listen to us.
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ROTFPMP!
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Still chuckling, Nancy. I once had a friend who started wearing the same hard-to-find, imported French, signature scent that I wore. I wasn’t amused.
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Sometimes when you find something special, you really want to to stay special – and stay yours. I totally understand.
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Reblogged this on ugiridharaprasad.
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A two “P” post — Poop and Pope. Hilarious.
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I didn’t think of it that way, but it does just seem to fit.
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Just chuckling. Nothing like a leader.
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I laughed when that snobby dog pooped too, but I am rather pissed that the Pope feels the need to copy me.
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Just promise me you will never wear a hat like his.
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I’m waiting till he joins EBay and puts that cute hat up for sale.
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ROFL…Lovely post! Can’t believe pooping was copied 😀 I always come here looking for something interesting and always leave with a big smile 🙂
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Thanks. My husband was mortified. I thought it was hilarious!
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Hahahahaha… I can imagine his embarrassment and your reaction! Well if I were there I’d laugh out loud and not be ashamed about it… I giggle a lot anyway 😀
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I have a friend who copies holidays – so I go somewhere, post a pic on FB and then she copies the destination a few months later.
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