This is actually a ubiquitous saying (and a best-selling t-shirt!) back in Austin, TX.

“Keep Austin Weird!”

And, much like the “Built Texas Tough” ad campaign, once you leave the confines of that state’s border you quickly realize that it’s entirely built on bullshit.

Not long ago, Austin was indeed among the weirdest cities in Texas, and was certainly the largest “weird” one in the state. (Meaning it typically voted Democrat.) It’s my opinion that the early aughts were the swan song of this peculiarity, just before SXSW began selling advertising to corporate sponsors and plastering their names over every inch of downtown…and when they began an official SXSW golf tournament.

Leslie roamed the streets in a leopard thong, random musical acts would show up on 6th street and play a Theremin or a hurdy gurdy in the middle of the road, and there were actual dive bars…not million dollar rented stage sets made to look “dive” to appeal to tech bros that have swarmed the city like fire ants on a sugar cube.

I was struck by this as Jen and I wandered through St. Johnsbury yesterday afternoon, and realized that Austin could only dream of being as unabashedly weird as the NEK.

So first we stopped at Boule for a hot tea with honey (we’re still suffering from that allergic cough, remember?) which, well, that isn’t really weird at all. Then we headed up Railroad Street.

First we passed someone with at least 3 live snakes wrapped around their neck/arms, and sporting an open carry pistol on his hip. We exchanged a quick smile as he and his wife made their way into the Artisan’s Guild.

Shortly after, as we crossed the main road toward the antique shop, a dreadlocked young man opened his car door, stretched, then lit a cigar and inexplicably began doing push-ups on the sidewalk, counting between puffs. Never once did he look up for approval or to see if anyone even cared…it was simply stogie push-up time.

Inside the antique shop, we were greeted by an adorable little black dog who kept a kind yet watchful eye on us as we perused their stock. When we were further toward the back of the store, someone picked up a guitar and spent 10 minutes just playing songs. Because we were the only customer in the store (it being about 11am on a Thursday), I have to assume they did it for no other reason than to bring a moment of beautiful music into the world where there hadn’t been any before.

This kind of weirdness is still very alive in the Northeast Kingdom. Done not for audiences or money or clicks or likes or followers…just because there’s an air of indifferent individuality. And it’s something we love about being up here.

Speaking of clicks, this will mark the second week of me completing a blog post every day. And that’s actually felt pretty good. That said, I will likely be taking Monday off for Memorial Day, since Daphne will be home from school, but I should be back on Tuesday.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some really stupid chickens outside that refuse to get out of the road and are causing people to have to slow down and honk at them.

Guess we’re part of that general weirdness too…

See you next week.

j.s.