Why I'm not trying to be cocky calling myself a "Trendsetter"

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The title of "trendsetter" was bestowed upon me in high school by the 90-something-year-old AP biology teacher, Mr. Paseltiner, at Lindenhurst High School.  At the time, I used a wheeled backpack, because I was very studious, and carried most of my textbooks with me all day (my locker was totally out of the way, and my asthma prevented me from running to/from it all day long).  I had back problems, and carrying the books in a bag on my back was not feasible.  There was only one other person in the high school who had a wheeled backpack (Marshall, may he rest in peace).  Mr. Paseltiner thought that wheeled backpacks would soon catch on, as more and more students developed scoliosis, and back issues.  The backpacks, unfortunately, did not catch on.

There are other things in this life that I have discovered before they became mainstream: 

I listened to Shania Twain and owned her country albums before she was featured on VH1 Divas Live (that's the moment I credit as when non-country listeners discovered her). 

I had my own computer at the age of 7 (it was a commodore), and I handed in my school reports typed and double spaced on word processing software because my handwriting was atrocious in elementary school.  I now know 7 year olds who have laptops.

I was wearing UGG cardys for three years by the time a relative received a pair for Christmas, and she received numerous compliments on them.  I just sat back, and wondered why no one had ever noticed my boots... which were actually a higher end design than hers (mine had silver threads wrapped around the grey, while hers were plain).  I was already on my second pair of the boots, having worn out the first pair (UGG Cardy's are SUPER comfortable!)  However, I came to realize that imitation was the best form of flattery.  She asked for the cardys because she'd seen me wearing them.

I was always so proud to walk in the hall by the AP bio teacher's classroom, and hear him say "oh, there she goes: the trendsetter."  I wanted to be trendy... especially when I didn't fit in so well with my peers.  But I soon realized that it was more prestigious to set the trend, to be the one two steps ahead of the crowd: to truly understand that imitation is the best form of flattery.

I don't want to fit in to anyone else's mold.  I am who I am.  Often imitated, never duplicated.  Proud to be a step ahead of the crowd, and celebrating my uniqueness.