I have moods. Sometimes I can't find anything to take pleasure in. Food doesn't taste good; music doesn't sound good, and nothing excites me. It's a terrible thing to experience, but happily it doesn't happen all that often.
The one thing I can almost always count on is fashion. Colors, styles, and exquisite taste hardly ever fail to bring back my desire to stay alive. So, while I wait for the meds to kick in, I go out to see people who know how to dress themselves. Getting there can be a real downer.
Most people dress to not get noticed. At the job, you want to fit in and not attract attention. On take the train during morning and evening rush hours, I get overwhelmed by the drab, everyday fashions. This is camouflage, not style; gray, white, and blue are all the colors I see.
A message from Horses Who Like Oats
All I ask is to see more than a sporadic splash of color. A vivid patch of purple is like a breath of fresh air. It is a supreme delight to observe someone with the nerve to assert their individuality and creativity.
It is a world-wide phenomenon. I live in Taipei, but most cities in the world are the same. We are a race of timid conformists. I salute the people who choose color over self-preservation. You are my life savers.