THE EVOLUTION OF COOL: Daddy and Diddy

When I saw the advertisement for diddybeats.com (Monster) I couldn't believe the irony or the uncanny similarity. 

I immediately looked for the photo of my parents. 

There he was in 1959. 

Slightly profile view, slim mustache, and in his mouth, a single toothpick. 

He was oozing cool. 

At almost 84, he still is. Neat, dapper, and very proud. 

I thought of the scripture that reminds us that there is nothing new under the sun. 

I thought of all the terms that have been used over the years to communicate "cool". 

I decided to revert to my childhood habit and make a Fathers' Day card for my Dad this year, instead of buying one. 

I thought it would be fun to compare the images--one taken fifty-one years ago, and the other this year-- just to show how things have a way of coming full circle.

 

I don't know if Daddy even knows who Diddy is. 

I doubt if Daddy would be interested in spending an evening listening to rap. I do know that he, like the father and businessman Sean Combs, is a proponent of caring for family, hard work, realizing dreams, charitable endeavors, challenging oneself, being entrepreneurial and enterprising, having a positive outlook on life, learning from mistakes, and encouraging others to excel.

I looked for 50's terminology, and wasn't surprised to find a website that chronicled slang throughout history. 

I worked up the cover and inside design and allowed shutterfly.com to do the rest.

We had a very nice dinner at B.Smith's DC in celebration of my Dad--to me--the originator of cool, and one who has always tried his best to be a good example to his children.