Don’t remember that one? How about “Sock it to me!” or “Look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls!” Catch-phrases from Rowan and Martin’s LAUGH-IN, broadcast back in a time when the word -IN added to another word designated an event. Love-in (scandalous!), Sit-in (protest march), sleep-in (Yoko Ono), be-in (San Francisco Summer of Love 1967).

Laugh-In was a weekly “happening” (another term from that era that denoted a special event, regarded as what historical conservatives might term “trendy”). For some reason the time was especially starved for catch-phrases, and the LAUGH-IN variety show cranked out several. I was young enough then to be impressionable and I thought everything about it was “far-out.” (A term tossed around meaning – popularly fashionable.)

How long is cool – cool?

The other day I saw a You-Tube video (trendy technology) of a 1960’s fashion model, posing around in various outfits. No doubt it was cool back then. Hip. (Hep, as some said.) Up-to-date (cool, from a previous era). Looking at it, I thought the whole thing looked clunky and silly.

What will our posing and hop-hipping (I’m beyond hip-hopping) look like to future observers of popular culture? Will modern dance still be modern? Will hipsters look derisively at baseball caps worn backwards and lingerie worn on the outside? Will Madonna still be in vogue?

I saw myself in a high-school picture and wondered what happened to that hair-hat. In the race between gray and bald, I was initially rooting for gray, but now I’m just happy the competition is still on. I’m happy to be able to look back and recall I knew some people back in the day, who were actually cooler than they realized.

I’m pretty cool, today.

That’s why I’m wearing a light jacket, autumn mornings and all.

LAUGH-IN a new family member:

Is Your Name Famous?