"Be yourself. Everyone else is taken." - Oscar Wilde

This is one of my favorite quotes. I've been tickled by the increase use of it in advertising, blogs, Pinterest and the like. I've been reflecting on this quote and one particular (former) friend that comes to mind.

**Disclaimer: This is a real life former friend. This isn't a vague jab at a Tweep or Blogger. I promise!**

I once had a friend who did not have an ideal childhood. She was estranged from her father. She grew up in a working class town. She was smart and went to college. She got into some financial problems in her 20's and filed for bankruptcy. Post college, she settled in the tony area of Rittenhouse Square and began constructing her new life.

She was obsessed with "How to" guides. I once perused her bookshelf and saw titles such as "How to be like (fill in iconic preppy society name here). Stacks of "Town and Country" filled her apartment, where I know she'd pour over the society pages, copiously making mental notes on names, places, clothes. She joined charity committees. As I write this, I realize that she was probably a social climber?

Anyways, I definitely support people trying to better themselves through education etc. But I always felt like she was just trying to be someone else. Strip away all of the "Town and Country"-ness and she was a different but fun person (aside from the time she cursed me out in public and called another friend the C word, but I digress).

We aren't friends anymore. See the last sentence of the preceding paragraph as to why. But I heard she's happily married and just had twins. She's given up the booze and social climbing. Too bad I never knew that version of her.