For those of you who aren’t acquainted with this slang term, a “basic” person has uninteresting interests.
To be fair, being labeled as basic isn’t necessarily bad. Basic things are, by definition, quite popular.
In a way, basic people are anti-hipsters. Rather than having eclectic or unique tastes, they enjoy activities that are universally-liked by everyone else. The cliché basic person is a 20-something educated female who listens to Taylor Swift, uses TikTok, watches The Office, and drinks pumpkin spice lattes in August. Oddly, a common stereotype is that these people all LOVE autumn and anything even loosely associated with the season. (Of course, fall is also the perfect time to show off a diverse collection of flannel shirts and take artsy photos of fallen leaves.)
While the term has only been applied to humans, I’d like to argue that even chimps can be basic.
For example, Negra’s hobbies include eating spring grass, eating peanuts and chow, watching the caregivers work, and napping peacefully on high platforms. None of these interests are avant-garde, and Negra seems totally fine with that. She doesn’t want to be surprised, shocked, or inconvenienced; she just wants to enjoy the simple, familiar pleasures. She’s basic to the core and seems to be proud of it.
Perhaps the world would be a better place if we were all, like Negra, comfortable with our own basicness.
I’m sure that if Negra had her own Instagram, she’d be posting selfies of herself enjoying the cool autumn breeze under a pile of fleece blankets today. Since she doesn’t have her own social media, I decided to post on her behalf today.
Sweet Neggie, I would be happy to enjoy that breeze and blanket with you and discuss our basicness!
Well, what a coinkydinky! My housing woes came to an end today, I finally had a successful bid on a house–and it’s small and…..well, a “basic” colonial.
Coming in to a Neggie smile every day is far from basic–what a joy!
oh, and “FallMeMaybe” :laughing::laughing:
Hey Linda…How exciting it must be to become a new homeowner
Hi Debi!
It should be…….but there were crazy circumstances. My building was put on the market over the summer, and it sold at the end of July. We have to be out of here by October 1. Having to find a place in the current market where I live has been traumatic. Due to a population of students/tourists, Navy, AirBnB investors, and tenants who can’t be evicted due to the pandemic, there are NO rentals within 40 minutes of where I live and work. And rentals prices are essentially the same as a mortgage, anyway. While rates are great, I hadn’t been saving aggressively for one. So my spending was limited such that I found myself looking 30-40 minutes away, spending 5-6 hours/day driving and looking at whatever was available. Even then, with “as is” estate sales, having a loan approved (can close quickly), bidding up to $35k over asking, and waiving an inspection, I was still outbid twice by people with a suitcase full of cash, who can waive appraisal. The first house I was thrilled with, lost it. The second had good bones, just needed updating, I went from a strong offer on Monday afternoon (when they had the last open house) to didn’t get it on Wednesday. It’s been a brutal emotional roller coaster. Not at all how you picture feeling about buying your first home. Oh well, champagne problems, right?
The place I got (strangely enough, where I currently live and work, something I never thought would happen) is “basic”, but my life won’t change radically, other than having $1000 less every month. I’ll still be close to work, I’ll have (slightly) more room, a deck to go outside. Will still be able to walk/ride my bike, albeit not along Ocean Drive (unless I want my ride to be 1.5-2 hours). Will still be killing me to have a galley kitchen….but the place is like new, with very little to do except try to give it some personality and make it mine! I feel grateful to have found a place.
Great photo! I also loves simple! Dont need fancy coffees or etc.
I think Neggie and I were cut from the same blanket! A warm, cozy nest snuggled under a blanket, watching the leaves fall sounds pretty good to me!
#Neggie #Basic #Naps
Could this possibly be the best picture of Negra ever?? I think so! What a beautiful face!
It is indeed possibly the best picture of Negra ever, although
there are many best pictures of Negra that have posted to this blog. Check out the series of Neggie waiting with Burrito from 3.22.2018, or the Queen bearing the Royal Sunflower in her mouth on a June morning. Though it is only available on YouTube, if you type in the words “Good Morning, Neggie!” you will see a short video of her which made me realize how absolutely cute she is and always will be. My personal favorite is from 4.21.2021, the third photograph from the bottom: I have photocopied it and sent it as a greeting card to some friends, as I have never seen Neggie look so exhiliarant.
In my eyes there is nothing basic about Neggie. She’s a true original, still full of the possibility to surprise us basic creatures when we least expect it. I’m not even convinced she is always napping under her blankets. I think she’s scheming on ways to surprise us. I mean, just look at that expression on her sweet face. “Who me?”
Anthony, did you check? Negra may have her own Instagram! #HRH #Nuts4NutBags #R&R (Rest & Resilience) But seriously, you are right, Negra is comfortable with her own basicness. And I just love Negra for being Negra.
Linda, at $700,000, it isn’t small and…..well, a “basic” colonial…!!!!
Negra does look satisfied……….
It wasn’t 700,000….don’t I wish I had that much…500,000-800,000 is what the average cost of a home is where I live now. Condos (apartments) go for 300,000-400,000 and even up to a million.
I managed to get a 2 Bdrm colonial with a galley kitchen and smaller living room for under $400.000 (which was my cap). That’s a freaking miracle (see above). For that price, in the last few weeks, I have looked at estate sales “as is”, where the owner passed away, and some true dumps (as in, no way those people will empy out that 2-car garage full of hoarded stuff by October 1st). The only things that keep it from being basic are the small garage (very rare here, most don’t have garages), and a small deck off the back with a tiny bit of water view.
But I’m happy not to be homeless on October 1st (at least, I think we can swing getting everything done by then so that I don’t have to go to a hotel for 12 days, like my neighbors, who can’t get into their new apartment until Oct 12). It’s rough out there.
Each person, each being, contains a mind that’s a whole universe unto itself. So to stereotype a ind as “basic” is issing the vastness behind simply loving “the Office” and pumpkin-spice lattes. isn’t really understanding that what we see on the surface doesn’t even start to reveal what’s underneath. I often look at the photos of the CSNW chimpanzees and wonder what’s going on in their minds, I’ll bet it’s more than we can even comprehend. Maybe they have had to learn to live in the moment, but that doesn’t make them simplistic, or “basic.”
Sorry for the misspellings, the “submit” button covers up much of what I’m typing, so I just have to trust I’m typing correctly, which is usually not the case.
Here’s a tip Betsy:
shorten your sentences to halve of this space,
and you will have no problem…..
It is indeed possibly the best picture of Negra ever, although
there are many best pictures of Negra that have posted to this blog. Check out the series of Neggie waiting with Burrito from 3.22.2018, or the Queen bearing the Royal Sunflower in her mouth on a June morning. Though it is only available on YouTube, if you type in the words “Good Morning, Neggie!” you will see a short video of her which made me realize how absolutely cute she is and always will be. My personal favorite is from 4.21.2021, the third photograph from the bottom: I have photocopied it and sent it as a greeting card to some friends, as I have never seen Neggie look so exhiliarant.
Basic?! Royalty is never basic! I love today’s blog post, and its unique, wonderful and absolutely
adorable subject, Negra. What a thrill it is to receive an Instagram from Her Majesty, #HRH #ForkoveryourcornJody #Ihaveallthefleeceblanketshahaha
The Beautiful Queen!
I would much rather be Negra!
No nonsense Negra.
Just leave me alone Negra.
Bring me more blankets Negra
Where’s my night bag Negra
Let me sleep in Negra.
I’m just Basic, so what? Negra.
I love Negra! so very much.
:blush::blush:
What a beautiful picture! I love her face in that pic.
I can’t tell you how much I love this post, not only for highlighting Negra’s basicness, but also for hinting at the existence of an avant-garde chimpanzee. Details, please!
May Queen Negra reign over us all. Love her beautiful face.
Keep up the great Blogs
From Down Under xx
Dear, sweet Neggie! Youve got it all dialed-in, my darling girl. I love your wise lessons and would share every blanket I own with you.
Oh, that we could all enjoy being “basic” with Negra…she is a serene lady!
I’m an old woman who feels despair over the terrible global and personal disasters of the last year and a half. So to see this gorgeous spirit — that face! — brings me more peace than I believed I could feel again.
Oh Neggie, how beautiful you are and this photo is perfect for expressing the sanctuary motto…Hope, Love, Home. That lively face says it all. I have just finished reading Frans de Waal’s book (Are we Smart Enough to know how Smart Animals Are) and towards the end he talks about how animals conform and be ‘basic’ even though they’re smart enough to have found their own ways of doing things. Sometimes they just want to fit in well and be one of the gang. They’re all unique in their own ways, but there’s a cartain conformity in their behaviour when needed.
I think that Anthony used “Basic” in the sense of not being “extra” (or demanding, or a diva).
I believe it was intended as a compliment, in appreciation of Negra’s resilience and ability to be content with her new life.
Anyway, that’s how I read it.