We all care what people think of us.

Recalling my days of youth, it was ok to do wierd things in public. If you're three years old and you lift up your skirt, it's cute, it's funny. If it's your 25th Birthday and you're profusely lifting up the skirt of your dress, it's considered indecent. Somewhere in the middle, we learn what is socially accepted and what simply is not. This brings me to a topic that I've discussed with many people whom live in metropolitan areas. What is ok to read on the subway and what is not ok to read on the subway. This is what I have learned.

It is ok to read biographies about internationally recognized artists. It is not ok to study the images in the book when the images are of special lady parts and there is a small child seated next to you.

It is ok to read NY Times bestsellers on the subway with the exception of 'I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell' by Tucker Max. I won't lie. I own it. But I won't let people see me read it for the same reason I don't tell people I watch a certain reality show about a single dad looking for a wife/mother on Monday nights at 8 pm.

It is ok to read the newspaper on the subway. It is not ok to be writing down the numbers associated with certain adult classified ads found in the back section of the Village Voice.

Lastly, if you want to be cool like me and start reading the dictionary, that's totally cool, though it may confuse a lot of people. It would just be too bizarre to start lugging around a series of old school encyclopedias and reading them on public transit. Don't do it.