Don’t judge a book…

Don't judge a book by its cover. This is sage advice, as I've come to learn in my 36 years (37 years as of next Thursday).

You cannot judge a person just by the clothes they're wearing, the attitude they portray, or by the music they prefer.
Take, for example, Howard Stern, the controversial "shock jock."

Yes, I am a Howard Stern listener (hold the hate letters, please). I enjoy listening to Howard, as he, personally, is very much unlike his on-air personality.

In "real life," Howard Stern has donated millions of dollars to the Sept. 11 Widows' Fund, large sums of money to Habitat for Humanity and volunteers with his fiancée, Beth Ostrosky, at The North Shore Animal League.

Ironically, Howard is very much non-controversial in his personal life. He's an open book, and I doubt very seriously that he would ever come under fire for any sort of illegal misdoings.

Self-admittedly, he is the "most boring person alive."

I had a friend in my senior year of high school, a guy named Tom.

When Tom first walked into our English class, I figured he'd walked into the wrong room.

He was the typical heavy-metal looking guy, quite possibly responsible for at least part of global warming with a can of Aqua Net on his out-to-there hair. He wore a Slayer T-shirt with his ripped-up jeans and chains on his boots. He had the constantly-PO'd look down pat.

Our English teacher, Ms. Keiper (nicknamed by us "Hyper-Keiper") introduced Tom. From the onset, in talking with Tom, I found out he was incredibly intelligent and he was the only person I've ever met who actually read "War and Peace!"
We became friends, and a few years ago, I found out that he had gone into the Navy and was working with their Information Systems division.

The same goes with controversial musician Marilyn Manson, who, at first sight, would win any Halloween contest anywhere.

Just looking at him and "pre-judging," I would steer clear of him in a dark alley. (OK, I'd steer clear of him no matter where I was.)

However, I caught an interview with Marilyn Manson, and he is extremely intelligent, nothing even close to my pre-judgment.

I'd already made up in my mind that he was strung-out and could barely put a sentence together.

There I was again - judging that book by its cover.

Another red flag by which we rush to judgment is the art of tattooing.

Honestly, I have some tattoos - all on my back so they are covered when need be. But prior to the "tattoo craze," one would see a tattoo-covered man or woman and think they were a member of Hell's Angels.

This is oftentimes the complete opposite of the truth.

I have a good friend, Carolyn, who has many great tattoos, and she proudly displays them. Carolyn is hardly a bad-as-nails biker chick -she's a loving mom and grandma!

Tattoo art is just another way of our expressing our individuality and, in some cases, things near and dear to our hearts.

The "don't judge a book" saying can be applied to most anything - even restaurants. When I was growing up, there was an awful-looking hole-in-the-wall of a restaurant called the Vienna Inn, right on Route 123 in, where else, Vienna.

The eatery had floors that were once, and for the most part still were, dirt.

Their tables looked like they were once made of wood, and their wait staff left a little to be desired.

But their food-

People came from miles around because their food was unbeatable.

The restaurant burned down years ago and was promptly rebuilt - in almost the same no-frills fashion.

I stopped judging a book by its cover when I was a senior in high school.

It's a valuable lesson from which I think we can all learn.

Hope A. Smith is an independent columnist and resident of Orange County. Her column appears on Friday. E-mail