My Favorite Shirt

My current favorite shirt (estimated age 11 years)

It's potential successor

I don't know if all guys are this way (or girls for that matter) but for me significant events are typically marked with the purchase of a t-shirt. When I was younger, and went to a lot of concerts, I always bought a shirt to commemorate the event. By wearing the shirt you were making a statement: "I like group X and yes I went to see them in concert".

I know it isn't just me, t-shirts are used to make a statement. Sometimes, in the IT world (and I assume others), significant projects or teams are bonded together by someone having t-shirts printed.

Although I don't buy nearly as many t-shirts as I used to, I still have many from the past. T-shirts are ranked in my mind, on the weekends, I pick out the t-shirt that makes the statement for the day.

As new t-shirts are added to the collection, they start out very low on the totem pole, I'll wear them every once in a while. But, over time, shirts earn there spot at the top of the pecking order. After many years and many wearings, they reach the lofty status of being the "Favorite Shirt".

Today, I was folding laundry and came across the current "Favorite Shirt" (picture to the right). I bought that shirt in Daytona Beach on vacation some 11 years ago. I liked it because of the denim look it has. For a fleeting moment I thought, "You know, this shirt has had it, I should throw it away". Once that thought passed through my head, I recoiled in horror. I can't throw that shirt away, its my "Favorite Shirt".

Due to the apparent wear and tear (I think it probably only has another 2 or 3 years left in it) I decided that I needed to open up to the concept of letting another shirt become the "Favorite".

A few weeks ago, The Eagles came to town on their last final tour (we'll see). I have wanted to see them for years, but for one reason or another was unable to attend. I was able to attend thanks to a gift from a dear friend. I had to buy a shirt. They had many to choose from, one with the cover from their greatest hits album was the easy winner.

I need to work on it, but it has the potential of replacing "The Favorite". It'll take some time, but maybe it will get there.