Clothes and cups are how I remember my trips around and across America. This morning I’m wearing a light, zipup sweatshirt hoodie I bought on a trip in 2015 to Rochester and it’s replacing my usual fleece jacket that I bought on a trip to Kansas City in 2021. Also, I’m drinking coffee from my Wall Drugstore Mug (South Dakota in case you didn’t know). The mugs are purpose bought momentos. The clothes are usually reminders that I was ill prepared for the weather, although to be fair, I also find clothes an appealing way to remember concerts and trips. So, purpose bought they are as well.

Plus, when I worked full time I was given a lot of clothes. For some reason the oilfield is in love with the idea of dressing everyone. I recently divested myself of most of my logo wear, but I still have a lot of golf shirts that I only wear when golfing although I was thinking just the other day it might be time to let some of them have another life beside hanging in my closet. Besides, I can’t remember when I wore a polo shirt just to wear a polo shirt. And I’m also tired of wearing university branded logo wear and that means I’m going to slim down my collection of red shirts, partly too, because I no longer find red to be an appealing color, too bright.

I’m pretty sure this is an age related thing. I want fresh new clothes to adorn this sagging old body. Besides, it’s been fifty years since I graduated college and nearly ten since I quit working and if you think the past is a metaphorical burden try looking in your closet to see it manifest as a real burden. And I’m fairly certain the two tuxedo shirts still hanging in my closet will never be worn again, and that’s probably just the beginning of things I need to throw out if I want room to live again.