Brother, my closet is stuffed as a scarecrow.
See, I’ve got too many clothes because I keep all my old faves from years gone by. My drawers are packed with tattered jerseys, fraying undies, and lonely socks praying for their partners to please come home. On top of all that, I’ve got dusty gems I can’t bear to toss — like a shirt I got for being Paperboy of the Month twenty years ago and one my friends made to celebrate a massive TV-watching marathon. Go Team Couch Potato.
Now, despite the junky Grandma’s basement nature of my closet I do sometimes throw on hip waders and slip into the deep to try and fish things outta there. Usually I end up tossing an old pair of crap job shoes and a Genera Hypercolor T-shirt before it eventually happens: I pull out a faded pair of jeans from long, long ago.
My rusty brain suddenly flashes back to Saturday afternoons in the fitting room, the nervous first wash, and all those years this pair was #1 in my rotation. I hold it’s aging smooth-patches-and-lintballs body in my hands and suddenly decide to see if I can slip back into its cozy comfort.
As I close my door, shut my blinds, and yank that second skin up onto my plump, doughy ass I fondly remember rainy concerts, awkward makeout sessions, and dark summer nights in the park. I walk around the room and feel those shredded hems, smooth inside pockets, and all the old creases bending in just the right places.
I feel like I’m warmly welcoming an old friend back into my life.
I feel like I’m finally home.
AWESOME!
— Email message —
“Dear Neil, my 8th grade class is currently working on the persuasion California state English learning standards. As a special treat, I showed them 1000 Awesome Things and they now love it as much as I do. We decided to create our very own tribute site to persuade others why something in particular is awesome. Check it out! Our site is called: www.30awesomethings.blogspot.com. I attached a photo of our class and I’m holding The Book of Awesome in the back row. Getting all of my students enthusiastic about an assignment, and making learning fun and inspirational is AWESOME!” – Ms. Pasternak
1. I don’t believe you saying you have a plump, doughy ass. I just don’t. Hahaha.
2. I was helping a friend pack/move the other day and we found clothes from like sixth grade. I was like, “Goodwill pile?” and she goes, “… Um … no, well, no I might be able to still fit into those khakis … maybe?”
Love this :)
I can understand this so well :D
I wish my 8th grade class had been that awesome.
And yeah, I have jeans like that too! I have 5 year old jeans that I can’t believe still fit me today, from when I was 13!
I’m enjoying the opposite… I pulled on my favorite pair of jeans, fresh outta the dryer. As I stood up, they fell down. Good feeling knowing that after losing 90 pounds, some of my favorite clothes don’t even fit me any more! =)
I’m NOT putting them in the closet hoping they fit again some day!!
Cheers to that!
I’m hoping for a moment like that soon! I’ve just restarted this weight-loss attempt again with another, stronger motivator so I managed to go to the gym for the first time on a Saturday and worked out harder than ever. I also worked out another time this week at home. Awesome!! And I just had salad for a late lunch.
Along the same lines, I just bought a pair of jeans that are two sizes smaller than my other ones. Put them on and danced around the apartment all day yesterday in celebration!
I am currently on a diet for my wedding and getting back into my skinny jeans for my honeymoon to NYC, Vegas and LA is my main motivation. Just found your blog and am loving it – good work with the book.
Come check my blog at http://www.britbride.com
Julia
http://www.britbride.com
Yeah, I have kept my 6th grade band uniform, my one pair of jeans that have been through hell and even has a little bit of paint on them, shoes that desperately need to be thrown out and and shorts that are waaayyy too small. I kept all of these things in hopes that one day I will shrink back into my 11 year old self and fit back into these clothes. I do have this one pair of skinny jeans that I vow to fit back into one day.
I will be able to experience this feeling completely in about 7 more months. After the baby, I will be able to wear my favorite outfit again!
Haha: hypercolor. I had a pink one.
Hypercolor: the one shirt you could never wear when your boyfriend came over. ;)
I never had one. I honestly had to google what it was. Kinda sad I never did get to experience it.
me neither, Bekah. Also sad here.
For the truly dedicated, you can still buy them on e-bay!
I had a blue one. they were the best :)
I still have mine, it’s a long sleeved purple one.
better still; ripping a pair of jeans you like, but having an old pair you can’t fit into with which you can patch up the ripped pair :D
on that note, having a pair of jeans you’ve had forever, that are torn and ripped at the knees or whatever, but are still the most comfy things ever is one of the best things !
http://curlyalex.wordpress.com/
I have a small collection of clothes sitting in the corner of the top shelf in my closet. They range anywhere from baby clothes to my favorite pair of skinny jeans from high school. I have moved multiple times since starting this collection of clothes and everytime I move the collection goes in the same spot in every closet.
Just cleaned out my closet actually — and THAT felt awesome. But those jeans, yup, the good old comfy ones — still stay even if I never wear them anymore … because they fit, I love them, and I might need to one day.
Oh yeah. I saved jeans for 2 years and when I could finally button them I was in heaven.
THE best! Truly awesome. Sadly, doesn’t happen too often.
YAY.
Another fantastic post, but I wanted to comment on 30 Awesome Things, the 8th grade class project. There are some truly awesome things on that list! Great job Ms. P and class!
Who’s aweseome?? Ms. P is awesome. From one teacher to another- keep up the great work with your kids! What a great project to do with them!
This happened to me recently! I lost 15lbs and was so proud of all the clothes I was able to fit into again.
Having read your awesome! I think I need to take a look at my wardrobe
You have the ability to make the most simple, average things seem beautiful. That opens my eyes to see the beauty in simple things as well. Inspiration is the most incredible thing a 16 year olds life. I’m still finding out who I am, what I want to do, etc. So when someone inspires me, it will be a small part of who i will become. So, thanks =)
For your old t-shirts that you can’t bear to throw out yet can’t quite get over your head anymore..there’s site somewhere on this world wide web where you can send them said t-shirts and they’ll turn it into a quilt for you. Or better yet, save your $200.00 and make your own.
AWESOME!
I wish I could favorite posts. This would be my number one!
NONE OF THIS IS AWESOME!!!!!!
THE WHOLE SITE SUCKS
READ THE BRO CODE
LEGEND……. (WAIT FOR IT)………ARY
Well unfortunately at my age (14) i am still growing so once i grow out of things, i can never fit them again :( Wasted a couple perfectly good pairs of jeans because i didnt have opportunity to wear them enough.
Parents of teens should petition hypercolour comes back and stays.