My first post...about socks!

 Socks. Socks are a stereotypically unwanted gift that most children dread around Christmas time. Socks are the last thing that, as a child...or even an adult sometimes, you want to see inside a gift wrapped box. Why? Well, as a child I thought that socks were a boring gift. Socks were not electric, did not light up, did not change color, and did not raise my esteem on the playground. Hence, socks were an unimportant article of clothing to me for years and years. But then in high school I found running socks that had fun pictures on the ankle. My personal favorite was a red, white, and black pair that had a samurai on the ankle. Another says Corona on the ankle and Got Cerveza on the sole. I still have those socks.

Around Christmas I went looking for gifts and settled on a pair of socks for Squeezy Wheezy; a pair of black socks with an intricate peacock design along the calf. I thought they looked pretty and would look elegant on her. Interestingly enough, she also bought me a pair of socks. She bought me a pair of socks with a cartoony, godzilla-like creature stomping around the Golden Gate Bridge. They are terribly cute and fun. I'm wearing them now and as I look at them I can't help but think that I wish I had more cool socks as a kid.

As a child, the only thing worse than socks at Christmas time are any other types of clothing...in particular sweaters. As a child and teenager clothes were the last thing on my mind around any period of gift giving each year. Even in college clothes were an afterthought to grades, parties, girls, skiing, roommates, friends, classes, people, food, and anything else. The only times clothes came to mind were when I had to dress for something...like class or work. Now clothes are an integral part of my life. I have to dress to a standard for work and for conferences and meetings and classes. Ties, sweaters and sweater vests are becoming a new found interest of mine as I look for ways to dress up without looking boring.

Lately I've found a strange satisfaction with pairing ties and shirts. It's satisfying to look into a mirror and see a subtle pattern or accent in your tie pop because it is complemented by the color of the shirt. As an undergraduate I could never have appreciated this. But now I strive to make my outfits look stylish. I guess I am just vain.

That's all for now!