I will be honest here. OK, I always try to be honest, but this one is bare bones honest – I wear shorts and a T-shirt at work pretty much every day.
It’s true. As I sit here writing this column, I am in my trusty camo shorts, which probably have stains from that burrito I ate back in June on them somewhere. I also have on a random Harley-Davidson T-shirt today. If it is not a Harley shirt, it is a random rock band shirt.
I swear, I am not a bum. It’s just this working from home thing has really killed my sense of fashion. Yes, to be fair, I have never been much of a trend setter in the fashion world. No one has ever waited patiently for the Brad Jennings Fall Collection. If there was one, it would be featured at the dollar store, trust me.
Well, maybe a shoe store. Shoes are my one clothing obsession, as I have noted in the past. I now have so many Converse tennis shoes in nearly every color under the sun that I am embarrassed to give the total number. (It is north of 20 … well north).
I have even been covering Ogle County Board meetings from home. I just call in and cover the meeting while wearing my shorts.
Sure, I can put myself together when I have to. When I have to go cover a court hearing, I wear a button up shirt. When I go to do an interview, I wear that same button up shirt. When I get home, I toss it aside, grab a T-shirt and slip back into my shorts.
Comfort has become very important to me.
But last week (which is actually next week as I write this – I know, it’s confusing), I was on vacation and my entire wardrobe was out the window. The reason is a friend and I are riding our motorcycles west through a number of states, so shorts are not an option.
OK, I know you see some people wearing shorts on a motorcycle, but I am not one of them. The reason? I am smart. Burn your leg on an exhaust pipe? No thanks. Hit some gravel going 10 mph wearing shorts and you will lose a layer of skin. Again, no thanks.
So the trip will be about wearing protective gear – boots, gloves, jackets, an assortment of leather meant to protect me and also make me think that I look cool. OK, mostly to protect.
When we are not riding and back at the hotel, I will surely slip into my trust shorts and Converse. But most of the time it will be dressing for safety and not for comfort.
I bring all this up because it is very disturbing to me. I love to ride and am looking forward to the trip, but I am bummed I have to put on pants.
Let that sink in. See? Pretty pathetic.
As most of you read this, I am probably on the road somewhere in Minnesota, or South Dakota or possibly even Montana. I am not wearing shorts, but they are right behind me in my backpack, which is strapped to the bike. My Converse shoes are in a saddle bag.
After a day of riding, they will be most welcome. I must say, I sure do love the 2020 version of my work clothes.
