I not only look 60, I think 60. I act 60... I am 60!

I suspect most of us think we look younger than we really are. I know I did. I'm not exactly sure how I managed to avoid looking in the mirror the last 10-15 years. I thought I looked in the mirror, but either I didn't or else when I did, I saw only what I wanted to see. The sad reality is that my blindness must be related to vanity.

Now, that I can picture my head with a hole in it, I'm content to see myself at my real age. And, part of the reason is because I'll never have to see myself at 70 or 80 - and that's a good thing. And, everytime I read that last sentence in the proofreading process, I get a smile on my face!

I thought I should find a place on this site to mention Fedoras. When I was about 54, I started wearing a Fedora all the time. Ok, I didn't wear one when I slept at night and I didn't wear one in church. Otherwise, 100% of the time - even when home alone. They just became part of who I was. There are plenty of people whom I've met over the past six years and have gotten to know that have never seen me without one.

At first, I just owned a couple of Fedoras, but then I bought a couple more. And, then I guess I got infected by the female shopping gene because, despite being extremely cheap, I got up to about a dozen hats. I finally stopped at 25 when I realized I wasn't going to be around in another 14 months (June 11, 2012). Besides, I had just about covered all the colors.

Don't think I paid a lot, though. I did buy a couple of them for about $20, but most were in the $10 range and a few were under $5 on close-out. I would guess my entire cost was $200 or so. But, I confess it was an indulgence of sorts, so I thought I would flash a picture of myself donning a Fedora for the site. And, while I'm at it, a pile of my collection - just before I donated them.



One thing is for sure, Fedoras may have caught my eye as a fashion statement, but shoes certainly never did. I bought a pair of hush puppy type shoes in 2001. They look like suade leather - gray. They were the most comfortable shoes I ever owned and although I only wore them once or twice a week for a few years, eventually, I wore them every day. I would estimate that I've worn those shoes at least 2,000 times. What kind of shoe could withstand 2,000 wearings? I can answer that... a $12 Earth Shoe from Wal-Mart!

But, shoes weren't the only thing I was cheap about. Take a look at my billfold. I had this puppy attached to my butt for the last 23 years of my life! I super-glued it back together on multiple occasions.

It became somewhat of a cold slap in the face when I realized that I had become my shoes... that I had become my billfold.