Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Hat

I've had many, many hats in my life. When I was in high school, I preferred to wear baseball hats to school. I had all sorts of hats, and not all of them were of teams I liked. I did have rules, though, as I would not wear a hat of a team I despised (you still won't catch me wearing any Packers or Yankees gear, for instance).

While I don't wear hats every day like I used to, I still have plenty of them around. Including old and dirty hats, hats that seem to be well past their sell-by date.

Like my old LB hat.

I mentioned in Sunday's post how I'd resurrected it. I don't exactly remember when I got it, as I've had at least three LB hats (which are for sale here at the LB Online Store). The most recent one I had, I've had since at least 2005, and I'm guessing it even goes back further.

Here's me wearing it in 2006:

don't let this guy talk you into drinking beer

I weighed in at a robust 262 in that picture, and I'd already dropped more than 40 pounds at that point.

Here's the same hat on the same-but-different-looking head about one year later.

feeling good in my LB hat

I was around 210 at this point, so about 20-25 pounds heavier than I am today. Wow. Unreal. I wasn't a runner in that picture as I hadn't quite yet contemplated taking up the sport, but I was getting close. To contemplating, not to actually running.

(oh yeah, bonus points if you can tell where this picture was taken... and double bonus points for the first picture)

Anyway, I'm not sure how it happened but that hat got dirty. Real dirty. It fell behind the couch and was lost in the abyss that is behind the couch. I'm not sure why I held on to it. I guess I knew that I would resurrect it.

It was actually difficult to bring back to life. Here's what I did. Try and stay with me.

1. Put in washer along with a load of darks.
2. Set aside to air dry.

Did I mention how I never used to actually wash my hats because I didn't like how they looked after a washing? That was the quickest way to ruin one of my old hats, to throw it in the washer.

Maybe these newer hats are different. Or maybe I just don't care much anymore about how hats look after they are washed. Regardless, I have my hat with me once more.

If I have one complaint, it is this: the hat says One Size Fits All, but I could use it just a little more snug on my head. However, I think the old LB stretched it out a little bit with his big dome.

Still, I can wear it and that's what matters.

from washer to 22-miler

I bet the guy in the first picture never thought he'd run 22 miles in that hat one day.

Oh, and by the way I'm not sure why my mouth is open like that. In fact, I didn't even realize it was open until I saw the picture, which is why I took another one, the one I used in Monday's post. I look like a fish, like a pink fish. I'm only sharing this picture here with you because I like you, blog reader. So don't get smart with me and my fish mouth.

10 comments:

tahoegirl said...

i think you were about to say to the person taking the picture, "make sure to get the hat. i love my hat" :o) or perhaps it was sigh of relief your 22 miles were complete. BTW, you *look* like a runner! you look so lean and like you have a purpose. i love it!!

Jephy's Mom said...

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/doom/images/thumb/3/32/Pink_fish.png/180px-Pink_fish.png

Willoughby said...

I envy people who look good in hats. The only hat that has ever looked kinda/sorta okay on me is a cowboy hat I bought at a rodeo in Kansas. Other than that, I just look like an idiot.

My son is a hat fiend. He wears one most of the time and he's very particular. He hates the kind with adjustable plastic strap along the back.

Re: the open mouth picture - I think you look like you are about to say something very profound.

Katie A. said...

I also lost a tremedous amount of weight (for my size, you lost more in pounds, but I lost half my size, too :) ) but when I was done loosing I got rid of EVERYTHING that I wore when I was heavy. I mean EVERYTHING! Belts, shoes, clothes, accesories- you name it, I replaced it. I just didn't want to give myself a chance to go backe "there."
I am glad that you are able to still wear that hat even if it isn't quite the right size anymore :), you have come a long way - very cool!
BTW, only real men get away with wearing a pink shirt! LOL! Even if it is after a 22 miler :)

Angie Eats Peace said...

The hats next stop: marathon!

Jen Feeny said...

You've come a long way and I love that the hat has made the journey! Next stop: Marathon! Woo hoo!

Lisa said...

FYI, I take my hats into the shower and rinse them in there and hang them on the control thing to let them air dry. Keeps their shape better than putting it in the wash :)

thrasherswife said...

first pic i have no idea - second pic I'm throwing out there Garden of the Gods... And how far you have come, my friend, how far you have come... :)

L.B. said...

Thanks everyone for your support!

And yes, TW, the second one is at the Garden of the Gods. Nice! That place is pretty awe-inspiring.

Tattoos and Teething Rings said...

I love hats but can't pull off the look. Felix, however, is a hat maniac. He chooses them based on their color and style, not team, since he isn't into sports. I think it's funny when a guy at the bar will start chatting him up about whatever team's hat he's wearing, and he has to go "OH, I don't follow sports."