Ode to Some Favorite Shoes

This is a photo of a pair of shoes I've had for quite some time. I bought a pair of the exact same shoes (same model, color) years earlier and wore them until they were totally threadbare. These have finally started to fall apart but not after years of nearly daily use.

If you know me, you know I have a lot of shoes. These are probably second on my all-time list of favorite shoes. My absolute favorites were a pair of hi-top Nike Air Force Ones I got in 7th grade. I had them through high school and still wore them a bit in college. Those shoes made it through gym classes, BMX riding, skateboarding, breakdancing, and many, many miles of walking and running.

The New Balance 703s (pictured above) have endured quite a bit as well. I'm not easy on shoes and even though I have a lot, I usually wear one pair more than all the others. These were totally rugged but also remarkably comfortable. If they remake them, I'll be in the market.

I've been taking pictures of old t-shirts, too. It's part of my 2006 initiative to reduce stuff. There's a ton of history in some of the shirts so I wanted to eulogize them before parting with them. Besides, most of them don't fit me anymore, anyhow.

As for the "stuff" initiative, it's necessary. We've accumulated so much stuff that our big new house is nearly full. The hardest part is letting stuff go, so I'm relying on my camera and my blog to help with stuff like broken shoes, tattered t-shirts, and skateboard magazine collections.

I may need outside help...