Yeah, it's Sunday and I had a mini-meltdown today. I'm not proud of it, but it wasn't totally unexpected. It used to be that anytime I would go clothes shopping for myself, my shopping trip would always end up in frustration and a meltdown. As most of you know, I was a big boy. And shopping for someone of my size used to be sheer torture. I couldn't just walk into any old store and buy something off the rack. I had limited possibilities and even then, it was pretty hard to find anything I liked. Since losing all the weight that I have, it's become much easier to buy clothes. I can always find my pant size in any store now. Shirts can still be difficult, though. I still wear different sizes depending on what it is. If they made everything in the world in a LT, I would be a happy boy, but since they don't, I have to determine what size works best for me. T-shirts, for instance, I buy an XL because it helps make up for some of the length I need. I bought a few long sleeved shirts recently in XL, but while the shirts themselves are long enough, the sleeves aren't. I must have freakishly long arms or something. Anything long sleeved in a regular size just doesn't cut the mustard. Too short.
Anyway, what does this have to do with my mini-meltdown? Well, I needed a winter coat. I don't have one. I haven't had one since I was in high school. Back then, I had this piece of shit coat my mother bought out of the Fingerhut catalog or something like that. That woman had a fascination with that catalog. I don't know if it was because we were poor and the shit was cheap (dollar wise and quality wise) or if she just liked it. So I needed a winter coat. What I have right now isn't cutting it. Last winter I wore my hoodie underneath my jean jacket and that kind of did the trick. But this year neither fits me anymore. The hoodie is too big and the jean jacket is even bigger. Ken and I went out shopping today. First stop was an outdoor sports store. They had lots of great coats there. Only problem was sleeve length for me. I fit comfortably in a large, except for my arms. I tried on some XLs and the sleeves were nice, but I was swimming in them. Next stop was the mall. Tried a department store (everything was crap) and I started to meltdown. I had convinced myself that this shopping trip was pointless and I was wasting my time. When I get this way, I have tunnel vision and all I can see is the end result which is disappointment. But Ken led the charge and we went to a sporting goods store in the mall. They had a better selection and we even found one coat in tall sizes. The coat was okay and would do in a pinch, but we forgot all about LL Bean. So I made note of this jacket just in case we had to come back and headed over to the other mall for LL Bean. I tried on two different coats and my meltdown kicked up about three more notches. The sleeves were too short, in both large and XL. I was in the process of shutting down. I really don't know why I get this way. I hate that I get this way, but it's a losing battle. Ken still led on and found a different rack of coats and I tried one on. I'd given up on trying to find a Large and tried on an XL. And everything about it I liked. The sleeves fit. The coat was comfortable. It was warm. The only thing that sucked was I was swimming in it. I decided to try on a large just to see the difference. For some reason the large fit perfectly. The sleeves were long enough. The coat itself was longer than all the other larges I'd tried on before. What I didn't realize was it was a LT. I never remember that LL Bean carries most things in tall sizes. Well, I ended up with this jacket. I'm very happy with it. I can't wait for the cold weather to hit now. I'm prepared for it now.
Oh, and my mini-meltdown continued for a little while longer. Now I shifted my freakish worrying from trying to find a coat to freaking out because I freaked out.
Since I'm talking about clothes, here are pics of the three new shirts I ordered yesterday.
Swanky, huh?
Finally, here's today's Christmas song.
Anyway, what does this have to do with my mini-meltdown? Well, I needed a winter coat. I don't have one. I haven't had one since I was in high school. Back then, I had this piece of shit coat my mother bought out of the Fingerhut catalog or something like that. That woman had a fascination with that catalog. I don't know if it was because we were poor and the shit was cheap (dollar wise and quality wise) or if she just liked it. So I needed a winter coat. What I have right now isn't cutting it. Last winter I wore my hoodie underneath my jean jacket and that kind of did the trick. But this year neither fits me anymore. The hoodie is too big and the jean jacket is even bigger. Ken and I went out shopping today. First stop was an outdoor sports store. They had lots of great coats there. Only problem was sleeve length for me. I fit comfortably in a large, except for my arms. I tried on some XLs and the sleeves were nice, but I was swimming in them. Next stop was the mall. Tried a department store (everything was crap) and I started to meltdown. I had convinced myself that this shopping trip was pointless and I was wasting my time. When I get this way, I have tunnel vision and all I can see is the end result which is disappointment. But Ken led the charge and we went to a sporting goods store in the mall. They had a better selection and we even found one coat in tall sizes. The coat was okay and would do in a pinch, but we forgot all about LL Bean. So I made note of this jacket just in case we had to come back and headed over to the other mall for LL Bean. I tried on two different coats and my meltdown kicked up about three more notches. The sleeves were too short, in both large and XL. I was in the process of shutting down. I really don't know why I get this way. I hate that I get this way, but it's a losing battle. Ken still led on and found a different rack of coats and I tried one on. I'd given up on trying to find a Large and tried on an XL. And everything about it I liked. The sleeves fit. The coat was comfortable. It was warm. The only thing that sucked was I was swimming in it. I decided to try on a large just to see the difference. For some reason the large fit perfectly. The sleeves were long enough. The coat itself was longer than all the other larges I'd tried on before. What I didn't realize was it was a LT. I never remember that LL Bean carries most things in tall sizes. Well, I ended up with this jacket. I'm very happy with it. I can't wait for the cold weather to hit now. I'm prepared for it now.
Oh, and my mini-meltdown continued for a little while longer. Now I shifted my freakish worrying from trying to find a coat to freaking out because I freaked out.
Since I'm talking about clothes, here are pics of the three new shirts I ordered yesterday.
Swanky, huh?Finally, here's today's Christmas song.
5 comments:
"LT"? Large toddler?
Shirts, dig the yellow.
"Must be Santa" ROCKS SOCKS. I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.
We are apparently sharing the same brain again. I freaked out while Christmas shopping at the mall, and left in tears yesterday. We all go a little mental sometimes. It's good Ken knows how to take charge when you get that way, and continue forward. Glad you got a coat that fits you! Congrats!!(Oh, and I have freakishly short arms, so you can have about 3" off all my sleeves!) ;)
I had a melt down today, too, for different reasons, which resulted in me sending a nasty e-mail to my sis and mum. That's going to haunt me.
I use to cry after trying to buy clothes at my larger size...the worst feeling in the world...they never carried my size.
My Mom loved finger hut. I think everything we ever got was from that catalog.
I FREAKIN love these shirts and want them NOW, although shouldn't the hawkman one be more of a cross strap sleeveless tee? he he he
I am glad you found a coat that works for you. Ken's a good guy for taking charge and getting you taken care of :)
My mother also liked the finger hut.
Must be Santa is one of my favorite songs on the CDs you made.
I like that black DC shirt.
I had totally forgotten about Fingerhut until I read that! That thing was horrible!
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