Jeremy Hawkins Tribute

 

On January 3rd of 2001 Jeremy Hawkins passed away.  I did not know him but was very familiar with his work as an artist and blogger.  Hawkins was a force behind the scenes at the A to Z Challenge.  He provided the graphics for the site and for the challenge itself including designing the t-shirts.  I never bought a shirt before this year but am so glad that I did.  I wear it all the time and get lots of questions about it.

2016 was my big year for the a to z challenge.  I endeavored to do the challenge simultaneously on 3  of my blogs.  At my sports blog I did A to Z Cubs Home Run leaders and at my vlog I did a to z you tube videos and at whatever my flagship I did A to Z superheroes.  I don't believe I finished any of the challenges that year, (I came very close in some) so I didn't order a shirt that year or get one of these lovely mugs that Jeremy designed.  

2016 was also the last year that Jeremy participated in the challenge from his blog.  His theme was print advertising and I remember looking through it as it came out.  Click here to see his entries from that year.  The 2022 a to z Challenge and all subsequent endeavors will not be the same without Jeremy's contributions.  But as we reflect on Jeremy's input and for those who knew him his life, his impact will go on because of the work and memories he lefy behind.

My Name's Bob. I'm a Tomato, and I'm here to help.

Fits Me to A T

My Life in T-shirts

Shortly after Amy and I got married, my sister in law gave us 2 t-shirts.  Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber from veggie tales.  For years we would mix and match the shirts and wear them out together.

A few years ago Larry went missing.  So Bob became my shirt of choice.  He has gone everywhere with me: swimming, filed trips, the library and occasionally even to church or co-op.  Sometimes (especially at the pool) I would forget what shirt was wearing. So I would wonder why kids were talking to me about Veggie Tales.  Then it would dawn on me, walking billboard. 

Bob is now in his teen years. As the above picture attests, (taken for this post) Bob has seen better days. The white of the eyes wearing out gives a certain bloodshot look. But through it all, he keeps that goofy grin on his face.

Now-a-days it's a sleep shirt and an around the house shirt.  I am sure it's also a great shirt to play Mouse Trap in.  You roll the dice, you move your mice. Nobody gets hurt. 

As a Former Fetus . . .

Fits me to a T

My life in T-Shirts

It's been a while since I posted about about some of the t-shirts I've worn that best speak to who I am/was/will be. 

Today's shirts goes back more than 20 years to my college daze.

I used to frequent our local Christian book store and buy lots of cassettes and c.d.s as well as books.  He had a pretty good t-shirt selection.  Most Christian T-shirts at the time were parodies of popular secular t-shirts.  Those were so not me.  So I generally stuck with Christian Music shirts or the occasional bible verse shirt.  Until one day I met the shirt that really spoke my mind.  It said as a former fetus I oppose abortion.  This was written inside a picture of a fetus's foot print.  On the back it had several foot prints in different stages of life. 

I loved that shirt and wore it as often as I could. 

Of all the times I ever wore that shirt, only one time did someone say it offended them.  It was never my intention to offend, just to express my opinion.  I asked that person if any part of the shirt was untrue? Technically, I formerly was a fetus.  Truthfully, I do oppose abortion.  Since aborted fetuses never gain the opportunity to weigh in on  the abortion debate, as a former fetus I felt the need to say I liked staying around. 

Not sure what ever became of the shirt.  Some twenty years later, I am sure I've outgrown it.  I just haven't outgrown the sentiment. 

The Most Wonderful Thing About Tiggers

Fits me to a T.

My Life in T-Shirts

When I was in college, my sister bought me a real cool Tigger shirt. I won't describe the front as you should be looking right at it. But the back had the Tigger song printed on the back: You know the one . . .

The Wonderful Thing about Tiggers

Is Tiggers are wonderful Things

Their Tops are made out of Rubber

Their Bottoms are made out of Springs

They're Bouncy, Trouncy, Flouncy, Pouncy Fun Fun Fun Fun Fun!

But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is, I'm the only one.

It continues (although I'm not sure it continues on the shirt)

Tiggers are wonderful fellas

Tiggers are awfully sweet

Everyone ellis is jealous! That's why I repeat repeat

I loved that shirt. That shirt got through college, made it through 2 years in Russia. There's a picture of me wearing it in my yearbook from seminary. My wife wore it on a missions trip to Turkey in 2000. Sometime after that it came up missing. It had a long and storied life so I didn't grieve too much for it, but I sure do miss it. It would have made quite the adult t-shirt turned kid's pajamas.

This post is one in a series of remembrances of t-shirts past. Some people may wonder why I'm so nostalgic about t-shirts. The truth is, I'm nostalgic about everything. I'm nostalgic about the future. Here is a quick ditty I just composed to the Tigger tune that may explain my love for t-shirts.

The most wonderful thing about t-shirts

Is t-shirts are quite fun to wear

They're great to roll up your sleeves in

They help you let down your hair

They're cool, they're stylish, some think they're childish and while I will not bicker

the most wonderful thing about t-shirts is they're frontwards bumper stickers!

Well that's it for me for today. I like t-shirts. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Head on over to Half Past Kissin' time for more fragmented Friday fun.

Next Time: Pictures

A Legend in My Own Mind

Fits me to a T

My Life in T-shirts

Some of the darkest days in my sartorial life were those that my mom was choosing my wardrobe. I could make an entire post of the joy of going to Zayre, Venture or Sears with her and picking out my New School Clothes, but my therapist doesn't have enough open sessions. (Okay I don't have a therapist, which is telling in itself, but I liked the line.)

Worse than anything we ever purchased, were the t-shirts she bought from catalogues. Remember, it was the late seventies early eighties, and when it comes to fashion, early eighties really means seventies. So T-shirts with crazy sayings were in. Probably the worst shirt she ever got me was "runners do it for the health of it." It was embarrassing. However there was one shirt that I actually liked. It said "I'm a legend in my own mind." I wore it regularly, which was different than what I did with the shirts she bought me which I did not like. Those used to spend weeks at a time under my bed. Those who knew me then would rightly say that most of my belongings spent weeks at a time under my bed. Again, fodder for another post.

As I began to research this segment, where I write snippets of my life history based on the shirts I wore, I started to think of that shirt and its implications.

While my shirt was more of a demonstration of my self-effacing humor, the phrase itself can be more of an indictment of false pride, than I at that time had intended. Often in false bravado, we believe our own press about how great we think we are. Pride comes before a fall and since autumn is less than a month away I thought this might be a good time to discuss it.

In the pivotal scene of Quiz Show where Charles Van Doren, portrayed by Ralph Fiennes, is confessing his involvement in the quiz show scandals in a congressional hearing he states:

"I've been acting a role,maybe all my life, of thinking I've, I've done more... accomplished more, produced more than I have."

When I think of that phrase "A legend in my own mind," I think of that quote. It is so easy to think of ourselves as basically good to cover up our blemishes and imperfections. The disgruntled employee says " Sure I steal money from my company by surfing the internet, when I am supposed to be doing my job, but that's a lot better than what most everybody else is doing." I don't believe man is basically good. I believe at that our core we are all sinful and self seeking. It is very easy though, to deceive myself into thinking that I have somehow merited God's favor. The truth is that everything I have has been given to me by God. My life, my health, my wife, our ability to earn money and maintain a residence, my ability to reason, my ability to type on this keyboard, even the planet I dwell on was formed by Him. God is no legend, he is real, and as the psalmist says the heavens declare his glory. If I were to have any prowess that would be considered legendary, it would be given to me by God, or only exist in my mind.

A special welcome to those visiting from the CREATIVE CARNIVAL. Be sure to read some of my more recent posts before heading back to Write Anything.

Next Time: A thought for my Pennies.

I do all my own stunts

Fits me to a T

My life in T-Shirts

A few years ago I was at a birthday party for my wife's cousin (cous-in-law). My wife's sister (sister-in-law) gave my cous-in-law a t-shirt that said "I do all my own stunts" . I thougt it was way cool and wanted one myself. My cous-in-law was turning 8 at the time.

So, yes I get my fashion tips from pre-pre-teeners. I love that story and I love that shirt. They both capsulize my personality. T-shirts are like washable bumper stickers. I realize that in a way certain shirts I have had in my life can tell my life's story. From time to time I will be displaying them for you here.

Next Time: My video collection