It’s Raining in Philadelphia Again!
It’s raining, it’s pouring,
The old man is snoring!
Well, not anymore, he isn’t snoring. I just woke up from a well-earned Sunday afternoon nap. I walked six miles before noon today—in the pouring rain, no less. Yesterday, I walked over ten miles in the snow and rain for no other reason than I love walking in the rain. My secret weapons are lots of wool and good boots. My wool overcoat, hat, and socks somehow remain warm and dry even when drenched. It’s dark magic. As for boots, good boots are a joy for the soul. (And the feet!) I sometimes go on long walks simply as an excuse to wear them.
I posit that Western Civilization’s decline began in earnest with the wholesale adoption and normalization of athletic leisure wear among adults. Gym shorts and a hoodie worn on the Senate floor were emblematic of a nation that stopped taking itself seriously. An ill-fitting suit with bad tie is at least trying to feign some decorum. Perhaps the worst bit is we’ve been tricked into believing dressing like slobs is comfortable, but even your nicest hoodie (the one with the pizza sauce stains on the front) isn’t nearly as warm or cozy as a quality sweater. We’ve been bamboozled by a lazy fashion industry. (Don’t even get me started on shoes…!)