P was nice enough to send a few copies of the magazine B and I are in, and while I think the picture they used for the article has me looking very stern and serious, B looks just the opposite. See pg. 188 if you can find the issue. The most frightening part of it all isn't seeing myself in print but that the magazine has full page ads (with detailed pictures) in it for full body shaving creams aimed at young men. yikes!

In other related clothing news, we're doing the traveling salesman thing and heading to New York for a few days to attend a trade show. Will be our first time doing an east coast show so we are gearing up to go into the fashion fortress that is Manhattan. We're optimistic that it will go well for us because we are increasingly finding the whole apparel thing to be something of waning appeal and want to get out of it. We've discussed it and realized that the mass manufacturing of clothing is a very wasteful process. Wasteful of materials, of resources, and not to mention the environmental impact from all those chemicals they use to get your clothes all nicely 'worn-in'. And does clothing or fashion have any real positive or lasting impact on the world? Sure, I suppose it provides jobs and makes one feel better about oneself, but has any fashion designer ever made any major difference in the lives of people? I don't believe there has been one.

It all just seems so trivial to B and I. I have always joked and said I was "cursed with a conscience". But how can you not feel guilty when surrounded by $100 tshirts and $300 jeans like we will be next week when that is more than a lot of people make in a month.

When it comes down to it though I don't have anything against people that like to buy clothes, I just don't want to contribute to the clutter.