Bradism. : Unloading

It's October and, because of NSW tenancy laws, that means that the only people who can choose to evict Vanessa and me before new years is Vanessa and I. If we don't move we will have spent the entire year of 2012 living in the one house, and much of it with an open lease. The concept of an open lease is a sphincter-loosening one, because I hate moving.

I moved twice last year and one thing I learnt from that is that we own a stupid amount of stuff. Owning too much stuff is a hard folly to avoid in contemporary, middle-class Australia. We all invest so much time working for our wages and spend so much of those earnings on food, housing, insurance and transportation. Sometimes it feels like all you've achieved by working is existence. And if you had to choose between existing, and existing with a massive flat-screen television, the trend for accumulating material possessions becomes obvious.

I dream, however, of a minimal life. I ponder what I could do to reduce the objects I own, and turn moving into something that has no bearing on the state of my anus.

One problem with my possessions is my penchant to purchase in bulk. I think I could overcome this, eventually, once I'd trained myself not to buy toilet paper by the pallet and crushed garlic by the kilogram. The other problem I have is that I'm a sentimental packrat. I, perhaps obviously, like keeping a connection to my memories. This leads to me doing weird things like not throwing out old phones or kitchen gadgets due to their history. It also explains why I own over fifty t-shirts, many which I never, ever wear.

I know I will need to move again, and so I tried to find a solution to this problem. The idea came to me that I should photograph the shirts I owned, but didn't wear. I would still be connected to the memories, but the capacity of my robes would be restored.

And that's why I'm posting this:

$<strong>April 2004</strong> <a href=\"./display.php?jid=21\">This</a> is, or was, the oldest shirt I owned. It is also the first shirt I ever wrote more than 300 words about.$

April 2004 This is, or was, the oldest shirt I owned. It is also the first shirt I ever wrote more than 300 words about.

<strong>November 2004</strong>
Nearing summer in 2004 I went to a surf store at Marion with my brother Steve to find fashionable clothing. Steve's recommendation was that I should buy light or white clothes.

November 2004 Nearing summer in 2004 I went to a surf store at Marion with my brother Steve to find fashionable clothing. Steve's recommendation was that I should buy light or white clothes.

Steve's logic was that wearing light colours would help disguise my lack of tan. I don't think he gave enough weight to the fact that it made me stand out like a sight screen.

<strong>January 2005</strong>
I bought this at the 2005 Big Day Out at around dinner time, before I saw the Chemical Brothers. I wore it as a second layer during their set, over the top of my white Billabong sleeveless T-shirt.

January 2005 I bought this at the 2005 Big Day Out at around dinner time, before I saw the Chemical Brothers. I wore it as a second layer during their set, over the top of my white Billabong sleeveless T-shirt.

<strong>December 2005</strong>
I went to the midnight, post-Christmas sales in 2005 after a day of drinking beer and whiskey at Burrett's birthday pool party. I bought several shirts and also some underwear.

December 2005 I went to the midnight, post-Christmas sales in 2005 after a day of drinking beer and whiskey at Burrett's birthday pool party. I bought several shirts and also some underwear.

This was another shirt from that trip. If I had been sober, I wouldn't have bought it. I don't mind the colours, but I was too tipsy to realise it was really tight. It would later fit quite comfortably. Craig also attended this shopping trip and he bought the same shirt but in brown and green, so we could be "shirt buddies".

<strong>January 2006</strong>
Continuing the theme of buying shirts while inebriated, I bought this shirt at the 2006 Big Day Out. I loved this shirt. I wish I'd been paying attention and noticed the massive hole in the back when I bought it.
I still wore it to multiple casual Fridays.

January 2006 Continuing the theme of buying shirts while inebriated, I bought this shirt at the 2006 Big Day Out. I loved this shirt. I wish I'd been paying attention and noticed the massive hole in the back when I bought it. I still wore it to multiple casual Fridays.

<strong>August 2006</strong>
On my birthday in 2006 I took the day off work and went shopping for clothes.

August 2006 On my birthday in 2006 I took the day off work and went shopping for clothes.

I was strongly influenced by Men's Health fashion pages.

I made some average decisions.

<strong>December 2006</strong>
Awesome, a shirt I didn't buy at Marion. I bought this at The Pines in Elanora. Unbeknownst to me, almost every dude I knew was also buying a green shirt for summer.

December 2006 Awesome, a shirt I didn't buy at Marion. I bought this at The Pines in Elanora. Unbeknownst to me, almost every dude I knew was also buying a green shirt for summer.

<strong>December 2006</strong>
I went shopping with Steve for Christmas presents and I bought this shirt from Roger David.

December 2006 I went shopping with Steve for Christmas presents and I bought this shirt from Roger David.

<strong>December 2006</strong>
Then, for Christmas, Steve gave me this shirt. I notice a distinct lack of light, plain colours!

December 2006 Then, for Christmas, Steve gave me this shirt. I notice a distinct lack of light, plain colours!

<strong>April 2007</strong>
I saw this shirt on a mannequin in the Adelaide Myer store, and I decided I wanted to buy it.

April 2007 I saw this shirt on a mannequin in the Adelaide Myer store, and I decided I wanted to buy it.

<strong>April 2007</strong>
Over a year after I first had the idea, I finally convinced friends to become Shirt Buddies with me. Tim, Cowan and Myself all bought this shirt from Harbour Town.

April 2007 Over a year after I first had the idea, I finally convinced friends to become Shirt Buddies with me. Tim, Cowan and Myself all bought this shirt from Harbour Town.

<strong>June 2007</strong>
This shirt was definitely an extended lunch-break purchase.

June 2007 This shirt was definitely an extended lunch-break purchase.

<strong>July 2007</strong>
I bought this shirt at Splendour in the Grass 2007 to remind me forever that I went to Splendour in the Grass.

July 2007 I bought this shirt at Splendour in the Grass 2007 to remind me forever that I went to Splendour in the Grass.

<strong>January 2008</strong>
I bought this shirt at Melbourne's Big Day Out to remind me forever that I went to Melbourne for the Big Day Out.

January 2008 I bought this shirt at Melbourne's Big Day Out to remind me forever that I went to Melbourne for the Big Day Out.

$<strong>March 2008</strong> On one casual Friday I was thrashing an advance of Tapes 'n Tape's new album and I decided I also wanted to dress like them. For that reason I bought this shirt. For the record, in March 2008 the band looked like <a href=\"http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/tapes-n-tapes-walk-it-off/\">this.</a> I should have taken the photo with me to David Jones.$

March 2008 On one casual Friday I was thrashing an advance of Tapes 'n Tape's new album and I decided I also wanted to dress like them. For that reason I bought this shirt. For the record, in March 2008 the band looked like this. I should have taken the photo with me to David Jones.

March 2008 This also signified a time in my life when I was moving towards single colours and shunning anything that wasn't plain or a simple logo. You've reached the halfway point of my shirt history. When will I post the second half? You'll have to stay tuned...

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