Tuesday, 5/23

I keep forgetting there's a whole group of people out there who don't realize that I'm a slob.

As I've written in here before, in a perfect world my default wardrobe would be shorts and a T-shirt. It's a wardrobe choice that calms me, a wardrobe choice I think looks best on me, and a wardrobe choice I'm hoping to wear at least once this summer, although these days I'm having my doubts. If I could, I'd wear shorts and a T-shirt every day and be perfectly content.

But, unfortunately, I can't wear shorts and a T-shirt every day. Aside from the practical, weather-related considerations there are also lifestyle & job requirements that force me to dress up on occasion. In fact, if people only know the “TV Jim” part of who I am, they might think that I am, in fact, a snazzy dresser. And something yesterday proved that point.

Despite the fact that I would wear nothing but shorts and a T-shirt given the choice, I do dress up on occasion, even when work doesn't require it. In fact, yesterday was one of those days, when I was wearing a black shirt, black suit coat, and a neon pink tie. (Hey--if I DO dress up, at least it's with a little color!) Anyway, I had to run down the street for something, and a lady walking past caught my eye. She said “hello”, and then wanted to compliment me on how I always “look so nice”. I thanked her, and realizing that she obviously is most familiar with “TV Jim”, decided not to share my secret about how, deep down, I'm really a slob.

You guys know it, but we'll let some people maintain the illusion. After all, it works for Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, so who am I to argue?

I'm hoping the fact that deep down I'm really a slob wouldn't disappoint the people who think I dress well all the time. I mean, I would hate to shatter the illusion, but that's not just who I am. If I could, I'd wear shorts and a T-shirt when I was doing “High School Bowl” or “Ask the Lawyers”. But unfortunately, I can't. So what you see on TV is not always what you get. Maybe I'll have to start resurrecting that line from an old commercial and start saying something like “I'm not a sharp dresser, but I do play one on TV”.

I just hope people like the lady on the street would accept me for who I really am.

So if anyone's reading this who wasn't in on the secret, I hope you're okay with it. We all have our demons, we all have things we're trying to keep pushed deep down away from the light. Mine is this--

I'm Jim, and I'm a slob at heart.

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)