Confirming my bias for t-shirts

I've been thinking about writing an article about this subject for a while, but based on events of the last week, it's obvious to me that the universe has been prompting me to do so. The last little nudge, described below, was what prompted me to finally sit down and put fingers to keyboard.

So, aside from the fact that I'm generally a bit of a slacker, I have a fondness for t-shirts. They're soft. They're comfortable. And, they more often than not have a symbol or saying on the front that is representative of my mood that day. It's like wearing my heart out on my sleeve, only in this one's on the front.

The whole thing started on Father's Day when my wife and oldest daughter presented me with my gifts, a couple of awesome t-shirts:

Now, before y'all think I've gone and lost my mind, I ask you to remember: I have a couple of daughters.  Bigger daughter is a huge fan of the new My Little Pony show.  The problem is, so is a significantly large population of adult males.  Bronies, they're called.  And, while I have to admit I do enjoy watching the show with her...No, really, it's not a terrible show.  Some of the plots are fairly complex and have lots of jokes for the parents!  Like, the bowling episode where everyone in the bowling alley is from The Big Lebowski.  And...you've stopped believing me.  Okay, moving on...

While I do enjoy watching the show with her, and consider myself a closet brony, that's not why I have My Little Pony t-shirts.  I have them because it's almost impossible to find themed shirts in kid's sizes!  Really, and truly!  Adult My Little Pony clothes?  No problem.  Kids?  Sure, if you want to spend $20 on a t-shirt for a four-year-old.  So, the reason I have a few of these shirts is I wear them for my daughter.  She can't, so I wear them for her.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Now, the acquisition of these fine t-shirts made me realize that I need to re-think my t-shirt collection.  I haven't counted yet, but I'm sure I've got at least a hundred of the things.  As I've lost about 40 pounds in the last year, a large majority of them don't fit anymore, so maybe it's time to prune.  Before getting rid of them, though, I thought it might be funny to take pics of all of them and put them out there for everyone to marvel at.

Then, I forgot about the idea...

A few days later, though, Gizmodo ran a story about the "World's Most Awesome T-Shirt".  I'm not going to bother trying to find it to link to because frankly it was a stupid article.  The t-shirt was a $65 thing with nothing on the front except a tiny logo.  Sorry, I've got more brains than money...still, the universe reminded me I needed to write this article!

Then, I forgot about the idea...

But, two weeks ago I got my weekly e-mail from ThinkGeek.  Big fan of the ThinkGeek, they sell some quality stuff, but this issue had this baby:

I have to say, I thought about it for about 24 hours before laying down the cash.  DJ PON3 in Tron stylee?  It really does fit both of our styles (largest daughter and I), so it really was about spending the $20.  Once I made the decision, though, I decided to also take advantage of their "One Random Shirt of Surprising Awesomeness" special.  You spend $7, and they send you a shirt, whatever they have left.  What the hell?  I'll roll the dice.

My package arrives and what's inside?

Okay.  Being a math and science geek, I like it on the face of it! But, what could this equation possibly mean??  After racking my brain for a minute trying to think if I'd seen it before, I decided to look on the back...

Awww!  Have to be honest, I had thought of buying this one when I first saw it!  Well, that was a heck of a deal.  Rolled the dice and won!  That don't happen often enough.  And, lest we think I accept the plot of just any equation, I asked Wolfram Alpha what it thought:

Ha!  Confirmed!

As I said to my wife, this is such an awesome representation of our relationship.  We both had been going through some tough stuff early on and weren't too sure if we'd make it.  But, we took a chance and have a happy and loving home as a result.  This one is now in my Top 10 favorite t-shirts because of that.

Well, hell!  Now, the universe is practically SCREAMING at me to write this article!  Alas, though, I really had no idea what I'd write about.  I'd had some ideas floating around, so I let it percolate for a few days before the last reminder showed up.

My wife is friends with, and now works for, a fellow who owns a local horror-themed t-shirt company named Fright-Rags.  Fright-Rags doesn't do your typical horror t-shirt, though.  They often try to pull out some tidbit from a movie that only a true fan would know, such as the ever-popular "Damn enchiladas" from Friday the 13th.

Beyond the fact that they make a high quality product and have great customer service (their shirt folding peon's pretty awesome, too!), the owner, Ben, is a really great guy.  As an example, he has a friend with breast cancer who is without health insurance (oh, look, the Supreme Court just spoke on behalf of the universe today as another reminder!), so he put out an amazing, limited edition t-shirt with all profits going to his friend.  It's NSFW, so scroll down carefully!

Yeah, I know.  In 21st century America, I shouldn't have to call THAT out as NSFW, but there you are.  Anyway, after all of this, I mention Fright-Rags because they're currently taking part in Chase' Mission Small Business.  Please, please, please...click that link, sign in and vote for them!  These folks REALLY deserve to win the $250k.  Maybe that cute shirt-folding peon will even get a raise!  If there's anyone who deserves to win, it's Ben. The universe will thank you for it.  After all, it's been reminding me all week to tell you about it...

....or, has it?  You've now just taken part in an example of confirmation bias.  This is the failing of how your brain is built that forces you to favor information that confirms your beliefs.  On a small scale, confirmation bias is why when you break up with someone, every song seems to be a sad love song.  Or, when you are thinking about buying a particular model car, you start to see that car everywhere you look.   You'd probably seen dozens of that model of car the day before you decided to buy one, or heard that song on the radio before you broke up with your significant other, but  because you're thinking of it now you notice it more.

On a larger scale, it's why when trying to disprove some lefty/righty nonsense, you only find unequivocal righty/lefty brilliance to debunk it.  It's your brain telling you "you're right".  Sorry, it's not the universe or any other higher power talking to you.  It's just another example of how natural selection can never get anything perfect, least of all your brain.

Congrats, you now know what that fallacy feels like, and will never fall for it again!  See, a great article, and I snuck some critical thinking in on your ass.  Ha!  So, next time you're thinking some higher power is pushing you toward one side of a decision, just look down at your t-shirt.  It'll always steer you right...

Or.  Not.