Mai Kai Girls; by Eddy Crosby;
http://www.eddycrosby.com
Mai Kai Girls; by Eddy Crosby;
http://www.eddycrosby.com
Day 100
2014/04/10
Never been to the Crows Nest Tavern. Not even sure there really is such a place. One hundred shirts so far! I will be starting a new page on my site for the next 100 shirts. Special thanks go out to all my tens of fans for their support.
Day 99
2014/04/09
This T-shirt design is from a matchbook cover. The Polynesian Room in the Sheraton Yankee Clipper in Fort Lauderdale seated 300 and had a Hawaiian themed floor show. The Polynesian Room closed in the mid 70s. The Yankee Clipper Hotel is on the beach and is designed to look like a cruise ship. It was the first hotel in Ft. Lauderdale to open year round. The Yankee Clipper is still there and still includes the Wreck Bar, a nautical themed bar with underwater mermaid shows featuring Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid! (MeduSirena)
Day 98
2014/04/08
Dragonfly. I just liked the design on this one.
Day 96
2014/04/06
Old Navy Flag Tee 2003. I got a hair cut. I am trying to tone down the shaggy dog, Grizzly Adams thing. I also put some dye in my beard. That’s the first time I ever did such a thing.
Day 97
2014/04/07
Old Navy Palm Tree. Just a simple Old Navy T-shirt with a palm tree on it for today.
Day 95
2014/04/05
Mama Kwan’s Tiki Bar. Yes, another shirt from Mama Kwan’s in Nags Head, NC on the Outer Banks. I wish I was there having a Red Stripe right now.
Day 94
2014/04/04
The X-Files. “The truth is out there” and “Trust no one” were catchphrases for one of the greatest television dramas of all time. The series ran from 1993 to 2002. We were introduced to the characters of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. We got conspiracy theories and the Lone Gunmen. Series creator Chris Carter acknowledged a big debt to the 1974 TV series “Kolchak; The Night Stalker” which starred Darren McGavin as a newspaper reporter. This is a vintage shirt from the 90s; probably 20 years old. I have new X-Files shirts as well; done as tributes. I will get to the newer X-Files shirts in the next 100 shirts.
Day 93
2014/04/03
Starship Troopers. The golden age of science fiction is generally described as the period from the 1930’s to the late 1950’s. My adolescence was spent reading authors like Ben Bova, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Lester Del Ray, Frank Herbert, Robert Siverberg, Clifford D. Simak, and my favorite Andre Norton. “Starship Troopers” was written by Robert Heinlein and first published in serial form. It was published as a hardcover book in 1959. “Starship Troopers” was not my favorite Heinlein book; that was “Stranger in a Strange Land”. In 1997 a film version of “Starship Troopers” was released. Directed by Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Total Recall) the film received mixed reviews but did well enough to spawn two sequels and an animated TV series. I got this shirt about 17 years ago when the film was released.
Day 92
2014/04/02
War Horse Brewing Company is part of the Three Brothers Wineries and Estates. Located on Seneca Lake in Geneva NY this was the first brewery to make Riesling ale. This a beer made by blending the wort of a traditional wheat beer with ten percent juice from Riesling grapes. It is quite delicious. They also brew an awesome root beer. The tasting room is designed to look like a WWII aircraft hangar. I had a really good time there and hope to visit again.
Day 91
2014/04/01
Star Wars Episode 1. I saw all of the Star Wars films on opening day. When Episodes 4,5, and 6 were re-released I took my kids to see them opening day. I got this shirt when the film, Episode 1, was released so that makes this shirt about fifteen years old.
Day 90
2014/03/31
Got Milk? The Got Milk ad campaign ran from 1993 to February 2014. Betty Boop has been around since 1930. Betty Boop is considered the first and most famous of the animated sex symbols. During the Depression Era she was a reminder of a more care free time; the Jazz Age and flappers. I have no idea how old this shirt is but I’m guessing I’ve had it for about ten years or so.
Day 89
2014/03/30
Science Fair. The school science fair first became popular in the early 1950s. As America entered the space race after the launch by Russia of Sputnik there was interest generated in science. Science Fairs were competitions where students displayed their projects and competed for prizes or ribbons.
Day 88
2014/03/29
Albuquerque Tricentennial. Albuquerque NM was founded in 1706 as the Spanish colonial outpost of Ranchos de Albuquerque. The city turned 300 years old in 2006 and my brother Darren sent me this spiffy shirt to celebrate. This has been one of my most favorite shirts for the last 8 years.
Day 87
2014/03/28
RATM Guerilla Radio. Rage Against the Machine released their album “Battle For Los Angeles” in 1999. “Guerilla Radio” was the second track on that album and it won the Grammy. This shirt is about fifteen years old.
It has to start somewhere
It has to start sometime
What better place than here
What better time than now
All hell can’t stop us now
Day 86
2014/03/27
Pets.com. This is the second Pets.com shirt I have shown here. This one has the beloved sock puppet mascot diving in an aquarium. The Pets.com online venture folded for good in 2000. The demise of the short-lived pet supply company is considered to be one of the most noteworthy of the dot.com bubble bursts. This shirt is about fifteen years old.
Day 85
2014/03/26
Rundown Café. This is another shirt from the Rundown Café. I got this shirt while vacationing on the Outer Banks in North Carolina.
Day 83
2014/03/24
Native girls and love potions. “Love Potion Number 9” was a song originally released by the Clovers in 1959. It was covered by The Searchers in 1963 who took it to number 3 on the Billboard Charts. Many acts have subsequently covered the tune including Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, The Ventures, Neil Diamond, The White Stripes, and Robert Plant.
Day 84
2014/03/25
New Mexico Centennial. From newmexicohistory.org “No constitution no statehood, for New Mexico it was as simple as that. The procedures and requirements for United States Territories to gain admittance to the Union derive from the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which was an act of the Congress operating under the Articles of Confederation of the United States that created a formally organized territory out of an area northwest of the Ohio River. According to the precedent established by the Enabling Act of 1802, Congress had to pass such an act before admission of a territory to statehood. An enabling act authorizes the people of the territory to draft a constitution before being considered for statehood.” This shirt was a gift from my brother Darren who lives with his family in Albuquerque, NM.
Day 80
2014/03/21
Sleepy Hollow. Not to be confused with the current television series “Sleepy Hollow”. I am thoroughly enjoying the new TV series and the characters Ichabod Crane and Abbie Mills. I can’t wait for the next season. This T-shirt however, which I have had for fifteen years, is from the 1999 Tim Burton film “Sleepy Hollow” that starred Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. It was a very good film, well done, well-acted, and one of Tim Burton’s better efforts.
Day 79
2014/03/20
Old Navy Flag Tee 2002. Today is the first day of Spring. It doesn’t feel like Spring yet.
Day 81
2014/03/22
Nightmare Before Christmas. This the second T-shirt based on a Tim Burton movie in as many days. It’s the third shirt based on a Tim Burton movie posted here so far – let’s not forget “Mars Attacks”. I’ve had this shirt for just over twenty years. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was released in 1993. Jack Skellington, Sally, and Halloweentown made for an instant classic.
Day 82
2014/03/23
Tiki Gardens. This is not a vintage shirt but is a reproduction. Tiki Gardens was located in Indian Rock Beach, Florida. The enterprise was owned by "Trader" Frank and Wahine Jo Byars. The site consisted of gift shops, a restaurant, and of course the gardens. All were located on 12 acres. Tiki Gardens opened in the early 60s and closed in 1986.
With the Guinness girls at Clancy's on Sunday before St. Patrick's Day 2014
Day 78
2014/03/19
Guinness. While Karen and I were enjoying ourselves at Clancy’s this past weekend, the Guinness girls were there and they gave me a free personalized Guinness T-shirt just because I was drinking Guinness. Good things can happen to you while drinking Guinness. Testify!!
Day 77
2014/03/18
Clancy’s. Karen and I had a delightful time at Clancy’s, a world famous Irish pub, this past weekend. Clancy’s is located Southside Chicago. Eat at Clancy’s.
Day 76
2014/03/17
Lucky Charms! Today’s celebrity cameo is Terrance Moran of the Larkin and Moran Brothers Band. He also happened to be wearing a Lucky Charms shirt. This is my third Lucky Charms shirt in the last three days for those of you paying attention. Lucky Charms are 50 years old this year. Originally there were five marshmallows. As Lucky used to say in the ads, “pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, green clovers, and blue diamonds”. Over the last 50 years there have been more than 50 different marshmallow ‘lucky charms’ of different shapes and colors. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to one and all.
Day 75
2014/03/16
Lucky Charms. “They’re always after me Lucky Charms”. Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago, actually Oak Lawn, with Karen’s Irish sister Mary.
Day 74
2014/03/15
Lucky Charms. “They’re magically delicious”. Leaving on a jet plane today for Chicago and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Day 73
2014/03/14
Old Navy St. Patrick’s Day. The cereal Lucky Charms is 50 years old this year. Karen and I are leaving for Chicago tomorrow. We will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with her Irish sisters.
Day 72
2014/03/13
Barley Creek Brewing Co. is a brewpub located in the Poconos in Pennsylvania. Karen and I stopped there for lunch in 1996 which was the year after they opened. I got this shirt and I absolutely love the tagline; renovate your soul. That’s some pretty deep and profound stuff. The shirt is 18 years old and has no doubt seen better days.
Day 71
2014/03/12
MTV Unplugged. MTV was a cable network that first aired in 1981. Originally the ‘MTV’ was an initialized version of music television. The network aired a new art form known as the music video. Before degenerating into a reality television cesspool the network aired a series called MTV Unplugged beginning in 1989 and 1990. Unplugged refers to artists performing pieces that would normally be played on electronically enhanced instruments on acoustic instruments instead. The catalyst for the MTV Unplugged series was the popularity of the unplugged performances done for charity in the “Secret Policeman Balls”. Some highlights from the series included Queensryche performing acoustic in 1992. One of the last televised performances by Kurt Cobain was during Nirvana’s recording in 1993. This shirt is 20 years old at least and is well worn.
Day 70
2014/03/11
Beers in Paradise? This shirt says Kauai. Kauai is the fourth largest of the islands in the Hawaiian archipelago. Kauai is where Waimea Bay is located. I wish I was kicking back and enjoying a nice cold brew there right now.
Day 69
2014/03/10
Another Woody shirt. Originally, in the 1930s and 40s, wood framework was a part of the structure of the car. Later, in the 1950s and 60s, applied wood was added as an aesthetic. Still later, other materials were used to simulate the wood. The Woody became a part of the surf culture, especially in California.
Day 68
2014/03/09
Chug. Zane Lamprey is a native of Syracuse, NY and he attended SUNY Cortland. He had a TV series called “Three Sheets”. I saw the series when it was picked up by the Travel Channel. After airing on the Travel Channel it was re-run on Spike TV. In the series Zane travelled to different countries and exotic locales where he drank with the natives, explored local drinking customs, and then checked out regional hangover cures the next day. Zane’s newest project is called “Chug”. In “Chug” Zane travels to drinking destinations via train. The new project was funded using Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform. Kickstarter is a subscription model of arts patronage. When you back a Kickstarter project you get rewards for your patronage. I backed the project “Chug” and received this T-shirt. I also get digital downloads of episodes as they are completed and will get a DVD of the series when the season is done.
Day 67
2014/03/08
Mai Kai. The legendary Mai Kai. For today’s Tikiphile the Mai Kai in Fort Lauderdale is like heaven on Earth. One of the last remaining Tiki palaces from the 1950s. I will be back at the Mai Kai in June for the Hukilau. What will I have first? A Mai Tai, a Jet Pilot, or the Black Magic?
Day 66
2014/03/07
Snapple. Snapple is a brand of tea and juice drinks that was started in 1972. The company had a very small market until the early 90s’ when the company teamed with controversial radio personalities Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh to promote the product. Sales exploded and soon Snapple was selling everywhere. The company behind Snapple, Unadulterated Food Products, sold the company to Quaker Oats in 1994 for 1.7 billion dollars. Quaker Oats immediately distanced themselves from the controversial spokespersons that had been responsible for the phenomenal sales growth and sales plummeted. Quaker Oats ran the company into the ground and sold it for 300 million in 1997 taking a loss exceeding 1.5 billion dollars.
Day 65
2014/03/06
Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid. It has been my distinct pleasure to catch the performances of Marina at the last five Hukilaus. Marina is an aquatic performer, creator and director of the MeduSirena Swimshow at the Wreck Bar, she dances, eats fire, and is overall a consummate performer and totally nice person. Can’t wait to see her again at this year’s Hukilau. This super cool shirt was autographed by Marina herself.
Day 64
2014/03/05
Homer Simpson’s Old School. Kickin’ it old school in the stag room with my buddy Ray.
Day 63
2014/02/04
Tikis Grill and Bar. Today’s shirt sponsored by Cruzan Rum. Tikis Grill and Bar is located in Hawaii. Haven’t been there, haven’t been to Hawaii… yet. Cruzan Blackstrap Rum is my go to rum for Dark ‘n Stormys. Cruzan Blackstrap is a great Navy style rum for the price.
Day 62
2014/02/03
Amnesty International is an organization fighting for human rights. Founded in 1961 with ties to no government the group was awarded the Nobel Prize for peace in 1977 for its campaign against torture. “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”.
Day 60
2014/03/01
Tower of Power. Quite possibly the greatest horn section ever. The band has been performing since 1968; that’s right 45 years. Soul, R&B, jazz, funk, or whatever you want to call it. The horn section has backed up acts like Lydia Pense and Cold Blood, Santana, and the Doobie Brothers. I have been a fan since the mid ‘70s.
Day 61
2014/03/02
The Brews Brothers. Not to be confused with the “The Blues Brothers”. The Blues Brothers, or more formally The Blues Brothers’ Show Band and Revue, had a 1980 film directed by John Landis. I don’t know where I got the shirt from or anything about it but I’m pretty sure the shirt wasn’t featured in a film with a Bluesmobile. “We’re getting the band back together. We’re on a mission from God”.
The actress Eva Mendes.
2014/03/01 After 59 shirts we are through the second month, that most bleakest of months February, is behind us. I have pretty much settled on the casting for the docudrama about my T-shirt collection. Gerard Butler will play me and Eva Mendes will play my wife. Eva Mendes is plain but still pretty enough to play my wife. She will just require some make-up tricks to resemble the more glam Karen Tennant. I am thinking that the docudrama is going to contain some pretty steamy scenes, gratuitous and inappropriate, with Gerard Butler (me) and Eva Mendes (Karen) that will be included for the sole purpose of boosting the ratings. It will be shameless promotion; pandering at its worst. I may have a new career in Hollywood??? Adison was quite excited to have had a cameo in one of this month’s Daily T photos. She was so excited in fact that I have decided to offer that opportunity to anyone that’s interested. No point in not allowing my tens of fans a chance at that special experience. If anyone else would like a cameo spot in an upcoming photo, especially if you are more attractive than me and more photogenic than me (which is pretty much everyone), please let me know and I will see if I can make that happen.
Day 59
2014/02/28
Some people are ready for the zombie apocalypse while others are not.
Day 58
2014/02/27
The Elephant Sanctuary. “The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, founded in 1995, is the nation’s largest natural habitat refuge developed specifically for African and Asian elephants. The Sanctuary provides captive elephants a natural habitat, individualized care and the opportunity to live out their lives in a safe haven dedicated to their wellbeing. As a true sanctuary, the habitat where the elephants live is not open to the public.”
Day 57
2014/02/26
Breakwater Brew. I can’t even remember where I got this shirt from. There is a Breakwater Brewery in Oceanside California. I don’t know if this shirt is related. A nice Summer vibe here though. February is the bleakest of all months but we are close to being done with the cold, the blowing snow, and the ice. I am looking forward to the only ice being the ice in my cocktail.
Day 56
2014/02/25
A Tommy Bahama shirt. Desperate Steak Knives. Like many Tommy Bahama shirts a play on words, this one invoking the TV series “Desperate Housewives”. The TV series “Desperate Housewives” ran from 2004 to 2012 and starred Teri Hatcher. This was a second act for Hatcher having starred in the TV series “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” from 1993 to 1997. A picture of Teri Hatcher wrapped in Superman’s cloak was the most downloaded picture on the internet for six months in 1995. The graphic on this shirt involves cooking outside on the grill which I want to be doing so very much. I am so sick and tired of the snow, ice, and frigid temps.
Day 55
2014/02/24
A Cheeseburger in Paradise. When I got this shirt six years ago my wife, Karen, remarked sarcastically, “That’s very mature; a shirt with boobs on it.” Is it wrong for me to admit that I took pride in that observation? Growing old is never an option but growing up is. I still feel like I am twenty something years old. Actually, twenty something years old after a rodeo where I got stomped on by an unhappy brahma bull but in my mind I still feel like twenty something.
Day 53
2014/02/22
A rum T-shirt. Bacardi is the largest family owned spirits company in the world. This shirt features their original logo from the company start in 1862. At that time Bacardi was located in Cuba. In 1960 when Fidel Castro and the new Cuban government seized assets of the business Bacardi moved to Puerto Rico and Mexico.
Day 54
2014/02/23
A matchbook Tee. The design on this shirt is from a vintage matchbook cover. The Hukilau hotels and inns in Hawaii were popular vacation destinations in the ‘50s and ‘60s. The three hotels on Maui, Kona, and Hilo were advertised as the only resort chain in the world owned and operated by Hawaiians.
Day 52
2014/02/21
Moai T-shirt. Shirt by Robert Jimenez. Location shoot today at Gordon Biersch Brewpub in Destiny USA.
Day 51
2014/02/20
The Hippocratic oath is an oath taken by physicians and healthcare professionals. The oath is believed to have been written by Hippocrates who is considered the father of western medicine. A short hand version of the oath basically says, “First, do no harm”. Should we expect any less when it comes to the repair of toaster ovens and the like? Pop’s Fix-it Shop. “We don’t make it any worse”.
Day 50
2014/02/19
The Rundown Café. One of my favorite restaurants on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I do characterize the Rundown as a Tiki bar (not everyone would agree). It has large Tikis outside, Tiki sconces in the dining room, and the upstairs bar is called the Tsunami Lounge. It is however distinctively Jamaican inspired (the signature dish, rundown soup, is a Jamaican fish soup with sweet potatoes - delicious!).
Day 49
2014/02/18
Lab Rats Rule. My wife gave me this shirt. I’m not a lab rat. She is. Good thing too because someone needs to work. My wife is still working which allowed me to take an early retirement. She is the best.
Day 48
2014/02/17
Mars Attacks were trading cards from the Topps Company that were released in 1962. The cards were popular with kids but the explicit gore and implied sex led to parents’ complaints and production of the cards was halted. Original cards in the series can fetch a pretty penny. Tim Burton and Warner Brothers bought the film rights to the trading card series and the Tim Burton film “Mars Attacks” was released in December of 1996. The film had an all-star cast but I think it’s safe to say that mainstream America didn’t get the political satire or the black comedy. This parody of B-movie science fiction was a commercial disappointment. My shirt is original merchandise and so is 17 years old. Now, true story time. A few years ago I was in the mall, wearing this shirt, and I went into Hot Topic. One of the clerks came out from behind the register and he said. “Wow, is that an original Mars Attacks! Shirt?! That is so cool”. Yes, true story, for however a brief and fleeting moment that it might have been – I was the cool one in Hot Topic.
Day 46
2014/02/15
The boys from South Park. The Comedy Central TV series “South Park” is truly inspired comedy. The single greatest piece of political satire I have ever seen in my entire life aired on October 27th just before the presidential election of 2004. The children of South Park elementary are forced to elect a new school mascot after the school is attacked by the eco-terrorists of PETA. As Kyle says, “I don’t want to vote if I have to choose between a giant douche and a turd sandwich.” The boys learn an important life lesson; every election is ALWAYS a choice between a giant douche and a turd sandwich. Picture for today taken at the new restaurant Mixer’s Grill.
Day 47
2014/02/16
Old Navy flag tee from 2001. Whenever I see the year 2001 written it makes me think of the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey”. The film with story by Arthur C. Clarke and directed by Stanley Kubrick was released in 1968. By that time I was reading all the science fiction I could get my hands on. I begged my Dad to take me to the movie and he did. I don’t think he liked the film much but he never complained. I can’t say the same for the 1972 science fiction film “Silent Running” that starred Bruce Dern. My Dad complained through the whole movie, which we saw as the second half of a double feature at the drive-in. My Dad wanted to leave early, I wouldn’t let him, and he complained about how bad the film was for days after.
Day 45
2014/02/14
It's been a few years since I was at Mama Kwan's. I miss going to the Outer Banks. Fond memories of Red Stripe beer, Asian slaw, and spicy pork at Mama Kwan's. I first saw a copy of the woodblock print, "The Great Wave off Kanagawa", from 1832 in Mama Kwan’s Tiki Bar in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. I was fascinated by the print. I learned that Katsushika Hokusai was one of the first Japanese artists to become popular in the west. He had done a series that depicted scenes near Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji can be seen in the background of this print as it can be seen in all the prints from that series. I obtained a copy of the famous and iconic print for my Tiki lounge. The next year during my visit to the Outer Banks and to Mama Kwan’s Tiki bar I saw that the Hokusai print had been removed. So, now, as far as I know, my little Tiki lounge is the only Tiki bar sporting a copy of Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa”.
Day 44
2014/02/13
Starbucks Hawaii. It was about ten years ago that Starbucks first opened stores in Hawaii. I believe that’s true. The company ran a promotion where you could get a T-Shirt and a reloadable Starbucks card. I couldn’t make it to Hawaii but I did get the card and shirt. Prop in today’s photo – I have the same card.
Day 43
2014/02/12
The Simpsons. I saw the first Simpsons episode when it was a short on the Tracey Ullman Show in 1987. The Fox animated comedy is now the longest running primetime scripted TV show in history having passed “Gunsmoke”. I am seriously looking forward to being able to cook outside.
Day 42
2014/02/11
A woody with a surfboard. And here it is the middle of February and outside it is all snow, ice, and frigid. I can't wait until I can do these pictures outside.
Day 41
2014/02/10
A beer shirt. From Alaska. I have never been to Alaska or had beers from The Alaskan Brewing Co. Interesting fact: I have been in every state in the United States except for Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and Oregon.
Day 40
2014/02/09
I love the Great NY State Fair. Perhaps this year, 2014, will be the year I achieve my dream of going to the fair everyday.
Day 39
2014/02/08
Genesee beer shirt. Photo taken at the CNY Brewfest at the NY State Fairgrounds. This shirt was very popular and started at least a dozen conversations. I got this shirt at the brewery on a road trip to Rochester with Sean.
Day 38
2014/02/07
I had the pleasure of seeing The Hula Girls perform live at Hukilau last year. In their own words: “Like a ‘32 Ford tearing through the International Marketplace in 1960 Honolulu, The Hula Girls have been busy preaching their self-described ‘hulabilly’ sounds all over Southern California. It’s the upright bass thumping of Mr. Christian Kessler, the dizzying drumming of Mr. Doug Sanbourn, the Gretsch guitar twangin’ of Mr. Spike Marble, and the smooth and haunting steel guitar from Mr. Kevin Bullat! They’ve played alongside such modern rockabilly and modern surf legends as Dick Dale, Big Sandy, Dave Alvin, Thee Swank Bastards, Ape, The Tikiyaki Orchestra, Los Straitjackets, Wayne the Train Hancock, and Hot Rod Lincoln. It’s up-tempo hapa haole, tiki, and surf themed music, all filtered through the late 1950’s and early 60’s rockabilly and rock n’ roll sound. Just when you thought tiki music had to be sleepy instrumental tunes, here come The Hula Girls! Check out their debut album, THE CURSE OF THE TIKI!”
Day 37
2014/02/06
A Taco Bell shirt from the '90s. Location shoot today. At the Taco Bell in the Destiny USA mall.
Day 36
2014/02/05
Old Navy flag tee from 2000. Y2K. We survived that big scare. Turns out we didn’t need all that bottled water or 9mm ammo after all. Next up is Y2K38. The real geeks will know what that’s all about. Post Script: I would still save the 9mm ammo for the zombie apocalypse.
Day 35
2014/02/04
As of today the Syracuse University men’s basketball team is 22-0 and ranked number one in the nation. Gerry McNamara played for the SU Orangemen from 2002 to 2006 and never missed a start (135 games). He helped the team win a national title in 2003. McNamara holds many school records including most 3 point shots made (400). He is currently assistant coach for the Orangemen. Before the last Big East tournament that G-Mac would play in he was voted “most overrated” player in the Big East. Fueled by the negative publicity McNamara led SU and they won the Big East tournament and clinched a spot in the NCAA finals that year.
Day 34
2014/02/03
Plight of The Phoenix is a 2013 Red Bull Flugtag team from Orlando, Florida. Armed with a penchant for the tasteless and the absurd, the 5 ragtag would be pilots shook a sun scorched fist at gravity!
Day 33
2014/02/02
Island Bar shirt. Pic taken at Dunkin Donuts with my sweet little Alice. Orange and blue donuts to celebrate the SU victory last night. Beat Duke!
Day 32
2014/02/01
Just another Hawaiian shirt.
Here is a picture of Gerard Butler. He could play me and would require very little makeup to be convincing as me. I haven’t cast the actress to play my wife Karen yet. I’m leaning towards Eva Mendez.
2014/01/31 11:00 The month of January is over and I have posted 31 shirts to date. The response from my Facebook peeps has been empowering. Tens of people have expressed how much they like my posts. Mark Hooper suggested that this exercise I have undertaken with my T-Shirts would make a great documentary. At first I was inclined to agree but after a lot of thought I think a docudrama would be more appropriate. The main difference being that with a docudrama someone else could play me. I am leaning towards Gerard Butler. I think Gerard Butler is a good enough actor to do my part justice (and he might be a little more photogenic than me). As I dig deeper into the T-Shirt collection I expect there will be some shirts that people will find political or inappropriate. I don’t like the thought of being judged on a single T-Shirt instead of on the collection as a whole and the statement that makes. People looking at only one or two shirts will most likely get the wrong impression. And by the wrong impression I mean I am way weirder than that. I think I am going to write up a little mini manifesto explaining my views just so there is no confusion. I am looking forward to nicer weather so that more of my T-Shirt shots can be location shoots. More props too. Peace out.
Day 31
2014/01/31
Breakfast this morning at Ruston's with Sean. Scotland! I got this shirt at the CNY Brewfest a few years back. This years CNY Brewfest is February 8th. My grandparents were immigrants; came from Scotland. My grandfather came through Ellis Island after fighting for the Scottish Black Watch in WWI.
Day 30
2014/01/30
The T-shirt today is from Vintage Roadside. I was getting a little too Grizzly Adamsish and so I trimmed the beard today. I am thinking about maybe doing some dye work. I have never colored my hair but I am thinking about just doing the beard. I am fortunate at my age to have a healthy head of hair with a surprisingly small amount of gray.
Day 29
2014/01/29
Trinity was the code name for the first detonation of an atomic bomb. At the White Sands Proving Grounds in New Mexico on July 16, 1945 the Atomic Age was born. This shirt is from what used to be The Atomic Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The museum relocated with a name change, still in Albuquerque, and is now the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History.
Day 28
2014/01/28
Costa Rican beer. I was in Costa Rica 28 years ago with my pregnant wife. We were visiting her family and we had a great time. I hope to visit again soon. I am going to head off some negative comments about this picture by stating unequivocally for the record that I did not have a frontal lobotomy before this picture was taken. Also, I am stone cold sober, I just look bad.
Day 27
2014/01/27
No bad days. That is the label for this shirt company. This shirt is woodys and surfboards. No bad days and on that I hope we can all agree.
Day 26
2014/01/26
I have new glasses. My old glasses the frames were 14 years old and the lenses were 6 years old. With these new peepers I feel like I have super powers. Shirt with an island girl in a grass skirt.
Day 25
2014/01/25
Festiki, in Dayton, OH. August 2010. Had a great time. Last gig in the Space Cossacks reunion tour.
Day 24
2014/01/24
Not much to say about this shirt. I think Rockport, MA. might be a 'dry town'. Or maybe it used to be. Or not.
Day 23
2014/01/23
My wife has suggested that I cut my head out of these photos and just have a picture of the shirt. I know that I’m not the most photogenic dude and I think most people will find it hard to believe that these photos are actually the best of several taken. I know, right? Still, I think it’s a bit harsh. Karen says she already has to see me frequently and the addition of seeing me everyday on Facebook might just be too much for her. Tiki shirt for today.
Day 22
2014/01/22
Primo Beer is Hawaii’s original beer. The Primo Lager brand was launched in 1901. Primo today is owned by the Pabst Brewing Co. Primo is brewed on Kauai at the Keoki Brewing Co. Sugar cane is added to each batch.
Day 21
2014/01/21
Xena; Warrior Princess was a TV series that aired from 1995 to 2001. The series was filmed in New Zealand and starred Lucy Lawless. The series was in part the work of Sam Raimi. I admit I was a fan from the beginning. Back then it took more determination to be a fan of a TV show than it does these days because back then there was no TIVO or DVRs. The only way to time shift your viewing was with a VCR. The title character’s ‘partner’ in the series was Gabrielle, played by Renee O’Connor. There was a debate among the fans as to whether Xena and Gabrielle were friends with benefits. The lesbian community embraced Xena and Gabrielle as ‘spokes models’. Some notable guest stars during the series run included Bruce Campbell and Karl Urban.
Day 20
2014/01/20
I don't know where or when I got this shirt. Pretty sure it wasn't in South Carolina though. Probably a thrift store.
Day 19
2014/01/19
My SubCat T-shirt. At the studio. With Amanda Rogers, singer, songwriter, pianist, artist, muse, and hostess for the Sub Rosa Sessions. And with Jeremy Johnston, owner/engineer, “driving stick” on the new control panel for another thoroughly enjoyable evening – The Sub Rosa Session at SubCat Studios.
Day 18
2014/01/18
Old Navy flag tee from 1999. Just 14 more Old Navy flag tees to go and then we'll be up to 2013.
Day 17
2014/01/17
I have never been to this bar. I most likely never will go there since I believe the hotel where it was located was imploded in 2005. The shirt is 15 to 20 years old. I picked this shirt up in a thrift store just because I liked how it looked.
Day 16
2014/01/16
It is a difficult thing for a man to live a life free from regrets. Some would say it is impossible. Regrets, I have a few. One thing I regret is not having made it to the Tiki bar Painkiller in NYC before they closed. After opening the bar was forced to change its name to PKNY because of a trademark dispute with Pusser’s rum. I met the owner and staff from PKNY in Florida at the Hukilau. An awesome bunch they were and they were the best part of Hukilau that year. And they gave me this awesome T-Shirt.
Day 15
2014/01/15
Pets.com was an online enterprise that sold pet supplies. It was founded in February of 1999 and went belly up when the dot-com bubble burst in November of 2000. The spokesperson for pets.com was a sock puppet. The sock puppet commercials were extremely popular. The pets.com sock puppet appeared in ads during the 2000 Super Bowl. I got my Pets.com T-Shirt after the dot-com bubble burst in a bargain bin at the now defunct Media Play.
Day 14
2014/01/14
Spongebob Squarepants lives in Bikini Bottom. That is to say he lives in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom, not in a bikini bottom. He lives in a pineapple there; under the sea. His best friend is a starfish named Patrick and his neighbor, Squidward Tentacles, lives in a Moai. Spongebob made a movie with David Hasselhoff. The TV series Spongebob Squarepents has not escaped controversy. Mr. Crab’s daughter is a whale, the result of an inter-species marriage.
Day 13
2014/01/13
Hopshire Farms and Brewery - had some nice beers here and took home a growler.
Day 12
2014/01/12
Every year around May or June Old Navy comes out with a five dollar flag tee. Here is my flag tee from 1998.
Day 11
2014/01/11
A pirate shirt. And rum too.
Day 10
2014/01/10
Rage Against the Machine is a rap metal band formed in 1991. I don’t like rap music for the most part – this is as close as I get. RATM is known for their strong political views. I don’t agree with everything but these guys say what they mean and mean what they say. They have personal integrity and I find that refreshing. This is the first of a few RATM shirts that will show up here. “We have determined that your whole system sucks”. The ‘Evil Empire’ is real.
Day 9
2014/01/09
The Easter Island Foundation is a charity that supports the preservation of the fragile cultural heritage of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and other Polynesian islands. The charity was formed in 1989. I got this shirt at my first Ohana: Luau at the Lake in 2011. The event, Ohana: Luau at the Lake, is held at the Tiki Motor Inn in Lake George, NY. The event is sponsored by the FOM (Fraternal Order of Moai) and the money raised during this best weekend of the year goes to help the Easter Island Foundation.
Day 8
2014/01/08
Yeah. I worked in a nuclear power plant. Are you scared? Maybe you should be. I was very much pro nuclear power. After I worked in nuclear power plants for seven years not so much. The consequences of a catastrophic failure are so unfathomable that any cost-benefit analysis is useless. One of the scientific investigators looking into Chernobyl said, “Show me an idiot proof system and I will show you the idiot.” And the nuclear industry has done a good job keeping the debate on accidents and away from ‘on-purposes’ whether from terrorist attacks or insider sabotage; truly scary stuff.
Day 7
2014/01/07
A rum T-shirt.
Day 6
2014/01/06
Third Coast Surf Shop. There is surfing on the west coast, obviously. There is surfing on the east coast. A lot of people don't realize there is surfing on the Great Lakes, or the 'third coast'. I have visited the Third Coast Surf Shop in New Buffalo, Michigan when visiting my wife's brother and his family.
Day 5
2014/01/05
Beer and Moai. Not much else to say about this one. This picture was taken today at Embassy Suites in East Syracuse. Celebrated Tristan’s birthday with an overnight.
Day 4
2014/01/04
In 1998 the Roland Emmerich film take on Godzilla was being promoted by Taco Bell. I have really fond memories of time spent at Taco Bell during this period of my life. We had “Taco Bell” night at least once a week. I really really wanted to win the Taco Bell million dollars. I wanted to win the Taco Bell million so bad that I confessed to my wife, Karen, that I would rather win a million dollars from Taco Bell than win two million dollars from the NY State lottery. Karen characterized my statement outlining the depth of my desire to win the Taco Bell contest as “just plain stupid” and it actually led to a fight. Fortunately I never had to choose between a million dollars or two million dollars. It was always just an intellectual exercise. I loved the little Taco Bell dog and his commercial where he tried to capture Godzilla with free tacos as a lure.
Day 3
2014/01/03
True story. Fourteen years ago we went to the Landmark Theater in Syracuse to see Penn and Teller. It was an awesome show. During intermission Penn Jillette was in a barrel. He had been stuffed into a barrel that was then pierced with swords. If you bought a T-shirt you could go up on stage and gaze into the barrel to confirm that Penn was indeed stuffed into the barrel amidst the swords. I would have bought a shirt anyway. I waited in line and it was Teller who was selling the shirts. I said I would take two, one of each. Teller said, “They’re selling like hotcakes”. I must have been a little star struck because then I asked how much they were. That was lame because I knew how much they were, I just didn’t know what else to say. Teller said, “I already got it”. He had picked my pocket and I was totally unawares. How awesome is it that Teller picked my pocket?!
Day 2
2014/01/02
This shirt was a present from my brother Darren who moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. The shirt has been one of my favorites and has been responsible for starting many conversations with strangers. On the show “The Simpsons” the local baseball team was named the Springfield Isotopes. In the episode “Hungry, Hungry Homer” the team threatens to move to Albuquerque and Homer goes on a hunger strike to stop the team’s move. In 2002 the minor league team located in Albuquerque changed the name of their team to the Albuquerque Isotopes. This shirt is merchandising that was done by that Triple A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Day 1
2014/01/01
"Constructing Your Future". SUNY Oswego. I got this T-shirt when I took my daughter and a friend of hers to her college orientation in 2005. This shirt has been one of my favorites; I have worn it a lot. The shirt has stains and holes and my wife is going to be very happy not to see this shirt again for a very good long while.
The daily t-shirt
How many T-shirts does Khan Tiki Mon have? A lot? More than a lot? More than that?
My wife says I have too many T-shirts. She says I don't wear them enough. This was true. I tended to have a few current favorites that I wore in a tight rotation. No more of that. I am going to wear a different shirt each and every day and see how many days I can go without repeating a shirt.