Why are you wearing a tie?

I get this a lot.  And because we're all such good friends here, I'll tell you.  

A couple of years ago, after I'd spent some time with those AAAT boys, I started buying ties.  It just seemed like the thing to do.  I had all these shirts with collars.  After about a year I had about a dozen ties and had only worn a tie about once during the year.  So I said to myself "longwing, you've got 2 choices.  Either you're going to start wearing ties or you're an idiot."  So I started wearing ties.  I started at about once a week.  Now I'm up to 2 or 3 times a week.

In truth, I actually prefer buying ties to wearing them.  Especially when on sale.  The ties at J. Press are priced just below the guilt threshold, so it's a relatively pain free purchase.  And let's face it,  ties aren't very comfortable.  In fact, sometimes I wonder if my brain is getting enough oxygen. And it's even worse with a tie on.

Now, when joe-blow-on-the-street asks me why I'm wearing a tie, I don't tell him all this.  I usually just say something like "Because it's still a free country, jackass."