Note: On another website, I participate in an activity called a "Dash." We are given a prompt. The prompt can be a word, a phrase, or even a picture. We have fifteen minutes to come up with something. This prompt was ... wait for it ... "National Sweat Pants Day." Sweatpants. I remember them well. Going back to my high school days in the 1960's. Only a few people wore sweatpants back then. The gym teacher wore them. Wrestlers wore them, to keep warm and their weight down. Football players wore them for days when they had what they called light practices. Basketball players wore them. And that was it. They were plain grey, with no design, and were, quite simply, boring. But there was something about them. In fact, there were two things about them. They were warm, and they were comfortable. And, somewhere along the line, they became a fashion item. First you started seeing them with the emblem of the school or team. I have a bunch of sweatpants that say "Line Mountain Eagles Football." My nephews used to sell them as a part of fundraisers. Then you started to get them color coordinated, with hoodies and such. Some had stripes on the sides. And you started seeing people wear them as clothing. Usually women. Yes, it was quite common to see a woman in a supermarket wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt or golf shirt, shopping. Next they became a wardrobe staple. Comfortable, easy to wear, easy to clean. Now they showed up in regular stores as well. The final straw was seeing them at a Penn State football game on both men and women. Always navy blue, with the Penn State football emblem on them. About a year ago, I quit my part time IT job and retired for good. I began volunteering at a local, no-kill animal shelter. Feeding the dogs and cats, changing litter boxes, cleaning up poo and pee. And, of course, walking the dogs and playing with the cats. Guess what I wear? Every day I work. Comfortable, easy to clean, and they handle spills well. Guess what I am wearing now? Long live sweat pants!