Greetings, Iron Heart Forum!

Some of you might remember me from several years ago when I used to be an active member of this vibrant online community. However, life took me on an exciting journey, and I haven't had the opportunity to participate here in quite some time. So, I thought it was about time to reintroduce myself and reconnect with all of you wonderful folks.

Life has been a whirlwind for me since my last post. After the birth of my second child, Remi, life became a delightful blend of chaos and joy. Oh, and there was this thing called Covid. Kinda weird and strange times. To add to the mix, I embarked on a new career journey, securing a tenured professorship in creative writing and literature at Los Angeles City College. I've been there since 2016, but things were finalized just before the pandemic hit. It's been an incredible experience, and I'm passionate about nurturing the next generation of writers, literary enthusiasts, and AI chatbots.

In addition to my professional endeavors, my personal life has also seen significant changes. My lovely wife, who some of you may remember, has transitioned into the role of a doula, supporting expectant mothers on their journey to parenthood. You can learn more about her work on her website: https://www.doulabrandi.com/

Of course, the most important aspect of my life remains my family. My two children, Ruby, now 8, and Remi, who just turned 4, are growing up fast, and being a parent has been a truly rewarding experience.

Recently, I've picked up a new hobby that I'm passionate about—disc golfing. If any of you share this interest, it might be fun to create a dedicated subforum here on the Iron Heart Forum to discuss all things disc golf-related. If such a subforum doesn't already exist, maybe we can start one together!

I'm genuinely excited to be back and look forward to engaging in meaningful conversations with all of you once again. It's been too long, and I can't wait to catch up and share experiences. Feel free to drop me a message or reach out anytime.

Until then, TTFN
-Will

Do you ever obsessively peruse the Iron Heart website, staring at the same Western denim button ups that you don't own trying to convince yourself you "need" them? If yes, then this post is for you. If not, please go complain about Game of Thrones or whatever other activity you find more important than Iron Heart Westerns.

I love classic denim version of the 33. It's a staple of my wardrobe. As of late, because of the LA climate, I find myself wearing it as a "shacket." It's a nice weight and is bearable in the high 70s, even 80s if you're brave enough. That said, I find myself gravitating toward the Westerns that Iron Heart has to offer.

I've had my eye on the black version of the 33, but, from the pictures, couldn't justify the purchase. Low and behold, I find an excuse: my birthday. (It's on Thursday; pm for my address and you can send a check for 20 dollars like my grandma still does. No joke. She really does. I'm 37, too.)

Anyway, I am happy to report it's worth the money. I did not compare this to the overdyed version in the pictures, but it's distinct enough from the classic blue denim to make the purchase feel justified. In the pictures below, I paired it with both yellow and green in order to show the difference between the two colors. From a couple feet away, you can't notice too much of a difference, but up close there's a remarkable difference. Also, the black 33 has a slubby texture to it. It also has a really interesting smell. I don't know if I'm the only one, but if denim has a cool smell to it it makes me like it more. (I know, I'm strange.)

Hope this helps you when considering the black 33. I know when I I was contemplating buying the shirt, I wished for more info and pictures about it.

Thank you to @Chesson for all the help with sizing. I think we got a winner.

Here's a better picture.

@Giles Iron Heart is the best mistress because of all the facts you've listed.

This is the one. 

I was able to get a little something extra on this pair last weekend. Thanks for the help in that department @AdamC and @Giles and the rest of the Crew who helped.

Does this look too big? Size down, perhaps?

There was a substitute today in my class.

Probably my favorite pair of IH jeans I've owned. Surprisingly, it's not a chore to wear them. The other 25oz pair I have is still a struggle. I even ran in them. (It was a very short distance.)

@Mizmazzle Always excited to talk about leather fading.

@Jett129 Thanks, buddy!

Thanks guys for the warm (re)welcome.

Greetings, Iron Heart Forum!

Some of you might remember me from several years ago when I used to be an active member of this vibrant online community. However, life took me on an exciting journey, and I haven't had the opportunity to participate here in quite some time. So, I thought it was about time to reintroduce myself and reconnect with all of you wonderful folks.

Life has been a whirlwind for me since my last post. After the birth of my second child, Remi, life became a delightful blend of chaos and joy. Oh, and there was this thing called Covid. Kinda weird and strange times. To add to the mix, I embarked on a new career journey, securing a tenured professorship in creative writing and literature at Los Angeles City College. I've been there since 2016, but things were finalized just before the pandemic hit. It's been an incredible experience, and I'm passionate about nurturing the next generation of writers, literary enthusiasts, and AI chatbots.

In addition to my professional endeavors, my personal life has also seen significant changes. My lovely wife, who some of you may remember, has transitioned into the role of a doula, supporting expectant mothers on their journey to parenthood. You can learn more about her work on her website: https://www.doulabrandi.com/

Of course, the most important aspect of my life remains my family. My two children, Ruby, now 8, and Remi, who just turned 4, are growing up fast, and being a parent has been a truly rewarding experience.

Recently, I've picked up a new hobby that I'm passionate about—disc golfing. If any of you share this interest, it might be fun to create a dedicated subforum here on the Iron Heart Forum to discuss all things disc golf-related. If such a subforum doesn't already exist, maybe we can start one together!

I'm genuinely excited to be back and look forward to engaging in meaningful conversations with all of you once again. It's been too long, and I can't wait to catch up and share experiences. Feel free to drop me a message or reach out anytime.

Until then, TTFN
-Will

Will get some. 

Nothing yet, @Daniel San    I use Bick 4 on my other boots. Probably will do the same.

@Daniel San once they break in, they will fit like a glove. I’ve worn these a lot this winter and they look great. They seem to “age” slowly. I get so many compliments on them.

@setandsetting, they will not, unfortunately. Try Lost & Found or Standard & Strange. Both can special order from their site.

@Giles Ah, my friend has that exact grill! He loves it.

For those of you who like to make yakitori, what is your grill of choice? I've heard good things about this one: https://www.korin.com/KON-109-35-46

Any strong opinions on the matter?