Random Observations #003

Assassination of Navalny and my 10 y.o. YMC sweater.

There are so many things I wish I could write about one day. In this new series, I attempt to put together my random thoughts and observations on clothing and related subjects in a shorter, more approachable format. This is one way for me to capture thoughts before they sink into oblivion. If you find any of the subjects helpful, do not hesitate to share your feedback in the comments below the article — I’d be happy to expand.

In the third episode of Random Observations, I reflect on the losses.

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Assassination of Navalny

On Friday afternoon, my wife ran into the room crying. ‘They killed Navalny’ she said. Killed but did not break.

Vladimir Putin’s regime has been killing people with impunity for decades. Unfortunately, the number of killings only grew over time. I am terrified and furious about the regime that took over my motherland and now murders people, both natives and foreigners, on my behalf and for no reason.

I am neither a war nor a political expert to prove every Putin’s crime. But the Russian invasion of Ukraine happened right in front of my eyes. I can’t unsee how it already caused irreversible harm to hundreds of thousands of people. Many of them lost their lives and homes. Others had to flee their homeland forever. Most people stopped speaking to some of their relatives and friends.

Alexey Navalny has been fighting Putin’s regime for over a decade. Three years ago, after being poisoned by Russian secret services and barely surviving, Navalny went back to Russia, knowing he would be imprisoned right off the plane. So he was. For three years, he has been tortured in one prison after another. In late 2023, Navalny was put into a maximum security penal colony built by Gulag prisoners in the Stalin era. Yet, the man still had the guts to joke during the trial process the day before being murdered.

For me, Alexey Navalny means more than his political views, more than a man himself. For me, he is the symbol of resistance. No matter the evil you face, you keep staying strong, brave, and kind. Because good will win over evil.

Before Navalny’s return to Russia and the following imprisonment, the eponymous Oscar-winning documentary was shot. The man was asked to leave a message to Russian people in case of being killed. He said not to give up.

The full documentary ‘Navalny‘ is available for free.

My Old YMC Sweater

This winter, I pulled out my old light-grey YMC sweater. I took a selfie in that sweater while wearing my TCB 50s jeans over a pair of sweatpants after another wash. It’s made of brushed lambswool yarn in the style of the iconic J. Press Shaggy Dog. At ten years old, it has a frayed collar, cuffs, and hem. I don’t consider it to be worn out. Quite the contrary, those scars symbolize the times I went through in the sweater.

But then I recognized holes in the elbows. Like literal holes. You don’t wear an item so worn out.

I remembered this sweater had already had such holes on the armpits. I went to visit my grandparents while wearing it. My grandma mended the holes just because she felt like it. The mendings are still holding strong.

Fortunately, YMC still has this very sweater in rotation. But I don’t want to buy a new one. I want to repair my old one. But I am not capable of mending. I just wish I could see my grandparents again.

Fuck Putin. 

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That’s all for the third installment of Random Observations. It was a personal one. Thank you for reading until the end.