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Published: August 20 2012

Buzz Fleischman - Columnist Page.Global warming, climate change and summer in South Florida all mean the same thing; it’s getting hot around here.

It’s time for vacation, which means taking your stuff to a new location. This is called ‘packing’ which is different from the term ‘get packing’ which means you’re leaving, but not because you want to.

For some, the worst part of vacation is packing. An average man would rather go with what they’re wearing and buy shorts and Tee shirts 3 for $10.

Some people like to start a few days prior to vacation making sure they think through the wardrobe process with different outfits each day. These are the same people who line up their underwear in their drawers according to color and/or fabric.

Part of that rule for men states that if an article of clothing becomes ripped or tattered you can wear it until people start asking if you’ve either joined a grunge band or are in the forefront of some new fashion trend. This does not apply to underwear which may be worn until it literally falls off.

I personally had a favorite pair of Fruit of the Looms for so long the only thing left was a label still hanging on to a large rubber band. Don’t throw away useful items like this. Headband fashion is coming back.

There are certain rules one may follow when packing.  Everyone has favorite clothing they like to wear on vacation. Maybe it includes those loud shorts and Hawaiian shirt you would never wear around your neighborhood. Some of those rules include not worrying about what or how much to eat. Even if you add an extra couple of pounds, no one will notice except your pants. I allow 10 minutes of pack time for every week away.

If you know which drawer or cardboard box your underwear and sox are in and where your pants are thrown, packing’s a snap and you’ve got a leg up. It’s a wrinkled leg, but chances are no one will know you unless it’s a family function and they already know how badly you dress. Don’t disappoint them!

I don’t worry about how the clothes fit in the suitcase because I know the airport security person, if they’re your size, will pick and choose what they want and throw the rest back in, knowing you can’t tell if anything’s missing.

When you see someone at the airline counter looking at you and talking into a communication device, they’re actually reporting to their friend in the baggage area, who also operates a vintage clothing store downtown. After your trip, visit the vintage stores and you’ll pay up to 4 times the original price for those favorite shorts you once owned. Happy traveling!