For the record: Yes, a $20 Timex quartz watch is going to be cheaper and more accurate than any mechanical watch. But then again, that kind of misses the point of a mechanical watch. You don’t get mechanical watches simply to tell the time (Shoot, in this day when every cell phone has a clock in it, and 90% of people have cell phones), you don’t get a watch period to simply tell time. In some cases you get a mechanical watch because you are fascinated that something purely mechanical can tell time with a remarkable degree of accuracy (again, not as good as quartz, but only gaining or loosing a second in 5000), in others its because you want something that is not going to last 15 years, but a lifetime with proper care and will be passed down to your heirs. In some cases, you wear a mechanical watch simply because you like the way it ticks

Mr. Whiting’s coffee is, however, irreproachable. I used to live in Albuquerque and bought from him personally for years. I’ve always admired his business model and you’re right, mail order from him is the only way to go. My coffee bill runs under $200/year.

Got what I needed from the article!

I heart the IntarWEB!

I also heart exclamation points!

–

(Joni Mitchell)

(Like your blog.)

David

(great pix, looking forward to seeing more!)

They charge per leg?….THEY CHARGE PER LEG?????

Other than that, sounds like a great trip – can’t wait to see photos. Glad you’re home -

Sep00Michael G Casey email michaelgcasey@hotmail.com

The Watch and Me ©

By

Michael Casey

I suppose my love affair with the watch started when I was just a child

now 30 years on the passion is still there . I remember lifting up my

dad’s shirt sleeve to look at the watch on his wrist , watching the second

hand sweep around and asking what time was it , not that I really

understood the concept of time , I knew midnight was always dark , that

was about it really . Oh apart from some special time called “opening

time” and “closing time” , our lodgers would pay their rent at the back

door before rushing off to the pub , it was a mystery to me .

A cousin of ours was to be ordained a priest in Dublin , so dad and

2 of my brothers went off to Dublin for the ceremony . I remember Tony

coming back with a watch on his wrist , it had a black strap and had a

small face , then at the bottom was seperate dial with a second hand on

it , we all thought it was very posh . So being children we now used this

dial to see how long we could hold our breath , we’d take a deep breath

and pump up our cheeks then Tony waved his hands and we’d start our

endurance test . Only stopping when we fell over our faces brilliant red

and our eyes bulging . I remember Tony seemed to win this game always ,

not because he cheated but because he loved under water swimming so had

mastered holding his breath . Then we had a contest to run down the yard

past the hedge to the bottom of the garden and touch the fence and

come back and touch the wall of the house , we were all young and mad then

but such simple fun was all because we had a watch with a second hand .

Jim was our lodger for 20years , when he’d been with us for 11 years

I badgered him for a present , for a watch . if I passed the 11 plus exam.

Finally he gave in and gave me his own 2nd best watch , in fact I got it

before I even sat the exam . So the watch Jim gave me was my first watch

ever . The trouble with leather watch straps is that they dig into your

flesh , so you loosen the strap but then the watch dangles , so I

compromised by using stretch straps , then you can slide a stretch strap

all the way up your arm , until it feels comfortable . I also always liked

mechanical watches , it was a night time rictual , taking my watch off and

winding it up , setting the time against the chimes of Big Ben on the

radio . So you can see just how important a watch is to me . There is just

one thing I’ve forgotten to mention , watches always break . Well when I

wear them anyway . For the past 20 years as a computer operator I’m always

carrying something and banging my watch on doors or whatever . So they

break , leaving my watch in the bathroom while I take a bath was another

of my bad habits . Watches steam up on me , or the winder gets rusty and

breaks off , or I break the glass , or the glass falls out . Once the

glass fell out , so I glued it back again , only to make a mess of the job

and glue the hands of the watch together as well . Finally I decided to

get a quartz watch , they were accurate , only my sweaty wrist steamed up

the face constantly , so I couldn’t read the time . On average a watch

lasts me 1 year , my sister Mary always laughs every time I show her my

latest new watch . A simple Lorex watch was the best one I ever had , its

lasted 5 years . However I must confess that it has only lasted me that

long because when dad was in hospital after mum had died and he had nearly

died too he wanted a watch so he could pass the time , by looking at the

watch , so he’d know when his next meal was , the fact that there was a

clock on the wall not 2 yards away did not matter . Of course I took the

watch off my wrist and gave it to him . he was my dad and I loved him , so

if a watch would please him , he could have mine . That was 4 years ago ,

dad is called the miracle man , by the doctors , he beat death , dad’s

time was up and the grim reaper made an appearance twice , but dad is

still alive and kicking , my watch ticking on his wrist . Or so it was

until last month . Jie Jie my Chinese wife bought me a fancy watch for my

Birthday so I gave dad my watch , a fancy Esprit model , amd I retired the

old one , but I have kept it as a souvenir , we all thought dad would die

in weeks , but his heart is still ticking as strong and reliable as a

Rolex watch . I think when we all die , if we are not worthy of Paradise

immediately God will issue us with a Rolex and we have to wear it for a

billion years , until we are worthy of Paradise . God’s watch is the

turning tides , the movememnt of the stars accross the heavens and

rumbling super vovas , after all didn’t time begin with creation . It is

us stupid mankind who try to limit it to a dial on a watch .

BUYER BEWARE!!!!!