Last week I introduced you the first watch in my amateur collection and asked for name suggestions.
You rolled your eyes and refrained from participating.
But I’ve started something, so I must continue,
This week’s piece is a strange and quirky one from the ‘70s, a Swiss-made Lucerne jump hour that belonged to my grandfather.
It is a mechanical, hand-wind watch which I currently have attached to a black rubber strap off of an Orient Kamasu divers watch.
What would you name it?
Filed under watches
Maybe about a week ago Timothy Daugherty, a friend, asked me on Facebook, “Do you name your watches?” My reply was, “No. I’m not THAT obsessive.”
He asked the question because I had recently posted some “glamor photos” of several of my watches. I was bored, and it was just something different and fun to do instead of going to sleep. I should have gone to sleep – I don’t get enough as it is.
But it did get me to thinking about what I would name my watches if I actually named my watches. Believe it or not, I found it easier to name our children.
BTW, I have a thing for watches.
So, last night, while I was once again fighting sleep, an idea flashed in my brain. Why not do a weekly blog post where readers on my blog and on Facebook decide what to name each of my watches?
It’s either a great idea, or it’s not. Either way, I’m going forward with it.
This is how it’s going to work… Each week I’m going to post a picture of one of my watches, along with each piece’s back story. Then, in the comment sections of both here and on Facebook, you can leave your suggestions.
For the next few days after each post, I will collect your suggestions and then compile the top 5 that I like. Then, probably on Facebook, I will create a survey/poll where you can vote on which one you like the most. The name with the most votes will win.
The person who first suggests the winning name will receive a prize! A prize? YES, a prize!
The winning name suggester will receive an autographed picture of the watch being named – if you want it, of course 😉
So, let’s get to it . . . time’s a ticking!
This watch was purchased back in the mid-’90s from Rone Regency Jewelers in Chattanooga, TN. The way it came about is that my wife had bought me a beautiful, expensive, very complicated Seiko chronograph for a gift. Oh, it was a beautiful watch, but for some reason, the second hand kept messing up. At one point it fell off! After getting it fixed more than once, I was not the only one frustrated.
Instead of keeping the original watch, and instead of dealing with the mounting suspicions that I was doing something to the Seiko to make it break, the manager suggested I exchange the Seiko for another watch. He suggested something a little tougher (and not as expensive), then guided me to the watch you see here.
Watchu see is a classic Swiss-made Swiss Army watch sporting an aftermarket red-striped NATO strap. This watch is powered by a quartz movement (uses a battery) with a date complication. It also hacks (which means you can stop the second hand to set a more precise time).
The 38mm case is made of resin and has a stainless steel screw-down case back. The crystal seems to be mineral.
Unquestionably, the most outstanding aspect of this watch is the red-enameled stainless steel bezel.
So, can you think of a name?
Filed under watches
For some reason, I’m feeling like there’s the possibility of something profound in this question. I don’t know why. Prohound? I don’t know.
Anyway, if you have a canine member of your family, what did you name it, and why?
My dog has several names, and there’s a legitimate reason for each.
George Boogidee Baker
OK, I don’t want to be prejudiced, even though I prefer dogs over iguanas. But if you have another kind of inferior pet, you can get in on this discussion, too.
Pet names for your spouse or significant other doesn’t count.
Filed under animals
If you have lived for any amount of time, like most of you surely have, I’m positive there’s been a time or two when the air was knocked out of you by some bad news.
Think of something you’ve experienced – not so bad as the death of a loved one, though, – and you’ll understand how I feel right now.
The first thing you need to know is that I name children on my school bus. If that sounds strange, the reason is because sometimes I can’t remember their parent-given names, especially early on in the school year. Therefore, I give them a name in the same way my Native American ancestors did; I name them based on something I see.
For example, one girl is tall and thin as a stick, so I call her Sticky. There’s a boy who always runs from his house to the bus, so I call him Runny Boy. Flower Girl lives on a street called Magnolia. Flower Girl’s little sister, a 5th grader who started riding my bus in Kindergarten, blew bubbles on the bus, so… her name is Bubbles, a name which she fiercely defends (she’ll go by that name in college one day).
Another little girl started riding my bus four years ago, I believe. The thing that set her apart from every other child on my bus was her smile – it was constant and predictable. So, when she started riding my bus it was cooler weather, therefore she always wore a hat that looked like a fox head (with ears and all). That’s when I started calling her Happy Fox.
This afternoon, as I was standing in the big room where all the children come to sit in their designated areas, each one with a sign that displays the number of the bus they will ride, Happy Fox walked up to me with only half a smile.
“I’m gonna be leaving you,” she said with an uncharacteristically somber tone.
“What? You’re gonna be leaving me?” I asked jokingly.
“Yeah,” she said, “I’m not going to be riding with you anymore.”
A little shocked, I replied, “Really? Why not?”
With an brave little attitude that some kids have – the kind that care about the feelings of others and don’t really expect your sympathy – she explained, “Yeah, well, my mom and dad are breaking up, and I’ve got to go live with my dad…so I won’t be riding anymore after Friday, I think.”
That. Hurt. On. So. Many. Levels!!
Here’s the thing: God hates divorce! You want to know why? Well, besides the fact that it is the opposite of what God wants, which is a picture of faithfulness that mirrors His faithfulness to us, it hurts a LOT of people, especially the children!! … And the bus drivers!!!
Too often couples will separate for the most petty of reasons. Others break up for good reasons, but the reasons were preventable. Nevertheless, no matter the reason, there are very few of them that are insurmountable, should the offended couple think of others besides themselves.
Today was a good example of the ripple effects divorces have. Sure, some couple thinks their lives are going to be better now that they don’t live with each other, but children are going to suffer; future families are going to suffer; risks for many bad things are going to go up; and even people like me are going to cry, get in an ill mood, bite the heads off their own families, and write depressing blog posts at the end of the day.
I just pray that Happy Fox can keep that smile.
“Anthony, your email has been hacked,” so said my wife when she called me. “Are you serious?” I replied in disgust. “Maybe you should reset your password,” she suggested.
Oh, I did…again! This wasn’t the first time I’ve received a notification that my email has been hacked (#*!%#@! Yahoo!). And, it’s not easy keeping up with new passwords, much less when you constantly have to change them after some boob has hacked your email! Dang it!!
(And in this case, when I say “dang it,” I really do mean what I can’t write.)
I might as well just give all of you my password right here and now. Why not? I mean, I’m going to have to change it tomorrow, anyway, right?
So, you get it… Some jerk (whether it be a person or a machine) found a way to send emails with my name attached. Somebody, posing as ME sent emails to my FRIENDS…as ME.
But, honestly, all of this would be a non-issue if those people who get these hacked emails would just stop and think. I mean, seriously!
Why would I (the pastor, the preacher, the Christian author) send stuff like the following to people I know?
If you are stupid enough to click on any of the above emails supposedly from me, just unfriend me, don’t call me, and delete me from your contact list. If you seriously think I would send out trash like that…give me a break!
If nothing else, am I making millions from home? Hardly. So why would you take my advice? Or, you could be wanting to just see what kind of perversion I could be smeared with, right? Shame on you.
Seriously, folks, what bothers me most about this email fiasco is that some people would actually click on something vulgar, even with my name attached. Why?
When you see my name attached to an email, letter, tweet, Facebook message, or whatever, and it doesn’t fit my character, delete it!
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” – Proverbs 22:1
“A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.” – Ecclesiastes 7:1
My name and my reputation are important to me, and what I send out on the internet should be that which reflects a man of God. If it is trash, it’s not from me.
And, yes, I’m considering a new email provider.
Filed under current events, General Observations, Witnessing
Did you ever have other kids make fun of your name when you were young? I did. They always made fun of me because of my last name – Baker.
Smart aleck (sp?) brats with more dirt under their fingernails than brains in their heads would say things like, “Hey, Tony Baker! Let’s call you Bony Taker! You gonna take my bones?” Others would make fun of my name by asking, “Hey, Anthony, why don’t you bake us a cake?”
First, my name is not Tony; it’s Anthony. Second, I don’t bake. Third, in a day when people are getting away with crazy stuff, don’t ask anybody to take your bones…not a good idea.”
Fortunately for me, Howard Baker came along.
Senator Howard H. Baker, Jr. (1925-2014)
On Thursday morning I learned of the passing of one of Tennessee’s more famous sons, former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker. He was 88 years old.
Politically speaking, Senator Baker (nicknamed the “Great Conciliator”) was not exactly a shining conservative star. But even though he was no Ronald Reagan, he was, however, a decent human being with the same last name as mine, and that alone made him a hero of mine when I was a child.
Yes, when some kids would make fun of my last name, asking who else would have a silly last name like mine, I’d just point them to Howard Baker, Senator, Reagan’s Chief of Staff.
Then came Jim and Tammy Faye…
Howard and I only have ONE “k” in our last name, thank you very much!
R.I.P., Senator Baker. Thank you for helping me survive elementary school.
Filed under America, current events
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The Recovering Legalist 