Heh, watch this

typed for your pleasure on 2 January 2006, at 11.43 pm

Sdtrk: ‘Neat neat neat’ by the Damned

This is just plain embarrassing.


Holy crap, it’s ô:41? I’m late!!

As the top two vertical bars on the second-from-the-leftmost digit have suddenly vanished, it looks like now I have to buy a new watch. I’m like the White Rabbit*; I always have to have a watch on me so I either can be assured that I am indeed running late for whatever, or so I can periodically check it in order to formulate a proper excuse for taking my leave. The funny thing is is that I’ve had this watch since.. egad, it’s been since at least 1999, cos I’d bought it for my Quest job. I needed a timepiece small enough that would allow me to stretch a pair of rubber gloves across it.
No, unfortunately that job was a lot less kinky than it sounds. There was pee involved, however.

Compared to my gradeschool/highschool tour of duty, my timepiece needs are a lot simpler. In fact, up until my Quest job, I’d gone through several different versions of the calculator watch, finally reaching my peak with the first version of the CASIO Databank that stored addresses and phone numbers and the like. It’s true; I was kind of a nerd! So fuck you. But I’ll tell you this: with my last couple of watches, I was getting tired of the plastic strap it came with, so I bought this black leather affair for it, which sported one wide strap down the middle, and a narrower strap on either side, which made for a truly cyberpunk presentation, even without the silver studs that it boasted. I wore that bastard until two of the three straps gave out. I loved that watchband..

These days, however, I don’t need to store all of my sundry information into my watch, for goodness sake, that’s what I have my phone for! So a smaller watch is what I require. Anything 1) digital and 2) under $15, cos let’s be honest — spending more than $15 on a feckin’ watch is lunacy. Unless, of course, it’s one of the retro-futuristic watches sold on Tokyoflash. But sweet slow-roasted Christ, those are expensive. Not to mention complicated. And heavy. Here’s a prime example:



Morse Code by Morse
‘Tokyoflash is proud to present the first ever Morse Code watch.

The watch has 3 modes for telling the time.
Using a bulit in speaker that refracts the sound off your wrist through the solid stainless caseback it sounds out the time in Morse Code.
If thats to hard to follow, you can press a button to see the time in Morse Code on the LED display.
If that’s still too hard to decipher or your running out of time, one more press of a button you can see the time in regular digit form.

Stimulate your mind and learn to tell the time in Morse Code.

The quality is second to none with 150 grams of solid stainless, this watch is built like a Navy Seal!
With its high polish strap & mirrored lens – in bright sunlight you could even signal in Morse Code.’

JAPAN RETAIL: ¥18900 (161 USD)
TOKYOFLASH PRICE: ¥12900 (110 USD)

Looks ace, but the price is a wee bit prohibitive. Plus in comparison, by and large you’re not gonna be too concerned if anything adverse happens to a $15-or-less watch.
Getting back to my malfunctioning timepiece, frankly, I’m surprised that it’s taken as long as it has to start going out-of-order. Note that I say ‘start’, as it still basically works — it’s not as if the screen has gone out — but it just doesn’t work very well. It’s like driving a car where the left turn indicator doesn’t work. You can still drive it.. just not very well. Funnily enough, between the time I bought this one and now, I’ve actually gone through three other watches, not to mention the fact that I’ve only replaced the battery once (a couple of months ago) since purchase. Hrrm. Maybe this watch killed the other watches? I suspect foul play.

So I suppose this week, I’ll scour Target and/or Meijer half-heartedly for a new timepiece. O, the Excitement.
Upon reflection, this post reminds me of the time that I went on about buying a new electric shaver! I am dutifully continuing the legacy of being a cheap bastard

*Speaking of the White Rabbit, d’ya know what would be absolutely perfect? A digital pocketwatch. That would be the best product ever, hands down

Random similar posts, for more timewasting:

Garfield, as written by Samuel Beckett on August 6th, 2006

My friend, you are not David Brent on March 25th, 2005

8 have spoken to “Heh, watch this”

  1. SafeTinspector writes:

    Frick, that watch looks sweet!
    Now…if it pushed out little pins braille style…

  2. Tim writes:

    Personally, I don’t like wrist watched, becuase they’re irritating. I think as time goes on all Antiquated accoutrements will be assimilated and streamlined into the cell phone communicator and the laptop tricorder. give me a phasor, a stylish uniform and beam me down to some god-forsaken ball in the alpha centari quadrant of the known universe.

  3. Davecat writes:

    The ‘cellphone communicator’ and the ‘laptop tricorder’. Whoever heard of such a thing??
    Next, you’ll be wanting personal jetpacks, flying cars, Gynoid loveslaves, and videocassette recorders. Where does it end with you??

  4. Jeff "Wolfgang" Lilly writes:

    The only true solution is to grit your teeth and spend the money on a high-quality watch. Sure, it’s expensive at first, but the fact that it won’t read “o:41” in the future is nice. The watches I use were made in 1887, 1911, and around 1948. All three run and keep accurate time. I bring them in for an oiling and inspection every five years or so and that’s it.

  5. Davecat writes:

    Keep in mind that you seem to have confused me with someone who has ‘money’. 😐
    Besides, they didn’t make digital watches prior to the Seventies!

  6. Jeff "Wolfgang" Lilly writes:

    Ah… I’m an analog man, myself.

  7. SafeTinspector writes:

    Sundials for me. That and water clocks. I hooked my water clock up to a HEPA filter!

  8. Davecat writes:

    The timekeeper / drinking fountain. You may be onto something!
    Or just on something, I’ve no idea. 🙂

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