Watch Obsession

It is true that I am obsessed with wrist watches of all types.  I have been for as long as I can remember.  When I was very young my father came home with a Bulova Accutron Spaceview on his wrist. I thought it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen.  Right then and there I was hooked.  

For the next 30 years my obsession was held in check by my lack of funds.  Now as I have some cash it has flourished into a full fledged hobby.  I am a watch enthusiast as opposed to a collector.  An enthusiast buys watches for their enjoyment, to wear and use as part of their everyday wardrobe.  I try to keep my collection small, buying and selling watches to fund the hobby.  I am amazed at how many brands and models there are.  The supply of new and interesting timepieces seems to be endless.  I truly believe that this is a hobby that could last a lifetime.  It is relatively harmless, if you can control the buying impulse.  There are plenty of groups for enthusiasts to join so that they can share the obsession with other enthusiasts.  As for watches being a relic of the past and quickly being pushed out by the smartphone, well, I don't buy it.  I think the wristwatch is here to stay.  They are miniature machines with beauty and artistry.  Here is a picture of my newest acquisition.  It is a work of art.  Take a moment to absorb some of its beauty.  

Resume Attached

How come there are so many people unemployed and I can't find a decent candidate to interview, never mind hire? Somebody needs to teach people how to write a resume and a cover letter. 

I'm serious.  I get all kinds of crap from potential candidates.  Don't they realize that this is the one shot they get at making a first impression.  The resume and cover letter are what, hopefully, leads to an interview.  Why would you send a sloppily written cover letter and an equally poor quality resume to a potential employer?  How long does it take to write a brief, well constructed, intelligent cover letter? Don't send me a form letter, a hand scribbled letter, or worse yet, a FAX cover letter with the words "resume attached".  That is the fastest way to find your paperwork heading to the shredder. 

I have two job openings for candidates with a bachelors degree in the biological sciences.  You would think that having a four year college education would enable these candidates to construct a grade A cover letter and resume to submit.  I am very disappointed in the quality of applications I see.  I think colleges and universities have done a great disservice to their students if they have not, at least, taught them this job hunting skill before they set them loose on the world.  

Good luck to all candidates hunting for a job.  If you don't know how to send in a proper cover letter and a resume, please ask around and maybe somebody can help you.  It will be worth your time and effort.

Painting Project

My wife and I started a major painting project over this long holiday weekend.  Honestly, painting is not my favorite thing to do.  I think my biggest issue with the chore is that it takes so much time out of your weekend.    I know some people enjoy painting.  I'm just not one of them.  

The real reason we took this on is that the existing carpet was shot.  These were last two rooms in the house with original carpet.  We cleared the MB and my office. As of this report we have two coats of paint on the MB walls and the office is prepped and ready to be painted today. Once painting is done it will be a few weeks before the carpet will arrive and we can reassemble the rooms.  Everything is packed into the spare bedrooms at this point.  Disassembling the room was harder than I thought.  The computer in my office along with the two printers and all the network connections took some time to pack up properly.  Also, this was the first time in 17 years that we really did anything in the office.  Plenty of stuff that needed to go in the trash.  The MB has been painted before.  The issue there was the furniture and moving it out.  A bigger chore than I anticipated.  At least today I can see the end of the project.  The office will paint quickly as we are painting the ceiling and the walls the same color so we do not need to be as careful as we were in the MB.  

I certainly will save a bunch of $$$ with the DYI project.  Back to work.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.  I know how I'll be spending mine.  

Sink Hole Nightmare

Ohio sinkhole swallows car; driver climbs ladder to escape.

Fourth of July

New Commandment

Save Our Post Office

I've had my frustrations with USPS over the years as I ship a lot of watches all over the world.  However, I think the USPS is an important part of American culture.  I believe that the USPS can be run in a manner that serves the people and is financially sound.  Please help save the USPS.

Save Our Post Office