Lables on Jackets

I've seen this on the T for some time and back in college and I think it is a trademark of the rube or fashion backward. When sportcoats, suits, overcoats, or other business casual jackets/coats are sold (you'd definately see this in a department store) the left sleeve of a jacket has the lable of the designer loosley sewn on right above the cuff. The idea behind this is that when looking through a rack of suits, you can see the lable right on the sleeve rather than looking inside each jacket to see who designed it.

A good sales person should take this off for you, but I've seen many people leave this label on - assuming there is some cache that needs to be advertised by your suiting or coat. Of course, these people are rarely well-dressed in regards to the rest of their ensemble, but this really pisses me off to the point where I've almost said something to people about it - right there in public!

Back in college there was a kid Sang. Sang had a DKNY suit and left that tag on. I told him, "You're supposed to take that off, that is why it is barely sewn on." Of course, he wasn't going to listen to me, and left it on like a jerk. Sang had an excuse though. As a college freshman that was probably the first suit he had ever bought or even worn, so how could he know? Working people taking the T to work everyday should know better. At the very least take instruction from the best dressed men of our day. James Bond never had this lable on his jacket, not on Diddy's jackets either, or any runway modesl for suitmakers, or anyone!

Instead of these fashion offenders wearing a lable to communicate their style, all they end up communicating is their massive lack thereof!

But I'm worth it!

So I've heard this line on many reality TV shows lately - mostly spouted by women in reference to material possession - mainly jewelry - and it drives me crazy - like moon boots! It is probably a bad sign when I start to notice stuff like this across such great programming like "Top This Party" and "Rich Bride, Poor Bride," but we have a writer's strike here people!
Anyway, I noticed this and it always seems like the people who are NOT worth "it" tend to say this. For example: A fat, bossy, bride was looking for a wedding band with her fiancee. When seeing a $14,000 ring, she claimed, "But I'm worth it."

A) I don't think this couple made that kind of money
B) This is the engagement band!
C) You are stupid

The only comparison I have to these types of people (and the rich, attractive ones as well) is my wonderful Fiancee. She NEVER asks for stuff like this, and NEVER says she is worth "it" in an attempt to cajole monies from me. But that is exactly why she is worth it. That is why I've gotten her a Louis Vuitton bag and more recently, a gorgeous engagement ring. She's great in so many ways, and deserves nice stuff - but I don't need her to tell me and she doesn't have to tell me either!

Shine those shoes...

For those of you who may not know, shoe shining is apparently a dying art - like proper shaving, and old-timey large-front-wheel bicycles. So I'm the type of guy who likes a stylish black dress shoe to wear just about every day to work. So I read in many a places that one should take care of his shoes and thus prolong their life.
Since all of my previous shoes have fallen apart or the leather has cracked, I wanted to believe this to save some money and keep rocking my awesome shoes. So I did what anyone would do, step two - to the Internet!

This is a peculiar issue as there seems to be a mishmosh of conflicting procedures on the net. There are several issues the net seems to be in agreement on:

1) Use shoe trees - they flatten and dry out your kicks

2) EZ shine or instant shine products destroy the shoe over time

3) Rotating you shoes will extend their life. (This is stupid because that is just wearing them less.)

4) High quality shoes, when properly care for, can last you 5+ years with resoling and what not. Unfortunately, "High quality" means handmade in the UK or Italy and starts at around $350. The argument goes that 350/5 is less than 100 a year for the crappy Kenneth Cole's I'm currently wearing.

What they don't agree on is just how to "properly care for" your shoes. Some say you need to clean, condition, polish, and then protect your shoes - EVERY WEEK! That is way to much work for me! Other's say just a clean and polish - but then my OCD kicks in - what do you clean it with? What is the best for polishing? What about mink oil- does that really condition the leather or just create a mess? Some people say Kiwi is good, others say it is crap - but where do you buy this stuff from? I don't need a whole kit, because I already have most of the stuff, but mine still cracked - was it just crappy shoes to begin with?

Well, I have a new pair of Johnston & Murphy shoes on their way to my apartment - so I'm sure this will not be the end of this tirade!

Step Two: To The Internet

So, something has caught your attention, huh? Perhaps it is that store, the Art of Shaving and coupled with your newly found obsession concerning a better shave, you can't get it out of your mind? Or maybe it is a recent bought of spam/spyware on your computer opening up the possibility of a new one? Or maybe you want to buy some loverly lingerie for the lady in your life (yes, that was some alluring alliteration)?

Either way, it has bored into your mind - and being a dilettante, it probably has set up shop and even hung drapes in your brain. Alas, the next step is only logical - TO THE INTERNET! Now, it used to be books and opinions from other dabblers, but that god for the Internet. So what happens to me is a quick run to Wikipedia, corporate website, forums, blogs, and anything else - you end up becoming increasing educated on whatever your subject matter is. In my personal quest for a better shave, I've come to find out that Gillette razors are a load of crap and the old safety razors give a better, albeit with a little skill, shave - and the razors are 50cents a pop... I could go on and on about shaving, but this is about Step Two.

In the case of lingerie for the lady or yourself if you happen to be a lady - a simple look opens a universe of options - now who could just make a decision without becoming more informed? Then you have to find brands, better brands, history, what makes one item different from another, etc... That process applies to just about anything, whether it be corsets, plasma screen TVS, or fine timepieces.

At the end of this procedure, you'll probably buy something - or commit at a later date. But one thing you'll have for sure is a wealth of new information. This information sticks too because you NEEDED to find out the details. I don't know quite why it sticks (more in another post), but you end up with a passing expertise on vintage ladies stockings, what nanometer ram is coming out soon, and why a badger hair shaving brush is the best.

How does this happen?

Since I've started to write this bad boy, I've been thinking a lot about how this dilettantery comes about. So I've brainstormed, geeked out, and put it into a process flow. So roughly it starts with being a curious person, but then it grows from there...

Step One - Perking the Interest
Step Two - To the Internet!
Step Three - Telling Others
Step Four - Weighing the Decision
Step Five - Just a Phase?
Step Six - Next!

I'll post more about each one of these to explain the process of the Dilettante as I see it. Starting right now!

Step One - Perking the Interest -
This is the beginning. Like I said, a person who is curious is most likely to be a Dilettante, so someone reading, and listening, and being on the internet is bound to be exposed to something interesting - so the Dilettante relates it to themselves. For example, having a painful shave in the morning? If you see something that relates to your interest (new shaving products) perhaps you'll now be attune to new ideas. Or you'll say to yourself, "There has to be a better way to do this!" That is how it starts - a better way, a new way. So, to the next step...

Back from Xmas

Hello,

I've been away due to good old Xmas - and yes it was awesome. I've even had some great promotions of this blog at the dinner table. Anywho, I wanted to talk about the curse again. I feel it big time now - I'm currently dissatisfied with my job. I work at a big faceless corporation in a little cube. I make decent money, but you can always use more. I'm at a point where I should really know what I want to get into, but I still have no idea.

I routinely contemplate this while riding the T. I always ask myself what I would be good at, but I keep running into the problem of thinking I'd be good at a lot of things - and it seems that what I really want is change.

On one hand, I'd like to pursue Client Relationship Management - because I like to talk... at length. And I've had experience with many different areas within the asset management operations field. On the other hand, I think I'd like to try to work on programming because I think there is tremendous opportunity in the derivatives operations software industry. But am I just convincing myself of these opportunities because I don't like what I am doing now? Will I feel this same way in 6 months at a different job. Will something else perk my interest and I'll want to do that?

What will be interesting is a crap shoot to the dilettante, but there will always be something else. Always another thing to make a hobby/pursuit...