A few weeks ago, I discussed a little personality quirk I have. (No, not THAT one!) Throughout my adult life, I have purchased quite a few inexpensive wrist watches. I have no idea why I’m so fixated on watches. But since I never spend more than $50 on a watch, I figure it’s better than being fixated on Porsches, yachts, or the meat counter at Stop n’ Shop. (Have you seen the prices nowadays?!)
After that column appeared in the newspaper, one alert reader sent me an email inquiring about my Apple Watch. Four or five years ago I wrote a column about buying an Apple Watch — which was NOT inexpensive, unless you consider $450 for a single watch a minor expense. If you do, then we are from completely different socio-economic worlds.
After that column appeared in the newspaper, one alert reader sent me an email inquiring about my Apple Watch. Four or five years ago I wrote a column about buying an Apple Watch — which was NOT inexpensive, unless you consider $450 for a single watch a minor expense. If you do, then we are from completely different socio-economic worlds.
Anyway, I forgot about my Apple Watch, so I have to revise my claim: “I only purchase inexpensive watches — except for one time when I made a boneheaded decision and wasted $450 on a mini wrist computer.”
I forgot about the Apple Watch because I never wear it anymore. That expensive device is now sitting on the night table next to my bed, functioning as an alarm clock — an alarm clock that cost me about $430 more than necessary. I stopped wearing it because it’s not waterproof; it needs to be recharged every evening; and when you lift up your arm to see what time it is, there is a brief but annoying pause before the display screen lights up. I know having to wait an extra one-third of a second to see the time shouldn’t be a big deal, but I just found the pause irritating. So, I went back to wearing my cheap-o watches and demoted the Apple Watch to alarm clock status.
At the very end of that column a few weeks ago, I also mentioned another of my quirky fixations: I own way too many pens. I have enough pens right now to last me the rest of my life, even if I live to be 4,000 years old. I have enough pens to outfit every high school student in Litchfield County.
I forgot about the Apple Watch because I never wear it anymore. That expensive device is now sitting on the night table next to my bed, functioning as an alarm clock — an alarm clock that cost me about $430 more than necessary. I stopped wearing it because it’s not waterproof; it needs to be recharged every evening; and when you lift up your arm to see what time it is, there is a brief but annoying pause before the display screen lights up. I know having to wait an extra one-third of a second to see the time shouldn’t be a big deal, but I just found the pause irritating. So, I went back to wearing my cheap-o watches and demoted the Apple Watch to alarm clock status.
At the very end of that column a few weeks ago, I also mentioned another of my quirky fixations: I own way too many pens. I have enough pens right now to last me the rest of my life, even if I live to be 4,000 years old. I have enough pens to outfit every high school student in Litchfield County.
I mentioned in the column that I’m not sure how many pens I own because I can’t count that high. That’s actually not true. I definitely can count into the hundreds, but I have no idea of the total number because my pen empire is scattered throughout many different locations: my desk at work, my desk at home, the top of my bureau, the cup holder in my car, a tin can on the kitchen counter, a bin with office supplies locked in our storage unit, and probably a dozen other places I’ve forgotten about.
Right now I feel kind of guilty. And not because I’ve spent a lot of money over the years on a gazillion pens. Just like my watches, the pens I like the most are inexpensive. Since I was a youngster in school I’ve been partial to Bic pens. You can get a 10-pack for a couple bucks at Walmart. If I remember correctly, I wrote a column many years ago about good ol’ reliable Bic pens.
Right now I feel kind of guilty. And not because I’ve spent a lot of money over the years on a gazillion pens. Just like my watches, the pens I like the most are inexpensive. Since I was a youngster in school I’ve been partial to Bic pens. You can get a 10-pack for a couple bucks at Walmart. If I remember correctly, I wrote a column many years ago about good ol’ reliable Bic pens.
However, my affections have shifted during the past year, so I hope the Bic folks aren’t too upset. My current favorite writing instrument is the Sharpie S-Gel. Ooh, it feels good in my hand, writes smoothly, and a 4-pack is only five or six dollars. Yes, that’s a major price hike compared to Bics, but it’s still better than making impulse purchases of Corvettes.
Well, that’s enough about those particular personality quirks. Maybe next week I’ll tell you about the other one, you know, THAT one!
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