Watch the Birdie!

This post is dedicated to CR, a lady-SM, and to BDG BB – all of whom caught the “horology fever” soon after I got somewhat cured of (the first wave of) mine.

So I thought I’d post here their choices.

My buddy, CR, purchased the IWC Pilot Chronograph Automatic, 42 mm (issued, if Chronos is to be believed, in November 2006), at what I believe to be the most reasonable price of the three watches I show here – approximately Php150,000 (or US$3,000). Check out the classy alligator skin bracelet, the new red second-hand in smaller dial on the left (its predecessor had this hand in white), and the classic look of the numerals.My lady-friend SM, on the other hand, bought an Omega Constellation at approximately Php75,000:Not bad, you say? A bit too girly for me, I think. And too commercial. Silver lining for me is, apart from Cindy Crawford, my idol, Martina Hingis, once endorsed this watch.

BDG BB is in a class all his own. He bought a Panerai – on a whim, I hear, because he had haggled for a discount on CR’s IWC with Chronos (on behalf of CR) and, not content with simply sharing CR’s joy vicariously, caught and fed the envy bug on a recent trip to HK (and he had to outdo CR, too! – in price terms at least):

I don’t know the price tag on this thing (but it’s at least US$5,000 for the 40 mm and BDG BB’s is, I believe, a 44 mm), or indeed if this is the model he bought (Don't you just love the patented crown protector of the Panerai?). I just always thought this is the classiest and most classic (albeit classified as “contemporary”) Panerai – the Luminor Marina Automatic. I know though that BDG BB bought his in a tan strap. Personally, I prefer the strap in black:

BDG BB is the clear winner, you might say. But my pal, CR, got a freakin’ good looking and highly respectable watch – at a price that didn’t cause his blood pressure to rise.

What is all this to me, you ask?

Ahh … ye of little vision. In this, a new year, I mean to catch the fever again. And this time, after having already bought my “starter kit” and seeing a whole new range of options (even as of this writing, I am considering a gentleman’s watch, thanks to BDG BB), I can be more imaginative, unconcerned about getting over “the basics,” tinker with the unusual and the extraordinary, and play….

Imagine the possibilities!!!

Happy New Year!!

Apologies for my neglect in posting here. Rest assured I have not forgotten how important blogging is for my emotional and psychological well-being (ha ha ha). It's just that I went through a crisis of sorts fairly recently (That story for a later post) and wasn't as yet prepared to write, lest the negative feelings find a way to peep through my words.

So, it's the new year ... HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! Time for some resolutions:

1. No. 1 on the list: Quit Smoking. Aaah, easier said than done, I know. But I have a golden opportunity in the days to come to fulfill the dream: I will be under the knife (knives, actually) on January 4 till perhaps the 7th for 2 surgeries: a tonsilectomy and a rather embarrassing procedure that involves the removal of some foreign, liquid object in my reproductive system (Sorry, it has to be so graphic; the scientific name of the procedure and the condition it is supposed to correct are no better). This means I will be in the hospital for at least 4 nights. FOUR nights!!! And, as you know, hospitals are no smoking buildings and, hence, no opportunity to light up them fags. I am not looking forward to it, tell you the truth; but if I manage to be a good girl (and if it were not absolutely impossible), I will not sneak out of the hospital room for a late-night smoke during my brief hiatus there.

2. Come to work on time. Again, easier said than done. But at least I am really, really sincere about making this happen. And I have the zeal for it, mind you. I'm tired of the embarrassing walks down the corridors at 10:30 am, and the stares from people hard at work since 8:30 am that go along with it. Not to mention, this'll keep Ponch at bay. (Hey, today I had a really good excuse to be late!)

3. No more fighting off sleep!!! I will manage, henceforth, to listen to my body, to sleep when I need to, no matter the time. No more sleeping at 2 am because the 2 hours between 12 and 2 am (and the alone-time that goes with them)seem too valuable a time to waste with your eyes closed. I will be modest, though; I will shoot for 1 am first and move up from there. Ha. A realistic target.

4. I will post / blog more regularly. Self-explanatory.

5. I will not procrastinate at work. This means no more putting off those "dumb things I gotta do" (like those boring admin. contract revisions) till the 'morrow. The sooner these little annoyances get done, the more time I have for the big things.

6. I will not sweat the small stuff. I will attempt not to get upset about the little things that distress small people. Henceforth, I will remind myself that there are more important things to gripe about. Mwahahaha!

7. I will shower my friends with looooove (read with a drawwwwl). Tee hee.

8. I will stop giving in to my daughter's tantrums (or her absolutely cute kawawa face), will not renegotiate time allowed for play, tv, or what-not, and will discipline her to stay at the table for meals. (Gosh, this will be the most difficult resolution to keep!)

9. I will try my darnedest not to find loopholes and "lawyer" myself out of these resolutions, despite the truth that resolutions are meant to be broken, this "contract" is non-binding (Hey, there's no consideration!) and unenforceable, it's unsigned, most of the obligations are virtually impossible to perform, it's made under severe duress (the spirit of the season -- and pressure from family) ....

10. No matter what happens, I will be good to myself this year. Ah ... now we're talking of things self-mollifying and, more importantly, achievable.

Cheers!