Odds and Ends

I generally make some attempt to hide my more egregious flaws from myself and the public eye but periodically a public airing is necessary, not to rid myself of guilt (that's the lowest of all excuses) but to take heed and learn from the generous consul and tips for betterment, such confessions elicit.

Today is such a day, when I share my sins in order I may learn, and perhaps save another troubled soul. May the bridges I burn light your way.

I. I am a bounder!!!!!!!!!!!

My trip to Boston was an errand of mercy. My bonus daughter moved in with us soon after her college graduation. She came home for a family wedding (shown holding Joe)and never looked back, and I'm tickled to death. My job (is this boy work?) was to reinforce her goodbyes to her boyfriend (Ben Sidran's point #1), gather her belongings, load her car and drive it home. Easy Schmeesy. Unspoken, was the #1 admonition to bring her dog Milo, home safe and sound (more later). Which wasn't so schmeesy.

I made tres clear, before leaving home, to Mrs. T that I wasn't coming straight home. In fact, publicly and in advance, I rattled the green eyed monster's cage by informing her I had separate dates with 2 attractive, accomplished, vivacious women, who just so happened to live 500 miles apart. For a week I was target of the monster's velvet sheathed jest, butt of her jokes. So what's so bad about that?

Due to the vagaries of travel, I stood both women up.

Ladies, once again, I'm sorry. I'll regret this for a very long time.

2. Why don't I get Angelina?

An newspaper article caught my eye. Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker are the two highest paid female actors in Hollywood. I have no truck with the either women or the sums involved. More power to them, but...

What flaw is in my character that causes Angelina Jolie to leave me cold? Not a scintilla of interest on my part.

3. What's wrong with this picture?

This photo is from Bill Cunningham's "On the Street" column "The Ponies" in the July 3, 2011 NYT.

Any number of us have the individual pieces to copy this look, but don't, for which I'm glad.

Is this one of those" if you have to ask" you'll never get it, sort of things, or may we simply credit advanced age on my part? There is something in me that doesn't get shorts, sports coat and tie, when not in Bermuda.

4: And finally:

While in Boston I had the opportunity to meet local bon vivant and raconteur Yankee Whisky Papa creator of the blog Boxing the Compass. Over postprandial cigars he captured a true rarity of a photo.

In the past 15 years you may count on one hand, having digits in reserve, the number of times I have worn a long tie. May be another decade before I do it again.

Boxing the Compass photo

I liberated the snap below from Manifold Destiny. It's origin, I now know to be Kiel James Patrick, but I don't necessarily disagree with its sentiments, in moderation.

Kiel James Patrick poster

Have a great weekend.

Toad

Techno Boy

Today is not my day to shill, but to inform.

Once upon a time, I knew it all. In life, I was a consultant to the telephone industry, since retiring the world has changed and I know less about technology than a 12 year old . This from a guy who no longer has a cell phone, or answering machine.

I came across an IPHONE app that intuitively felt pretty cool, and may be of use to you, or your family.

Line 2 is an the app. It isn't cheap ($15/month), but it may pay for itself a hundred times over. For your $15 here is what you get. A telephone app which looks, works and feels exactly like your standard IPHONE. A second telephone number for your IPHONE. Perhaps a personal number and a business number? Home phones have had that feature for 20 + years. If you have looking for a reason to scrap that seldomly used home phone line, this may be it. Unlimited US and Canadian long distance calling, and about 2 cents a minute elsewhere.

BUT

And this may be the real deal for world travelers, those with kids scattered around the world, those who get lousy AT&T reception. Line 2 not only uses the ATT network, but it prefers to use a wireless internet connection to place and receive calls. The internet provides better reception than AT&T, and all calls worldwide are FREE.

If you have a wireless router at home, or your office, the free internet calling may reduce the ATT minutes you need to pay for every month.

My sister in law has kids in school in Australia. No one really wants to use SKYPE any more than they have too. They use it because it's cheap, not because they want to see who they are talking to, except for ADG who uses it to say goodnight to his lovely daughter across town.

SIL and her daughter have found Line 2 to be a cheap and easy substitute. Probably works for military stationed overseas as well.

Obviously, I've never used it, but it sounds useful. Take a look at David Pogues NYT video on Line 2's home page.

Toad

Strickly a NY thing?

I finally got around to tackling last weekend's NYT yesterday. My routine is to begin with the Style section, head to Business, the Book Review and Magazine then let whatever catches my fancy take over.

My real favorite part is the Vows, at the back of Style.

Last weekend's featured couple were in their mid 40's. He was a nerd who had never married and had never had a lasting relationship. She had just left a 23 year relationship when she met the groom to be.

So they dated a year, he asked, she accepted, they tied the knot.

He likes his man cave of an apartment, she likes her pepto bismol pink apartment with her cats and parrots. What's a newly married couple to do in such circumstances?

You got it. THEY WILL MAINTAIN THEIR SEPARATE RESIDENCES AND GET TOGETHER FOR WEEKENDS!!!!! I asked, Mrs. T said no.

Can you imagine? Is there anywhere on the planet other than NY City where a guy could successfully pull this off? How would the conversation begin? Is this a marriage?

Toad