Mr. Bill George

A story of a decade long desire…

In 2001 a movie came out called Vanilla Sky. In it, Tom Cruise plays an extremely wealthy individual. (That’s all you need to know in the context of this story.) At one point, he checks his watch and the camera gives us a close up of it for about two seconds.

I didn’t notice it when I saw the film in theaters, but when I got my hands on the DVD and began to study the film (honestly, I watched it many, many times) I noticed the watch again. I paused the movie during that close up and examined the watch.

It was simple, sleek and sexy. I knew that one day, I wanted to wear one too.

After a couple months of on and off searching, I found it.

The IWC Mark XVI Pilot’s Watch.

(Granted, he’s wearing the Mark XV and the company has since moved on to the Mark XVI. We’ll go with the XVI because it’s still being made and I actually like the changes made.)

I’ve almost always worn watches. And I’ve always been trying to find a watch similar to the Mark XVI but it has always left me feeling like something was missing. I was always trying to find a watch that would satisfy my needs. But I’ve found fault in every watch I’ve ever owned, simply because they are not THE watch. 

It’s been ten years since I first laid eyes on the THE watch…

And today… I wore it…

I finally found it at Tourneau at the Natick Collection. I had a great conversation with the assistant manager there and I shared my story with him. It was a wonderful moment. 

And now I know why this has been, and always will be, THE watch.

As Wayne says of his ideal guitar, ‘It will be mine… oh, yes… it will be mine…’

Editors Note: THE watch costs $4,000…

Things I Learned From Re-Watching the LOTR Trilogy This Weekend:

(Spoilers Ahoy)

- Pippin is a piece of shit. He ruins EVERYTHING. First he starts the fire on Weathertop that attracts the Nazgul and gets Frodo stabbed. Then he disturbs the waters in front of the mines of Moria which upsets the Octopus thing that forces them inside. Then, while in Moria, he knocks a skeleton down a well and attracts the forces of Mordor. Idiot…

- Peter Jackson doesn’t know how to end a movie. He does a full fade to black at a fine ending point… while there’s still 30 minutes left. Then five minutes later, at another perfectly acceptable stopping point, he does ANOTHER fade to black. Then, he does a full fade to white at the ideal ending place… but there’s still ten minutes left! Never fade to black or white unless it’s all over. Rule number one. Would it kill him to try a cross dissolve?

- The conclusion of the Battle at Minas Tirith still bugs the hell out of me and leaves a bad taste in my mouth regarding the entire saga. All films considered, this is a 9.5 hour story being told. And with only two hours left we are introduced to a troop of ghost pirates that owe Gondor a favor.

The entire series has led to this battle, and what happens? It is the cheapest victory in history. They sweep over the battlefield like a green mist, striking their enemies… but not being able to be struck down.

Let me reiterate that point, because it’s the one aspect that really bothers me: they’re INVINCIBLE.

If Aragorn asked them to fulfill their oath and then they transformed back to their former selves and became an extra set of soldiers that helped even the fight and eventually they overcame the forces of Mordor: I approve.

But instead, everybody that fought and died up to this point have done so in vain. And everything leading up to this moment (all 7.5 hours of storytelling mind you) seems silly and trivial because, no worries, we have a force of invincible ghost pirates who will take care of this whole ‘Army of Mordor’ thing for us in 30 seconds flat. It’s such bullshit. I am infuriated right now just typing this.

And if you’ve read the books (which I have not) please don’t immediately get up in arms because they lay the groundwork for this conclusion more so in the novels.

I don’t care.

A movie must be judged as its own, stand-alone product. And even if that’s how it happens in the book, that doesn’t excuse it. That doesn’t make it any less lazy or cheap. Whether I saw it happen on a screen or read it happen in a book, my feelings remain the same.

Regardless of the intellectual property, I hate when people shrug off faults by saying, “well, that’s how it was in the book.” Ooooh, really? Okay, then I guess that makes everything peachy. Wrong! Stupid is stupid, regardless of the medium.

/Rant

How a Task Becomes a Chore Becomes a Nightmare 

Went to the nearest dealership to get my state inspection sticker taken care of.

They don’t do inspections there. Directed me elsewhere with non-sensical verbal directions.

Search ‘car inspection’ with my phone. Am directed to local Pep Boys.

Arrive at Pep Boys. They don’t do inspections. Recommend Goodyear.

Arrive at Goodyear. They don’t do inspections between 12 and 1 because of lunch.

Current time: 12:30.

Eat lunch nearby.

Arrive back at Goodyear at 1.

Wait 45 minutes for inspection.

Failed. Needs a bulb replaced and license plate covers must come off.

I ask if we can do it now instead of me going elsewhere and coming back. They say sure, but they are short a guy today and there are other jobs that need doing so I need to go back into the queue.

Wait 30 minutes.

Finally pass inspection.

Elapsed time from departing home to arriving home with mission accomplished: 3.5 hours.