Rolexes

Hey all,

I haven't done a thing this week. I have had 3 flag football games this week. I haven't even watched TV. I am too tired to read, so nothing.
All my flag football teams are getting rolled on. The first grade boys are kind of having a hard time focusing (imagine that). We have practice one day, and all we do at practice is this ONE play. Then the very next day, at the game, we go to run this play and half the kids are looking up in the sky doing pirouettes and the other half has no idea where to go. One kid starting running the wrong way with the ball.
My fifth grade team is going pretty good. I think most of the kids are having a good time. We played an undefeated team yesterday, and I think we held our own pretty good. We were down 18-7 at halftime and on the last play before halftime it was our guy running all by himself and somehow got caught from behind. That was a game changer. We lost 38-7, but it was much closer. They scored two quick ones at the end.

Well the other coach got the "why isn't my kid playing" speech from one of the parents this week. It is so difficult coaching. You have to try to manage the game. You try to put kids in a position in which they can succeed. You tell everyone their pass patterns, and at the end of the game you get three kids coming up to you and telling you they didn't catch the ball today.

We played a team last week that practically gave it to the same kid almost every play. It's tough... and you are wondering why I can't sleep.

I am not going to tell you that I am leaving today to HOT-LANTA to watch the team I am not talking about in the SEC Championship game. And that is all I am not going to say about that.

Okay,

I am a watch guy. I look at everyone's watches. I don't know what is about watches. I know some people are shoe people. My wife, she is a ring person.

Are we all like this in some way? Is there something you check out on people? Shirts, necklaces...tell me your thing, it's anonymous.

Anyway, I look at everyone's watches, and really I don't know much about watches. I recognize a nice watch, but to be honest with you I wouldn't know if it was $15 or $15,000.

Okay, I will be honest with you, I look for Rolexes. I don't know why. I heard one time by someone, "They make a statement," and I think this is true for me. For me, I think watches tell me volumes about people. I just know they are easy to spot, at least for me.

That being said, I am not much of a watch guy myself. But I have been. My father had a Rolex, when I was in high school, that I have always liked. So when I got out of dental school I wanted a nice watch. I was hoping he would give it to me, but that was not going to happen.

But one Christmas, my wife bought the watch from my father and gave it to me. I think I was 31 years old. I was thrilled.

About a month after the gift giving I went to change the date and the stem pulled right out of the thing-a-ma-jig that turns the hands.

Usually if you have a watch that breaks you throw it away. This watch is too expensive to just throw away. So I had to find a jeweler that is a Rolex certified guy. Well you know what I found out about Rolexes...they have to be serviced.

WHAT?!!

Yeah, they recommend that every year you get the watch tuned-up. So 10 years ago I paid my father $1000 for a 15-year-old watch. Then I had to have the thing serviced and put the stem back in the thing-a-ma-jig for the low low price of $650.

Isn't it great to have a Rolex?

I told you they make a statement.

So after a couple of years of having this thing (no, I never did service it again. Did I ever tell you about how cheap I am?) I didn't like the watch.

No, I said that wrong. I loved the watch. I didn't like who I was when I was wearing it. It made me feel like I was somebody.

So when I went out I would want people to see it. I found myself pulling up my sleeve so people could see it. "Does anyone need to know what time it is? No, well let me tell you anyway." I wanted for people to see the statement that I was trying to YELL.

When I am at work it was the total opposite. I didn't really want people to see it. I would be bringing someone up to the front, while saying goodbye and filling out the router (this is the form that I use to tell my front desk personnel how much the procedure is going to cost) and I know the person is really going to struggle to pay my bill. I know they have a bunch of kids that come here and they are just scrapping by to be able to afford my dentistry. Meanwhile, I am rolling around in my phat watch.

So there is a lot going on in my head when I wear this stupid watch.

First and foremost, the money doesn't make any sense. I mean who in their right mind is going to have a watch serviced for $400. I could buy 8 Timex running watches for the same price as the SERVICE on this watch. It made me feel more special than I deserve. I mean, if I need a watch to fit in or feel a certain way, well...I know, I totally need therapy.

And I didn't want my patients to feel like they are paying my high prices just to fund my luxury.

The reason why I am bringing this up today is there has been an episode that I want to tell you about. I want to wear a watch again. I use my cell phone to tell me what time it is and I hate it. I have to go in my pocket and pull the thing out to tell me what time it is. It is too much effort.

So I wanted to pull the Rolex out again. It is the only watch I have.

I stopped wearing it about 5 years ago because of all the stuff above and because the band was breaking. Turns out the band is silver and gold. Well as you know the gold on the band is soft.

And as I told you the watch is about 20 years old. The gold links have stretched out and they are starting to break. I have had them soldered and soldered and now I think I just need to have the band replaced.

I took the watch out of the jewelry box and sent it to the guy I have work on my watch.

He calls me and tells me that I indeed needed a new band and they cost...wait for it.....$1800.

ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS for a watch band.

He then goes on to tell me that they make off-market Rolex bands that will look just like a Rolex band and they are much cheaper. I was still having a hard time focusing after the above mentioned price so I asked him what the off-market bands cost. Just $850.

Now this is just plain ridiculous. We are talking about a 20-year-old watch. I just want to wear a watch.

"Or" he said, "I can repair the broken link for $50."

"DONE, now you are talking my language"

How do you think a gold Rolex with a black face with diamonds on every number would look with one of those Velcro bands on it? Trust me I thought of it.

I think spending that kind of money in any economy is foolish. I think maybe when my kids are gone and I have money to just blow I might pull the old Rolex out and buy a new band (in 15 years what do you think the price of gold will be? The band might cost $5000 by then) but for now I think it is back in the jewelry box again. I think for now in this stage of my life, the Timex Triathlon is looking real good.

Thoughts?

Have a great weekend.

Hey does anyone have the time?

John

p.s., if anyone has a old Rolex band sitting around and wants to sell their favorite blogger a band...I thought I might as well check.