I Know Why Hank Aaron’s Record Was Broken
I now know why Hank Aaron’s home record was eventually beaten. It is not because Hank Aaron isn’t one of the most amazing athletes of all time, and I might add, he and his wife are genuinely very nice people (I met them!). It is not because of steroids nowadays. It is because there were baseball players like Dick Allen, pictured, and many others, whose ilk prevented hank Aaron from hitting 1,000 more homers because they were polluting his baseball experience with cigarette smoke. Sure, there were more baseball players back then who chewed tobacco or may have smoked in their private time, as not all folks were in tune to the dangers.
However, it seems to me that baseball players, in the arena of their athletic expression, where they needed to rely on the most lung power, were stifled by the presence of the dugout and field NOT being a “No Smoking” area. How insane is that? You may not have been aware of it as you only see highlight reels form then, nowadays, on ESPN classic. Also, usually pitchers didn’t have a smoke on the field because they needed their hands free to throw the ball. So no highlights with smoking in them. Just wait until the camera is off of them or they go to the dugout…the pitcher, catcher, and everyone else are foggy it up like chimneys.
So, dear Hank Aaron, we know if it wasn’t for your rude team mates, you would have hit so many home runs that no one would have beat your record until a special ball hitting superrobot came out of Japan (and only when they also invented the SuperRobot Pitcher to go along with it).
sports, useless information | Comments (2)A Good Source for Replacement Beads
Recently, we found a treasure trove of my great aunt’s costume jewelry. It was never really “lost.” It has been sitting in a trunk in my parent’s garage for the past ten years unbeknownst to all of us. When she and my great uncle moved out of the family home, they downsized to a small cottage, sending a trunk load of family memorabilia to my parent’s house for storage. They have long passed on and the trunk remained undisturbed, until my parents made plans to move.
Some of the paste jewelry was destroyed by the humidity, but there were still semi-precious stone jewelry that is salvageable. The only problem is that some of the toggles are missing and the thread is crispy. When I picked one up, a few beads were lost.
Since there are folks in the family who sell antiques or putter around with restoration, we thought it would be a good idea to look into Wholesale Beads & Gemstones. The beads and findings that I found at Beadofcambay.com fit the bill. The jewelry that was salvageable wasn’t rhinestone, but contained some irregularly shaped stones. I didn’t know the proper “lingo” to describe them in an internet search. The site had pictures of each shaped to help me stumble through.
I learned the difference between oval and olive shaped beads. More importantly, I found some hexagon faceted smokey quartz beads that fit the bill. In truth, I wouldn’t have been able to describe them to ask for them by name so the photos helped. Next time if you are looking, whether you are looking for sterling silver, or semi-precious gem beads, the site is definitely worth a visit. Discounts range up to 30%, so you can afford the process of trial and error.
My advice would be to document any repairs or replaced beads, just in case there are any questions in the future. It also reminds you when things were done. My memory can be as crispy as the thread was, so that would be key. The nice thing is that instead of being socked away in the drawer, family members get to wear it.
I have an idea. Buy a necklace for your sweetheart, and then buy a number of similar beads at Beads Of Cambay. Scatter them about the table and say, “See, I made it all by myself for you!”
Interview Coming? Expert Offers Fashion Tips
The theory that a man shouldn’t go into an interview with a two day old beard growth is universally accepted. If you are the lucky guy, or are the girl of the lucky guy who has been called for an opportunity, there is info about the latest shaving products at the Gillette Resource Center. Of course, a clean shave, or a fully grown in but cared for beard is not the only fashion choice that makes an impression. Gillette has info for you on that matter, too.
Style expert Brett Fahlgren, who you may know from E! and GQ, has style tips for you at Gillette Career Advantage. If you are looking to put your best foot forward during and interview or an initial probation period, it is best to err on the side of tried and true rather than taking extreme risks, at least until you check a place out. While you might tend to dress on the more adventurous side, or you may be working with a strict budget and cannot afford a new wardrobe, in either case, there is something in your closet that you can use. Editing your wardrobe may take a little time, and if you have old favorites, a little courage. Fahlgren writes, “A good rule of thumb: if you think a shirt might look too loud or busy or looks bad on you, chances are it does.”
In applying Fahlgren’s tips, the first thing you want to make sure you have is two pairs of shoes. Minimally, you want a pair of black and a pair of brown lace up dress shoes. If you are buying new or “shopping in your closet,” choose a classic style. I would also suggest making sure at least one brown and one black belt are handy. This way, you can change the colors of your accessories based on the color of your suit, or if a more casual environment, your shirt and trousers. Speaking of trousers, a pant with a flat front, rather than a pleat, flatters most men. If you are nervous about shirt choices to pair with suits, go for traditional white or light blue. Experiment with subtle stripes, such as pinstripes, or a small check pattern when you gain fashion confidence.
Do you have an interview coming up? If so, from all of us at VintageGent.com: Congratulations! I would love for you to comment and let me know how it went. Do you wish you had done anything differently with your first impression, or do you have additional words of wisdom for readers?
Opinions Please: Ever a Reason to Throw It Out?
I just read that only 14% of clothing is recycled. ”Recycled” is defined as the clothing being used for another purpose, such as creating another garment, “ragging” them to use them for stuffing for a pillow, or for other uses. This also includes donating them to a cause that redistributes them in tact to wear again. I found that hard to believe! Perhaps I know a lot of people who believe in giving away instead of throwing away, but it got me thinking more and more.
When do you dispose of a piece of clothing? And do people only recycle 14% because the rest is unusable or are they just not educated to do so?
It got me to thinking: When is a piece of clothing truly at the end of its life?
- When it is dangerous: A clothing item may have been damaged in a fire. There could be a chemical spill from an accident or a science class experiment gone awry and it cannot safely be washed, it is eaten away, or is dangerous to handle. Then yes, please dispose of it properly.
- When it is unwearable. No, I think many damaged items can go onto another life. A dress with a ragged skirt, depending on the quality, may be able to live on as a top, or a replacement bodice for another dress. A damaged tie may live on as a fabric piece in a project. Quilting, anyone? Am I really pushing it here?
- Mold. This kind of goes under the dangerous category. Some people have tried to salvage things that have black mold on it. It is dangerous.
- Too worn out. I have seen athletic shoes so “well worn” that they could walk by themselves. They become threadbare and not usable after so many years. However, could they be used in a theatrical production where a local theater group needs a character to be disheveled, a college student who doesn’t shower, or homeless? Do they need a pair of shoes to beat up even more for the character? Ok, maybe it is a stretch here too.
- Bad Memories. Some people throw out cufflinks, or a dress that reminds them of an ex or an ex owned or gave them even if they are perfectly new. Don’t do it! Donate it!
I think i need some therapy after that. Maybe I am a packrat, but I seem to really argue about not throwing things away! Does anyone out there have any suggestions about when it is okay to throw something out, and when, despite naysayers, something can be reused or recycled? Comment with your opinions!
the business of vintage, theater prop closet, trivia, useless information | Comment (0)The Host With the Mostest
VintageGent’s Menswear Daily has now been on the web for three years, and over two at this location. It caused much reminiscing, but also a review of certain housekeeping matters, such as web site hosting. It has been a long time since I have shopped around. The feeling is eerily like going back into the dating world. It is an awkward, but necessary step if you desire the ultimate end result. The end result being a beautiful lifetime, or at least long term relationship. What do you think I meant by end result? Oh. I see. Well then get your mind out of the gutter. We are all ladies and gentlemen here.
There is a list at Webhostinggeeks.com that lists different choices for various needs. For example, there is a category for web hosts that are adept for hosting multiple domains, or hosting blogs. For each listing, there are reviews from the website owner and visitors. Some sites have a few reviews, while some have in the hundreds. One cannot please everyone, so there occasionally is a review that might be very different from the consensus, but many times the consensus is consistent.
It seems to me, based on the comments, that there are quite a few hosts that charge very little. What you need to watch out for are expensive add ons. There is a blog post that mentions the bait and switch. Some of the add ons are not something I would need, but when you portion out basic services, such as one email account or email forwarding, I can see where it would get pricey. I am glad that I was able to find some comparisons. For now, I am going to stay put, even though if this site were a household, it would be due for a move based on national average of relocation. If and when I should relocate, I am glad I am aware of the new games hosts are playing to compete. By competing hosts, I don’t mean the two couples who alternately host your bridge game and try to outdo eachother with their beverage selection. You knew that, though.
Uncategorized | Comment (0)The Wide, Wild World of Hangers
Hanger tips
A non-ode to the wire hanger.
(at left: “Automatic Drawing: Coat Hangers IV” by Ellsworth Kelly)
Vintage wooden hangers
Pros: They have great provenance, often with the name of the tailors or hotel destination imprinted in some way on them. They lend an air of authenticity to any vintage coatrack or closet.
Cons: The acid content of the wood can be very high, so has the potential to damage garments being stored for the season, collected for later, or otherwise not in high rotation.
Use Them: For items that receive heavy rotation in your wardrobe. Put them in the front hall/guest closet. Guests usually have their coats their for an evening or just a week at a time, and the extra touch might impress them!
Plastic “Crystal Hangers”
Pros: Plastic is a smooth, relatively sanitary material. Storage on a plastic hanger won’t contribute to the deterioration of an item, as long as hung correctly
Cons: They do break if stepped on by accident! They are sometimes wide so not for use with children’s or some ladies clothing with very narrow shoulders.
Fabric Covered Hangers
Pros: The padding is gentle on clothing
Cons: If the fabric is not clean or has been just stored for awhile itself, it can trap
dustmites, or more so absorb/retransfer garment odors. There are scented available as well, but watch for acide content.
Use For: These are great for garment transport of delicate items such as antique garments, wedding gowns, and the like. These are also apropriate for garments that will be in rotation, or to match a decor, but to know when to clean, or replace them.
Wire Hangers:
Pros: You can retrieve your keys sitting on your car seat if you leave your car windwo cracked open but lock your keys in your car. They are lightweight. They are free from your drycleaners with a clearning.
Cons: They can puncture clothing, and can cause rust spots.
Use them: To bring your clothes home from the cleaners and then take them off. But, BEWARE – they multiply like rabbits!
Yes its true…
They arrive at least in groups of 3-5 every week from the drycleaner. There are a few that are kept with the shirts, but the rest just end up in the worst places.
I, at first, just left them hung up, empty, in the closet. Then they started taking up too much room. So I had to move them aside. I put them on the chair in the bedroom, thinking that I would think of something to do with them. They quickly spread out. Then I gathered them up and put them in a paper bag. I hate to clog up a landfill and throw them away. I kept one “just in case”. If I am ever walking down the street and drop my keys down a drain, I can take a wire hanger, bend it oragami style and suddenly, I am MacGyver. Only, he would have been able to do it with a twist tie and a gum wrapper. Since I no longer live in one of America’s major cities like I used to and have to learn to leave that mindset behind…there just is less of a possibility of something like that happening anyhow.
I cannot see myself fashioning them into hangers for wind chimes. I could stretch them out, drive out to a farm and replace a barbed wire fence with hanger wire. But that might not be a good idea either. It would certainly be dangerous. Or i could twist them into a hook and be really lazy and never reach over to pick another thing off of the ground again. And then there is the wire candelabra idea. Those the candles would slowly dip south by the flimsiness of it all. And who needs 105 candelabras of questionable fire code compliance? For the time being, I will just sit and contemplate my bag o’ hangers.
And by the way, the drycleaner won’t take them back. They will have been USED and they wouldn’t have come with those paper sleeves on them (which actually, our drycleaner doesn’t even use. They like the hangers au natural with a cumbersome cardboard insert popped between them and the garment.
You never know, they could finally make it to the garage this time, so they are out of site. Until I go out in the garage that is. But I can’t do that. Then they would be rusty. And NOBODY would want them then!
I stumbled across a site where people have a wire hanger exchange. At the moment there is someone in New York that actually WANTS them in large quantity. I don’t know if this unassuming soul knew what they were in for when they dispatched the request. They may just end up with a U-Haul’s worth from my state.
Until Next Time,
A Whole New Cirque
I saw a clip about the new Cirque de Soleil show, Banana Shpeel, and was a little surprised. It is a tribute to vaudeville and features broad physical comedy and music. I’m kidding you, right? Cirque de Soleil is supposed to be about moody music with French lyrics, heavily and stylistically made up acrobats and dancers, and high ticket prices, right? The makeup is still there, and I can’t do anything about the ticket prices, but the rest of it…au contraire. Jo-Ann Munro (Cocreative Director – Communication) takes us behind the scenes of the new production. The show opens in Chicago next month and in February in New York.
A dramatic genre switch is always a risk. It can alienate the fan base, it can be a simple add on for the fan that has seen everything, or it can breathe new life into an old formula. It is too early to tell what Banana Shpeel will do for the troupe. Despite the bells and whistles of lighting and computerized elements to drive the show, a vaudeville theme is a low tech antidote to shows that not only incorporate a multimedia approach, but are actually about technology.
While I am sure that the average theater goer will find nostalgia in the idea, I wonder if it will capture younger audiences. On the one hand, there is a timelessness to some forms of Vaudeville comedy. The style of the Marx Brothers is more akin to the humor versus the situational comedies of today. It has proven time after time that you can dust off old tapes or reels of the Marx Brothers, Keystone Cops, or the Three Stooges and they will still generate some laughs. It is not the same with the more topical humor of today. On the other hand, will the clowns and the tap dancing deter newcomers, thinking that it might be a little too old fashioned? Let’s wait and see.
Have you purchased tickets for the Chicago show? If so, how did you hear about it, and what are your thoughts? Did you purchase tickets based on your prior attendences at Cirque de Soleil shows or is this your first time?
When You Can’t Find The Real Thing
When redoing a house, it is sometimes hit and miss with finding vintage upholstered pieces prior to the 1960s that are in their original condition and that don’t need a major overhaul. Sometimes you get lucky and find something that just has not had the usage, but if anyone in your home has dust allergies, there are some types of upholstery where the years just don’t come out of them. It is no big deal as far as an occasional chair goes, but you want to use more common sense when it comes Bedroom Furniture.
Recently, I found a daybed online that was bang on as far as recreating a Bauhaus look. In fact, it is touted as a Mies-style design replica. It measures 72″, which is 6′ if you are math weary. It may not be long enough for an NBA basketball player, but daybeds are not meant for that. They are meant to curl up with a good book on, or for a guest accommodation in a pinch. To me, this would look also look good in an office or a study where a sleep sofa is just too bulky, and you don’t want to do the air mattress thing when a guest comes knocking.
I happened to find this over at Modernfurniturewarehouse.com. They have a few other interesting designs that are worth drooling over as well.
Stuff for the Pad | Comment (0)
