Simple Living

Everywhere was packed.  Wasted an hour driving around and just went home.  Picked up a Raspberry Ice Tea.  Chapter 6!  Playing 'World Order - Welcome to Tokyo'

Chapter 5 - Grouping & Windowing SQL. Trying a Strawberry Smoothie. Good stuff.  The multiple ways to group and use various options, like a CTE.

Alright, let's get it cracking...another weekend...more study.  Ended up at Starbucks as the other Coffee Shop had no parking.  Lighting is good, seats are comfortable so I might just return back to Starbucks.  I hope to push ahead and try to knock out three chapters 4, 5, 6.  Got 17 total and that would put me 1/3 of the way to completion. Good stuff...recursive CTE (common table expressions).  Pretty wild I can now follow and make sense of all this code!

I stuck the Rolex Explorer I back on the Leather Hirsch strap.  While it does dig into the sides a bit, I like the overall look and feel.  Been using this combo for a few weeks now and it's very comfortable.  I love the steel bracelet, but something about leather makes it feel more casual and low key.  Love it.  And how funny....I'm now desiring a Jaeger LeCoultre Revereo.  Go figure, let's see how my tastes change and what'll it be next?

Here is an older pic when I started studying for the MCSA.  This was one of my last times at Starbucks (although, in hindsight the lighting, chairs and tables are much more comfortable than another coffee shop I've been frequenting recently).  I may return back.  But anyway, I'm marking the 'study shot'.  So what are you studying today?  

Put it to the test and was studying @ 3am.  My amazement, I wasn't alone and there were others also studying.  Granted, I think they are still in school and I'm purely voluntary.  Weird to see the morning shine in...it's been a while since I pulled an all-nighter.

The MCSA certification is much more rigorous then I had originally thought.  I am studying the first book 'Training Kit 70-461 Querying Microsoft SQL Server' and it's packed with info.  Taking some time to digest.  This will not be easy for me.  Although, I've already written and used much of the code discussed for years, the way the book dives into the minute detail humbles me at how poor my code has been.  My typical study arrangement...iced coffee,iPad, headphones, pen & paper.  Trying to hit up non-Starbucks locations.

I'm sure there are plenty of copycats of the Breguet 5907.  The 5907 is one of my dream watches and at times I'm torn between that or getting a Patek.  Seems the world views Patek Phillipe as the best and Breguet merely a high end brand, but not in the same league.  But being a preowned 5907 costs about $10,000...I'm not getting one anytime soon. The best I can settle for is a homage.  Not a replica or knockoff, but a homage.  The most decent I could find is the Rotary GS02424, which is probably closer in resemblance to a 5920 as it has a date complication, but close enough and for under $150, a reasonable deal.  It's the same watch that Benedict Cumberbatch wears in the Sherlock Holmes series and enough people have confused it with a Breguet to make me interested in owning one.  Not to pass it off as a Breguet, but to try it out and see if I even like that style of watch and consider would I be willing to shell out 10 grand for the real deal?  The hard part is find

Notes to myself.  I'm leaning on picking up an skx again...maybe the mid size 013 or full size 009 Pepsi. Seiko SKX Models Full size (40mm dial , 22mm lug) - 200M rated 001 - Silver bezel 003 - 005 - Classic Trio 007 - black 009 - Pepsi bezel 011 - Orange dial 173 - black - square hour markers 175 - Pepsi bezel 399 - black - square applied markers 401 - Pepsi bezel Titanium 403 - Black dial, silver bezel 405 - silver dial, silver bezel Monsters 779 - Black Dial , silver bezel 781 - orange dial, silver bezel Mid-Size (37mm dial, 20mm lug) 013 - black 015 - Pepsi bezel 017 - Orange dial Mid-Size - 3 o'clock crown 021 - White dial 023 - black dial 025 - Pepsi bezel 027 - white dial 031 - black dial 033 - Pepsi bezel

I wanted a Seiko 5 SNZF29 as it's a better size, but they are hard to find and only one I saw was asking $400, ridiculous for a basic Seiko 5.  Instead, I picked up the bigger SNZF17J2 and it's not too bad.  The dial is a glossy black with applied indices that have decent lume.  Lugs fit 22mm straps and it looks good on a dark brown leather band. Now for the bad...bezel is crap, it does 'turn' but you need to really grip it hard for it to move.  It's pretty much for 'show' only...although, then I got mine preowned so maybe it's defective?  The skx007 had a much better bezel action.  It has a typical +15-20 second/day accuracy which is average for the 7s movements.  I leave it crown up at night and that seems to even it out by slowing it down a bit...I'm still experimenting and getting it close to +5 seconds/day.  This one uses the 7s36 a 23 jewel calibre vs the 7s26 21 jewel I've see in other 5's.  But I see no difference in quality or f

Seiko 5 Model SNKK33.  The Seiko 5 line of watches are great and a good value as they are very inexpensive to purchase.  New you can find many for $70-80 and used ones for even less.  They have basic Automatic Movements so they are not the same as a higher end ETA 2824 or 2892, but they are excellent for basic watches and to get into the hobby.  You won't cry if you break this $50 watch, but you might with a $5000 Rolex. Hirsch Liberty on Seiko 5 The SNKK33 come standard with a stainless steel bracelet that honestly is crap and very tinny and has a cheap feel.  I chucked it for a leather band.  I gave it a go and was very pleased at how it looked on the Hirsch Liberty Band.  It'll accept a 20mm band (although there are many models of Seiko 5 and they can range in what size bands they will take.  SKX007 take 22mm and some Seiko 5 can take 18 mm).  Overall, I love this watch and am comfortable wearing it in rotation with my Rolex or Omega.  The three things I would want is

SQL Server is on my plate of things to study up on.  See some good stuff in this book.

Sweet.  The Hirsch Liberty Strap arrived! Tried it on the Rolex, but it was way too thick and was rubbing against the case.  I'll stick to the black leather strap. And so it went on the Omega and wow...I love it.  Idk how to describe it, but the blue and brown exudes a vibe that feels like this combo was from a bygone classic maritime era. Very happy with the Hirsch.  The Omega looks better on brown strap.  Must warn you...the Hirsch Liberty is very thick at 4mm.  It's twice the thickness of any of my other leather straps. Gave it another go and got it to fit on the Explorer.  It's a really tight fit, but it looks ok.  Color wise black dial and brown strap looks good, but it is a little thick.  I'll try it for a while and see if it grows on me.  Comfort wise, it's nice.

Sourced a 20mm rubber Bonetto Cinturini 285 strap from an old Casio watch and tried it on the Omega Seamaster 2531.80.  It actually looks pretty good and gives it a more sporty feel.  I've been trying a variety of watch bands to see what works and while it looked okay on a black leather band, it feels better on the rubber strap. I also plan on trying a Hirsch Liberty Brown Leather band and later a Hadley Roma PU Ballistic Band in Black w/ Orange Stitching.  I'm banking on the Hadley Roma to make this Omega truly sing for me.  I spend most of my time on a computer and the stainless steel band is getting scuffed up. Also, my arm tends to expand during the hot summer months and I'm tired of changing links.  The Omega is not the friendliest in adjusting sizes on the metal band.  There is nothing like a simple watch band change to help make an old watch look more appealing.  I'm loving the Seamaster again. Update 5/19/14 Dang...even though it's tearing,