Knot a Blog: 2006年5月

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5月31日

A Fantastic Ending... a Dreaded Beginning

Tomorrow (June 1st), hurricane season begins. Let's hope that that is enough said. For now, I'm concentrating on an ending to a fantastic week, with ties representing fantastic animals.

Tomorrow, the necktie is weird, a dark burgundy floral-paisley mix, it seems to me, with strange irregular white outlines throughout the design. I'm wearing the tie for its embroidered unicorn, near the bottom, an emblem of its manufacturer, Bronzini, which is repeated on the label on the back. ("100% silk, fresh from Italy")

Friday, the week finishes up with a Winnie the Pooh necktie. (Pooh, © Disney, polyster, Korea).

Although I have never read the Pooh stories, I actually had a close encounter with Pooh himself... in New York City. That, together with the memories of unicorns past, must wait for another entry. So, our venture into cryptozoology isn't over yet.

Click on photo to enlarge.

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5月29日

A Fantastic Ending

These two ties represent a fantastic ending to the month of May, but more importantly, they mark the beginning of a special program at work that will run through the end of June. Since it is work-related, I am going to wait until after the program to say much about it, except that I shall be having a lot of fun with my neckties during the following weeks... even more fun than usual.

The unifying theme for these two ties as well as for the ties that I will wear the rest of this week is imaginary animals. And so, once again, we have Snoopy, and we have a surprising appearance by griffins.

have several computer-themed ties, and I have thought about doing a week of them. But, just as I encourage my visually-impaired students to make their computers part of their lives in many ways, so do I like to mix and mingle computer themes across various weeks. At the beginning of the program, tomorrow (5-30), I can use this necktie for identification. I'm the computer instructor (recently have had a new title added, "rehabilitation technologist"). I think it pleasant to be identified with Snoopy, the great beagle who has appeared in this blog previously. ("Computer Whiz," Peanuts © United Feature Syndiacte, Inc., silk US)

On Wednesday, I'll take a classic turn. In fact, the repetition of a single small image is a classic pattern for neckties, and the griffin is a classic image. So, it is appropriate that the label reads "Classic by Belk," although one hardly thinks of classics and Belk in the same sentence. The material is classic dacron polyester, fairly narrow, and softer than the polyester ties that almost turned me against wearing ties. The original price tag, for $7.50, is still sewn in.

[Update: Apparently, I made a mistake. No apparently about it. I did make a mistake. The image is not of the griffin but of the lion rampant of heraldry, including Scottish flags. But, on the bright side, that mistake gives me two critters to provide links for.]

Today is Memorial Day, traditionally the beginning of summer, but in central Florida, summer doesn't have a distinctive beginning. Let me shamelessly refer you to an article I wrote some years ago, "A Memoir for Memorial Day." I don't think it appropriate to refer to a Happy Memorial Day! I prefer to say that I hope that you had a meaningful Memorial Day.

Click on photo to enlarge.

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5月24日

The Icelandic Birthday Bash

I have mentioned before my fondness for A Prairie Home Companion. This past weekend, Keillor and crew were in Iceland, together with, among others, Bill Holm, a Minnesota native of Icelandic descent.

He told a story about a birthday party in Iceland. No neckties were mentioned, but it very much made me think of my blog, so much so that I want to recount it here.

It was a birthday party for a man who is deaf. Although he is deaf, a choir came in to sing for him. The experience moved the singers, the waitresses, the guests, everyone except the guest of honor, to tears. He was "having as good a time as it is possible for a human being to have on this sometimes grief filled planet." (The story and the quote are from Eccentric Islands © by Bill Holm.)

Of course, singing for a man who is deaf would remind me of selecting neckties to wear while working for people who are blind... people with whom I share this sometimes grief filled planet, who share the grief, but who also find some joy.

Click on photo to enlarge.

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5月21日

Theme without Thematics

Ever since Lent, I have been making up for the lost time of dots and stripes and such with some of my more outrageous neckties. During the month of June, for reasons that I'll explain later, I'll be digging up some wild ties and offbeat themes (imaginary animals, anyone?). So, this week, I'm going to present a theme that is not based on thematic ties (that is, representational or figural ties), perhaps a mini-Lent. Just wait till you see these ties, however.

Perhaps you'll check out the photos to see if you can figure out the theme... which is... a very arch-tie-pal design for neckties. All five of these ties have strong vertical designs that are just a little off-center, just enough off-center to add a horizontal energy as well. As vertically challenged and horizontally endowed as I am (translation: short and fat), I need all the verticality I can get.

These designs all suggest the grand old days of grand old neckties such as I began the year with but haven't worn in months, ties from the 1940's and 1950's, such as Mr. Will Stuivenga wears and also chronicles and celebrates on his blog. Onto the basic vertical pattern, various sorts of icons and designs are imposed. These ties have a formal, almost architectural quality, but at the same time, there is a jazzy, almost improvisational feel about them - a dash of squares, a pinch of semi-circles. In fact, I have an image of the outdoor jazz festival held on the campus of Lakeland's Florida Southern College, with the music bouncing off the Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, the largest single site of FLW buildings in the world.

These are very tie-y neckties, in fact, probably the tie-est neckties I have. Unfortunately, I had to leave off the pointed ends of these ties (gee, wonder what that might symbolize?) to get the main elements of the design.

Monday (5-22) has the simplest base design, solid colors on either side of the vertical divide, but with a splash of energetic rays. Or, as a friend asked, are they Japanese fans? Brace yourself, because this is the most restrained design of the week. (Palani, Italian silk, US). Palani, by the way, is the name of a region of India.

The ties for Tuesday (5-23) and Wednesday (5-24) add vertical lines. Tuesday's tie uses a basic palate of red, black, yellow, with just a hint of gray. (Fratelli Moda, silk, Italy) Wednesday's tie has a rich blue on one side, gray and black stripes on the other, with yellow, blue, turqoise, and red squares peppering the tie in an apparently random pattern. That is a very basic design for older ties, and I hope to develop a week on that basic design later. (Krizia Uomo, silk, Italy)

Thursday (05-25) and Friday (05-25) the additional designs get more extravagant. Thursdays's tie has a solid burgundy on the left side, but a pattern of horizontal stipes on the other. There is a clearly defined boundary imposed onto which is a wildly swirling design. The whole thing is done with a limited range of colors. (Carlo Palazzi Studio, silk, Korea) Friday's tie has the solid on the right with narrow samplers of various designs - swirls, boxes, waves - on the other side. (Palatina, Italian silk, US)

I just noticed that these ties all have odd labels. I don't believe I've seen them in any other ties that I have.

As I started matching shirts and ties for the week (I usually do this for a week at the time), I noticed that these designs are so bold that, although they are based on traditional elements, on a traditional solid white or light blue dress shirt, they would invade, conquer and occupy any room you entered (and I shall refrain from making the all too obvious political connection). These ties need to be framed, fenced in, or perhaps even overwhelmed by the shirt. So, this week, I'm including, in the final photo, a view of the shirts that I am wearing. You might enjoy trying to match ties and shirts, to see whether you agree with me.

The photo shows four swaths with a fifth shirt as the background. The background, red and white, is by Roundtree and York. The top left (green with gray) is by St. John's Bay. The top right (solid black, with textured stripes) is by Kenneth Cole. The lower left (yellow with slate stipes) is by Land's End, and the lower right (blue and gray) is by Fieldmaster. This photo will not show in the album of May ties (above). You can only see it by clicking below.

I'm wearing Monday's tie with the top left (green and gray), to pick up on a few bits of blue-green in the tie. I found that I could almost play jazz variations on the ties with shirts that would bring out different colors. Perhaps I could have a theme week of just this tie, with different shirts?

For Tuesday, I'm wearing the red and white background shirt. There is a lot of red in the ties this week, and I probably could have worn this shirt with any of them. In fact, I thought of having a week of red shirts.

Wednesday's tie has such a strong blue that I decided to wear the yellow and slate shirt (lower left) to bring out the yellow squares.

Thursday's tie is the one most in need of a restrained shirt, since its design certainly shows no restraint, so it gets paired with the black shirt. That will bring out the gray, black, and white and provide a nice contrast to the dark red.

And I'll finish the week with the blue and gray shirt, which I hope will bring out the gray in Friday's tie.

Click on photo to enlarge.

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5月18日

The Da Vinci Cravat

As I've told the story elsewhere in this blog, I was very disappointed in December 2004 when I learned that my new job had a dress code: necktie required. A few months later, I found a very special tie that made me realize that wearing a tie could be fun. That realization and that tie gave me a whole new perspective not only on clothes but also on life itself.

I also gained a new hobby, collecting neckties, experimenting with knots, and finally, beginning this blog of my life, my work, my ties, and my attempts to live up to my ties.
Of course, I judged that tie one of my "Fundamental Ties." So, now, you can help me re-live my love for this tie. As you can see, it is a tie with illustrations from the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci.

So, why am I wearing this tie tomorrow? May 19th is the official release date for the film of The Da Vinci Code. If it had opened a few years ago, I would have gone to see it, so that I could review it. (You can still find over 150 of my film reviews online.)

But, I shall not see The Da Vinci Code. Mercifully, I do not have to review it. I thought the novel was one of the silliest books I have ever read. I cannot imagine why it is so popular nor why it is so controversial. It is, after all, a work of fiction, just like The Satanic Verses.

I am glad that anything can call attention to the great body of extra-canonical gospels, acts, epistles, and revelations that the church kept out of the New Testament. But, I do not like the way this novel exploits its material. Don't forget to read the real texts, here and here for starters.

And if you want to see a funny, challenging film based on various byways - some might call them heresies - of Christian belief and non-belief, let me recommend The Milky Way (La Voie lactée) by the great Spanish film-maker, Luis Buñuel.

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5月17日

Back to the Past

I'm doing something I've very rarely done, blogging a tie after I've worn it, today's (May 17th) dark evocation of classical warriors with its shields and heroic figures. I had a rather unheroic day, spending hours at my desk trying to sort out some particularly irritating paperwork. I think these warriors might have given me the strength to get through. (Villa Bugatti, Italian silk, US)

Now, I'm going to do something completely different. I originally had scheduled and even blogged a different tie for 05-18, one which would fit into this week's theme. But, then, I remembered that I had a meeting today at which I would be identified as the computer teacher. So, this morning (the time frame of this entry is weird, to be honest), I was wearing that tie, when it occurred to me that it would be good to wear a computer tie. So, I dug into the tie drawer and came up with this (Steven Harris, polyster, Korea). But, hey, these are rather old-fashioned computers, funny as that may sound, so this tie almost ties into my theme.

So, what is left for Friday? Gee, I can't wait till tomorrow, because my ties get better-looking every day! And, may I be permitted to say that, since both of these ties were gifts....

Click on photo to enlarge.

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5月14日

Old Times Ties

That title may be misleading, since I'm not wearing my vintage ties this week. Instead, the theme is images of old times, very old times, leading to a spectacular commemoration on Friday.

I'm beginning the week (05-15) with a tie that I was recently given. I like the rich warm colors, and if you look closely, you can see figures that remind me in color and in form of those in the South Seas paintings of Paul Gauguin. (J. T. Beckett; no further information, but I suspect the tie is made of silk.)

Tuesday's (05-16) tie is one that I've been wanting to wear but never could work into a week's theme. It is a rather jumbled bunch of images that seem, in general, to have come from an archeological dig. I can see pottery, an idol, and - where did this come from? - even a swath of paisley. It's just a robust, exuberant mess, and I'm looking forward to wearing it. (Byblos, Italy, silk.)

Click on photo to enlarge.

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5月13日

PSA tie

Once
again, I'm using my tie to make a public service announcement. Tomorrow, the 14th, I'm conducting an adult discussion group on the Epistle of James at the local Unitarian-Universalist Congregation. I had a tie that I could have associated with that event. I also had a tie that I could associate with Mother's Day.

But, I'm using my tie tomorrow to remind folks that Monday is the deadline for the compassionate conservative prescription drug boondoggle... I mean, benefit. (Medical Fashions, "Prescription for Style," US, silk)

Another public service announcement: today (Saturday, 05-13) is International Migratory Bird Day, which relates to the just completed week of bird ties, although parrots are not migratory.

Click on photo to enlarge.

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5月11日

Birds of more feathers

We're finishing this week with two more ties with tropical birds. There's something else these two ties share. They both have the Perry Ellis label (the link is to the estimable Mr. Veneer's remarks on Perry Ellis). The tie with the birds frolicking in the foilage is about half an inch wider than the one with the single macaw on a subtle green background that I could enjoy without the avian presence. The labels on both ties read "Perry Ellis Handmade." Both are made in the US of Italian silk.

Both of these ties were harvested on the same visit to a thrift shop. I've noticed before that I can sometimes find two or three closely related ties together at the same time in a thrift shop, and it adds a little poignancy to them. I imagine some fellow parrot and tie lover who had these ties, wore them, and now, no longer needs them. I wish I could let him know that they have a good home.

Sometimes (as I shall next week), I weave a tie or two or a whole week of ties around a specific event. This week, I had a special event in honor of my ties. I was visiting a student who lives in a gated community of houses very close together. As I turned onto my student's street, I saw something standing in the middle of the road.

It was a single sandhill crane. It is rare to see a single sandhill crane, since the pairs mate for life and stay together. I pulled up to the bird, lowered my window, and spoke to it, less than an arm's length away. I looked into its eyes and then felt awkward. Would it be rude to drive on? Were people staring out their windows? My student, of course, would not see, but when I got into his home and told him about the encounter, he said that he had been hearing them after that morning's rain. Since it was the first rain in many weeks, we wondered if it might have stirred up insects or other food for the cranes.

No, I do not have a sandhill crane tie, but the bird's appearance was a welcome but incongruous bit of wildness in the gated confines, and for a moment, I felt as if I had encountered a kindred spirit.

Click on photo to enlarge.

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5月8日

More birds

Trying something different this week, not blogging a week in advance. I wore my toucan tie today with no comments. I guess the birds were a little too well concealed. Tomorrow, Tuesday (05-09), I'm wearing a whole flock of tropical birds, a sort of bridge (bird-bridge?) tie, since it combines parrots (with their distinctive hookbills) and non-parrots. This is, to me, one of the most amazing ties I own, with the richly colored birds against a dark background. (Barry Wells, "Rainforest Rhapsody," US, silk)

Now, we'll finish up the week in pure parrot-land. Wednesday (05-10), I'm wearing the only tie I've ever bought as a single tie on eBay, since all single ties automatically have about four bucks added on for postage. This one was worth it. There is a rich burgundy background with the design in gold and blue. The parrot is almost hidden, but he is there. (Seigo, New York, for Nordstrom, Japan, silk)

These are two of my favorite ties, distinctive yet elegant, wonderfully beautiful but not extreme.

On the other hand... Friday, when I wore my Mae West tie (OK, I had to enjoy that), we were having interviews for a new employee. The interview process is rather harrowing, as I remember from the other side. There are three separate interviews, concluding with a session with the other employees, with a chance not only for them to ask the candidate questions but also for the candidate to ask questions. One of my co-workers almost whooped, "Is that your interview tie?" I thought about it, replied, "Yes, are you brave enough to work with someone who wears a Mae West tie?"

I mentioned that I had no tie appropriate for Cinco de Mayo. but my fellow online tie guy Will had not one but three ties. Do check his amazing presentation!

Click on photo to enlarge.

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5月7日

A Saturday tie, going to the birds

I've mentioned before that I have not yet this year worn a tie on a Saturday. Also, during Lent, I referred to ties to wear to funerals. This week, unfortunately, I attended a funeral on a Saturday (05-06), and I wore a tie.

There is a large family here that tends to take in strays and "adopt" passing strangers, and I've become included in their ranks. At the funeral, the clergyman mentioned that if they had not adopted him, he would have just joined on his own. They lost one of their own, a man in his early forties. I can remember when that would have seemed so old. Now, it seems so young.

The tie has a starkly simple pattern, a little wider than most of my ties, which made it feel a little more formal. (Tesoro Romano, Uomo Moda, silk, Korea)

*****

Tomorow (05-08), the mood changes, as I'll begin a week of ties long overdue, celebrating tropical birds. I've toyed with the idea of a week celebrating flying things, from flies (yes, I have a tie covered with flies) to space craft, with birds fulling up the middle of the week. But, I noticed last week that I can do a week of ties with tropical birds on them. To begin with, there is a rather jolly tie in which toucans are almost hidden, except for their famous beaks. (J.T. Beckett, silk, Italy)

Of course, when we think of tropical birds, we most likely think of parrots, and this week is in fact a celebration of my little friend in gray feathers, one species of parrot that I've never seen on a tie. But, we'll be seeing other tropical birds in the rest of the week.

Click on photo to enlarge.

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