Obsolescence Project

Day 244 – Charm Bracelet

charm bracelet

Charm bracelet. Sterling silver. Childhood keepsake. The charms have dispersed. Hopefully still warding off bad luck.

More than one source cites the wearing of charm bracelets dating back to the Neolithic era, so I must believe it to be true. That’s a long history of superstition. This bracelet once had a pair of little crutches with a skier, and I never broke my leg skiing, so there is perhaps some merit to this. I am superstitious about wearing amulets, good luck charms and the like.

charm bracelet

Status: Melt. Or dig deep and find those mischievous charms and re-photograph.

Kill-ratio: 27:2 / ~14:1

Alt-title: Untitled Object No. 244 To Ward Off People Who Don’t Work With Their Hands

(Stevie Wonder in his studio 1973, in case this is blocked in your area).

Thanks to  Richard, and  John, for inspiring the Alt-Title Untitled post delirium, and to Ben for the jokes format.

I added a new category today — Jewellery — opting for the British/Canadian spelling, but still tagging with jewelry just in case. Objects just wasn’t cutting it anymore as a category for these types of objects.

Posted on by Deanne in Jewellery

Day 243 – Roamer Mustang Watch

Mustang Watch

Mustang Roamer Automatic Watch. Says Mustang, Indianoplis, but that’s the brand name. It’s Swiss Made and waterproof.

It has several  Swiss Patent numbers written on the back. They are for an improved waterproof case design.

The clasp is broken. And it needs internal repair. I don’t know if it’s battery operated or not.

Mustang Watch

There seems to be some controversy over who invented the watch. “Peter Henlein (or Henle or Hele) is erroneously credited with inventing the mainspring around 1511” (A non-encyclopediac entry in wikipedia). What I want to know is who invented time?

Mustang Watch

Roamer watches has a fine collection of vintage mustangs.

Status: Find out if worth repairing. Or more accurately, set a deadline for finding out if worth repairing. Otherwise it could rest in watch purgatory for decades.

Kill-ratio: 36: 3 / 12:1

Alt-title: Untitled Object No. 243 For Boosting Your Pheromones

I lay awake last night thinking about writing a post for this Alt-title stuff. That’s as far as I got.

Until then, thanks to  Richard, and  John, for inspiring the Alt-Title Untitled post delirium, and to Ben for the jokes format.

Posted on by Deanne in Objects

Day 242 – Brooch

Brooch

Brooch with broken clasp. Held together with a piece of paper clip or a similar type wire.

Been working on the box a bit too much lately, and was looking for a hot water bottle to soothe away some of the aches. Tucked behind the bottle in the back of the closet was an old makeup back with a bunch of old jewelery inside, including this little treasure.

I think my mother gave this to me, but it may have been an aunt, and then again, it might have been a garage sale item. The broken clasp makes it a touch difficult to wear. Having pulled it out of the back of the closet, it looks better than I remember, emanating a power vibe. I’m such a sucker for shiny things.

Brooch

Status: Repair.

Kill-ratio: 22: 2 / 11:1

Alt-title: Untitled Object No. 242 For Warding Off Energy Vampires.

Days 225 and 130 also featured brooches, with a lame limerick on 130.

Still haven’t gotten around to posting an Alt-Title post and other such sundry. Until then usual nod of appreciation to  Richard, and  John, for inspiring the Alt-Title Untitled post delirium, and to Ben for the jokes format. I hope there’s someone out there who knows html and appreciates the extra element of the “joke” (no pun intended).

Posted on by Deanne in Jewellery

Day 241 – Hi-8 Tape

hi-8-tape

Sony Hi8 tape. 60 minutes. 2003.

It contains the spring, summer and fall of 2003 – a fire, views from the balcony and possibly some art.

This Sony Camcorder from Day 17 may or may not have been used to tape said material. I also could have borrowed a camcorder from someone. It’s hard to remember the details. I’m keeping the camcorder in order to capture the material on these tapes. About 10 of them. It’s starting to feel like the only capturing will be an image of each one of the tapes and a printed list of their remembered, imagined, or recorded on the label contents.

Hi-8 Digital Tape

Status: Continue to keep until all hope of capturing has been abandoned.

Kill-ratio: 18:2 / 9:1

Alt-title: Untitled Object No. 241 For Storing Near Extinct Memories.

I’m excited to see an article in Mashable today about obsolete office technology.

I have items #1 and 10. I had a fax machine, but that was tossed about four years ago when we realized we hadn’t had anything but junk faxes in about 15 months. I kinda wish I had a Rolodex, especially for this project. Maybe I will borrow one for Phase II.

1. Tape recorders (79 percent)

2. Fax machines (71 percent)

3. The Rolodex (58 percent)

4. Standard working hours (57 percent)

5. Desk phones (35 percent)

6. Desktop computers (34 percent)

7. Formal business attire like suits, ties, pantyhose, etc. (27 percent)

8. The corner office for managers/executives (21 percent)

9. Cubicles (19 percent)

10. USB thumb drives (17 percent)

The usual shout out to John’s  and Richard’s blogs for kicking off this whole Alt-title Untitled  nonsense. “Joke” format at the end of  posts inspired by Ben‘s blog.

Posted on by Deanne in Objects

Day 240 – Sifter

Sifter

Sifter.

Not truly obsolete – just broken. It got a fair amount of use, and only recently broke when making gluten free pancakes. Maybe the flour was grittier.

However, even with the renaissance of baking by scratch (observed only via reading blogs) I’m not sure too many cooks actually take the time to sift flour. It’s an activity that could give you carpal tunnel syndrome, if you kept at it. I suppose there are worse ways to get cts.

Sifter

The sifter was invented by a Canadian! Joseph Baker filed a patent in Canada in 1870 and a US Patent in 1871.
Curious that his name was Baker.

Sifter

Original Sifter

The sifters were made in their little workshop in Trenton and a Canadian patent was taken out on 12th January 1870 … From: http://www.bphs.net/

Status: Mr. OP has a  plan to use a metal clip from the back of a picture frame to re-activate the motion in the sifter. I am hopeful and skeptical.

Kill-rato: 38:3 / ~12:1

Alt-title: Untitled Object No. 240 for Sifting out Irksome Memories.

The usual shout out to John’s  and Richard’s blogs for kicking off this whole Alt-title Untitled  folly. “Joke” format at the end of  posts inspired by Ben‘s blog.

Posted on by Deanne in Objects