Father's Day Repeat - Jumping the Shark with Mido

This originally ran back in 2016, and with my 50th birthday rapidly approaching, I have been feeling a wee bit nostalgic about his Mido which I passed on to my niece a few years back.  And the nostalgia turned to bile rising in my throat when I received the email announcement from a certain "soft-grey" marketeer proudly crowing that I could buy a brand new Mido watch for better than 40% off of retail price.  Here's the thing - watches are not milk or eggs.  They don't tend to "go off".  I also realize that you may have more stock on hand than you know what to do with, owing to over-production.  Here's a crazy idea, try to deal with it privately, quietly, subtly, as opposed to selling it to a discount outlet.  All this succeeds in doing is convincing people that your watch was maybe not worth what you were trying to sell it for. 

But for those shopping for bargain lingerie, sex toys and other items, you never know, you might be able to combine shipping with this shopping site and bundle your new watch with some lube and something called "exercise balls" which does not resemble anything that I ever saw in gym class.  But then again, I did grow up a Northern Youth in a small Ohio town...

It is hard to build a brand when you are constantly dumping old stock in the same market you are trying to build.  Just saying.

So for those of you looking for a brand new Mido at nearly 50% off, go for it.  For myself?  I'll stick to my memories.

Father's Day, Mido and Jumping the Shark

So with Father's Day here again (seems like only a year ago) I look back at the image of my father's Mido and feel a pang not necessarily for the departure of someone who was ready to go, but maybe for a place and time when things were clearer.  As anyone who writes about this stuff will tell you (provided enough liquid encouragement) it is hard not be romantic about watches.

And just as we are attached to watches, we who follow this sort of thing are perhaps a bit emotionally involved with the companies that produce them as well. Right or wrong we feel that tie. And in all truthfulness that is one of the major things that the marketing and pr arms of the brands are counting on. Nostalgia, connection, belonging.  And in truth, that is what we are all looking for as well - whether we acknowledge it or not.

The Mido that made my father's watch has, not unlike Elvis, left the building.  And yes, many would say that they have lost their way.  While they may have joined forces with the Miami Hurricanes, in doing so they have also jumped the shark. 

But life moves forward, doesn't it?  You can't live in the past.

So while it is easy to feel disillusioned, I have found some wisdom about life's impermanence and propensity for change in the words of that famous poet philosopher - Master Po from TV's Kung Fu:

Caine: Is it good to seek the past, Master Po? Does it not rob the present?

Master Po: If a man dwells on the past, then he robs the present. But if a man ignores the past, he may rob the future. The seeds of our destiny are nurtured by the roots of our past.

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there.