Ferretgate

Ferretgate: the long story

It has been a long while since my last blog post but I have a problem that you can help with. I want a ferret. This may seem like no big dilemma but unfortunately my friends and peers seem to be polarized by this issue, so I am putting it up for a kind of vote.

Before I explain the details let me make my case. I have owned a ferret in the past. I got her when I was in college around Christmas time so I naturally named her Holly. She loved me. In fact she loved me so much that she didn't let anyone near me without nibbling at their toes or playfully barking at them, to be fair it sounded more like a chirp. She stole shiny trinkets and hid them under my bed. She curled up in my lap when I watched TV. She slept on my face. She was my world.

When I graduated from college I got a job in Columbia, SC. After living their for a few months I decided I would like to get another ferret to keep Holly company while I was at work or out. My girlfriend at the time (now wife) thoughtfully bought me one but she did not pay attention to my two rules of ferret buying.

Rules of Ferret Buying

1. Buy only female ferrets.

2. Watch the prospective ferret in the pet shop to make sure it uses the litter box.

She bought me a male ferret. He was very cute and he too adored me. However, I learned the hard way that one way male ferrets attract mates and impress other ferrets is to publicly display how good they are at acquiring, and therefor providing food. They display this by depositing solid waste all over the place.

At the time I lived in a townhouse and did not have adequate facilities or time to train away this behavior. I eventually had to give the ferrets up to a friend that lived on a farm with several rooms she could devote to the ferrets. I cried... a lot.

Now I know that I only want one female ferret. I am also committed to training her if need be to use the litter box. I want to name her Wasabi.

Here is How You Can Help

I have a T-shirt shop where you can buy either Team Ferret shirts or Team No Ferret shirts. If more people buy the Team Ferret shirts by January 17th, my birthday, I will buy a ferret. If more people buy the Team No Ferret shirts I will not buy one. I agree to abide by the decision.

Team Ferret Shirts

http://tiny.cc/teamferret

Team No Ferret Shirts

http://tiny.cc/noferret

Decision Time

I will announce the vote tally in public at The Gin Mill in Charlotte, NC on Wednesday, January 20th at 6:30. I would like to thank you in advance for your support!

Reversible Belts: godsend or garbage?

Most of us have at least toyed with the idea of buying a reversible belt at one time or another. The idea that you can go from wearing black shoes at work and then switch to brown shoes with jeans for the evening is attractive. So, if one belt will do both it seems like a no brainer. There are a few issues though and this article should help you decide if a reversible belt is something you want to add to your wardrobe.

First off they don't last as long as most regular style belts. The same mechanism that allows the buckle to flip also creates a weak point in the design. This makes it really important not to wear this type of belt two days in a row. Wearing leather goods for multiple days does not allow the leather to shrink back to its original size. Therefore if you wear the same belt multiple days in a row you are stretching the leather to its maximum and putting even more pressure on the buckle. The only possible exception to this rule is if you are packing for vacation and really need to conserve space in your suitcase. At that point it may make sense to wear the one reversible belt that will give you the most options on your trip.

Another typical problem is that reversible styles tend to be far more casual than most dress style belts. Reversible belts are not the choice for formal occasions like weddings and black tie dinners. 

The final issue arises if you wear the belt significantly more often displaying one side rather than splitting your days between both sides. Uneven wear can create shapes in the leather that are hard to overcome when you decide to reverse it.

If you think these issues pale in comparison to the benefits of a reversible belt, then by all means go out and grab one. Either way, at least you are making an informed decision.