Regret the light load today, it’s a deadline he’s under. Two chapters, precious. Full of stuff like this:
Once a commonly accepted set of metrics had been developed, other improvements to the production system were possible. One of these was a transition to a production view of resources
My head hurts for you Captain.
Jim C
Dude. You seriously need to finish whatever Masters/Doctorate program you are in. I’m a nuke and you hurt my head while the paper bores the everlovin’ gunk out of me. Tough it out and finish. And get over the fact that your civvies won’t look as good as Navy Dress Blues or Whites. Duhh. Welcome to the real world.
None of us gets to play forever. Not even ADM Rickover. So make the best of a bad situation boss.
And enjoy the fun stuff while you can.
Subsunk
You know of course that for a long time, the unofficial uniform for retired Captains was a blue blazer and grey slacks. Went to a thing at Whidbey with my dad once. 9 retired captains. 8 in the afformentioned “uniform”. One in a black suit. The other 8 looked at him a little funny, till he told them he had to go to a funeral.
He owes me money.
*snerk* (and just so you know, a snerk executed within a flu-congested head is NOT comfortable.
And JimC, as soon as I got to “Full of stuff like this,” I knew to skip ahead. My head hurt enough already!
I agree with Subsunk and I say that as an academic. It is very easy for grad students to try to make a thesis/dissertation “perfect”. I know it goes against every bone in your body, but “good enough” works in this case
I hope the reason you want your money back is because you would rather be wearing a uniform and not because you actually look bad
Lex,
What;s sad, I suppose, is that I understood everything you were writing, nodding along with you and tossing about the idea of a few bits of editing…. I so need a life…
There is a uniform we here in New England call.. wait for it… the “New England Uniform. You need two blazers, one navy blue wool, and the other navy blue worsted. In this case, the “navy blue” actually refers to true indigo blue, as opposed to the deep blue/black currently in vogue for actual NAVY uniforms. But I digress…The slacks are grey wool or flannel in winter, and khaki in the summer. You need a couple oxford shirts, a plain white one, and a red wool sweater vest for winter, and a grey sweater vest (for evening wear) for summer.
Ties are of the red/blue.silver, etc variety, and wool or silk depending upon the season.
Shoes are black (of course) for wilnter wear, and grey.brown.buff for summer attire, depending upon the hue of the knaki slacks and wether or not a sweater vest is worn.
I know, I know…. fashionistas, but well-made and of the proper materials, one can impress a WHOLE lot for not a whole lot of money.
respects,
I make my living writing and arguing (left active duty too long ago because the then-wife thought it best) and those 2 paragraphs are more obtuse than the Internal Revenue Code.
Captain, what everyone else said: Good enough will get the diploma. Your advisor doesn’t look good to his colleagues if you don’t finish.
Best
OAM
I dunno, wouldn’t showing up in dress uniform be most impressive? It’d impress the hell out of me!
Or you could do like the lad, whose name I’ve forgotten, who showed up for his airline interview in a Corsair. What better uniform?
I’ll send you my Random Word Generator. Set it to “engineering” and you’ll be all finished this weekend
I’ve been told its when you get on the elevator at the corporate HQ for the first interview, and you notice at the doors that there are no sideboys…
No sideboys for anybody, for that matter.
The little dignities. Cherish the memory.
Sounds good… I think.
Aw1 – I used to dress my boys for special occasions in the exact uniform you state! And, we were shopping in Nordstroms in SoCal! They looked soooo cute in their blazers and grey pants or khaki’s depending on the season. We had one tie and one bow tie with suspenders. I used to make them trade off. I’ve got the pix to prove it!!!
To this day my husband’s “I’m serious here” uniform is a navy blazer and gray or khaki trousers… Of course, my husband is an engineering nerd and Lex is looking to be a captain of industry. I’m not sure if the blazer thing would work in his circumstance.
Appearance will be greatly improved a few month post- “Captain, USN (retired), Departing” as you exercise the new found freedom to let your follicles run rampant.
Just envision the future dashing appearance of Lex in his spiffy suits, with a pony tail, or luxurious Burnside whiskers, or at least an arrogant attorney goatee (neatly trimmed, of course). Ready to tear up the corporate world! [pun intended]
Thesis ‘graphs looked fine, and show an ability to peer deep in the chicken guts and divine the message contained therein.
Lex … Bet you look great in both those suits. Got to admit, though, I have a weakness for blue blazers and oxford grey trousers or khaki pants. Casual and stunning, depending on how handsome and charming the man wearing them. You’d score very high on both. Just remember to get blue shirts to go with the blazers…or even wear them without a jacket. They’re amazingly becoming, especially to brunettes who have gone slightly grey. Let your sweet wife pick your ties. She dresses like she knows what’s what in the fashion world.
And after the interviews, take off your tie and unbutton your top button on that blue shirt, just like the leading men do. Don’t know quite why it is, but a dress shirt with the collar button undone is a real turn-on for the females in the audience. Isn’t it, you Lex-babes out there?
Marianne
P. S. As far as the thesis is concerned, take this cranky old editor’s advice: finish it first, even if it is rough, then polish it. There! You’ve got it on paper! The relief you feel when you have put down the final idea you meant to present, will energize you wonderfully for the polishing procedure. Always worked for me.
Lex,
Nordstrom’s Rack, or Nordy’s itself. Excellent clothing, excellent tailoring. Hit the semiannual sales and you can gt it all for a good price as well.
AW1 Tim is correct: you can never have too many blazers these days. Make them good ones, though.
O6s do wear the blazers (so do I. It’s like the Navy League uniform). O7s & 8s wear them as well, but with turtlenecks, I tell you.
The gray pants: abosutely from Nordy’s. Pure wool. The better, the better.
Shirts make it more than the blazer or the pants. Did I say Nordy’s Rack, yet?
Dude, U2 can wear Aboud!
Lex, I’m sure you look quite nice in the suits. A little length on the hair and you’ll be positively dashing.
Marianne, I must admit I had the worst crush on a high school Senior when I was a Freshman… and his Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes were khaki pants, blue blazer, and blue shirt (top button undone when relaxing). And yes, he was handsome and very charming. He was my date at the Spring “semi-formal,” for which he wore his blue blazer. I nearly drooled.
*looks up at previous comment*
Amazing what one can remember, huh?
OK Sir, I’ll ‘fess up; I don’t suppose there’s any way one might be able to take a look at those new “common” metrics is there? It’d be pretty interesting to see how a crate of spare tailhooks can possibly have the same measurement-units as a class of new Tailhooks, before one starts assigning dollar values to them.
I reserve judgment on the interview attire until more tangible evidence is offered.
A 30% reduction in cycle time? Holy crap, that’s incredible, that’s amazing, that’s
Hey, what’s that shiny object over there?
Cuppla weeks ago, I was talking with a career 7th Group guy, retired to corporate, came back as a GS after 9/11, now GG-15. Grey wool slacks, starched white shirt, sharply polished wingtips, I was amazed at how thoroughly he’d made the transition from spit-shined boots to captain of industry clothing–and the captains wear starched white cotton shirts, proof they don’t actually lift pencils or do anything that involves sweating. Knowing his background, I’d hire him, absolutely confident he could accomplish any task set out for him. There’s a lot to be said for that kind of look, if that’s the kind of job you want.
As for John S. and the facial hair, seems to me the retiree pony tail is cliche, and whatever you do, stay away from that little tab beneath your lower lip, the “San Francisco Doormat.” Facial hair that takes more than 30 seconds a day is teh ghey.
In case it wasn’t clearly implied, if you know what kind of job you want, go see what those guys are wearing, and replicate it in your own closet. All of our advice, especially mine, is otherwise a distraction.
Blazers are all well and good (shoot, I own something like eight), but for an interview one wears a suit, preferably a dark one. I second the idea of going to a store such as Nordstroms for a classic suit. Retailers like Men’s Wearhouse offer clothing that is, well, inexpensive. The cut of a good suit is evident when compared to that of a $299 suit. Remember that you are competing with many others for that position, and you need to standout against the competition in every way possible. Don’t hamstring your effort by saving a couple of hundred dollars on your suit. An excellent suit can be had for $600 to $800, and you will look like the CEO in doing so. Back in my hiring days when I had two identically qualified individuals things like this often tilted the job offer to the person who dressed better.
That excerpt sounds suspisciously like Competency Alignment. Which is a catastrophe.
Yes, the interview uniform is a suit, but as Zane says, after that local custom prevails. There are many places where you’ll rarely wear it again. Even IBM has gone business casual. Especially true on the west coast.
Often there can be a correlary to dress and working uniforms. At the corporate headquarters, everybody is in dress uniform (suits), but at the business units, where actual work is being performed, everybody is business casual (working uniform), and everybody will look at you funny if you show up in a tie after the interview.
When I said “my head hurts for you Captain” I meant that the subject matter was far too confusing for me…. not that Lex didn’t do a good job of presenting it. Just want to make that clear.
Jim C
Hmmm…I guess that’s what I get for being a red neck from Texas. I don’t think that I’ve owned $800 in suits my entire life. Just sayin’. Let alone just one for an interview.
Let alone just one for an interview.
Grrr….dumb time clock
The thesis looks good. I say pad it with some pie charts and spiffy figures and call it a day. The hardest part of my thesis was the realization that maybe a dozen people would ever read it. . .seems that “Experimental Investigations of Vortex Ring Entrainment at Low Reynolds Number” just isn’t high on anyone’s reading list. Like most thesis topics.
I second some of the other comments above: go all out on the suit. Dark color, cufflinks, quality tailoring (on Seville Row they do 3 or 4 fittings, just to be sure). Single breasted for sure; and 3 or 4 button styles tend to be de rigeur these days. Nice tie, power colored.
Maybe you don’t want to say yet, but when you do those interviews will they be a for a job in a moveable office or at a solidly placed desk?
Just askin’. Not trying to live vicariously or anything. Nope, not jealous at all…
Heh,
Mine was a comparison of the logistics philosophy of Alexander the Great and William T. Sherman. Interesting subject.
You can see where it got me…. sigh
3 or 4 button styles tend to be de rigeur….
Stay with 2-button. It’s classy, and not a fad. If you wear whatever is “hip” you are indicating to others that you are a follower and not a leader (remember those dumb banded-collar shirts people were wearing about 10 years ago?). You don’t need to dress stodgy, but stay with what is always classy. Besides, if the other job seekers are wearing the latest trends you will once again stand out to the interviewer.
Oh, well, if we want to talk interview suits, there’s only one answer. Brooks Brothers. Set you back a grand, but it is well worth it. They will give you a terrific, durable, conservative, timeless suit. Can’t beat it for the interviews. For workaday suits- Nordys rack (depending where you work and what you do. I could get away with Men’s Warehouse for my day to day.)
For shirts, again, Brooks Brothers. Expensive, but very well made, and the permanent press ones never even go to the cleaners. Mine look better out of the dyrer than most folks out of the cleaners. They last a lot longer than most others too, so in the end, you save money.
I agree with HF6 on this…how can we agree if Lex is owed money without substantial proof of the issue at hand.
Marianne – you are so right! The one button undone – personally I also like it if the tie is loosened, but left on with the button undone. There is something so confident and self-assured about the look.
Yeah – Lex, the babes are going to need some visual evidence.
AW1 Tim: I see that New England Uniform everyday at work – given that it’s an insurance company that’s not a surprise. It is a crisp, clean pulled-together look.
Hickey-Freeman, man! I have one, hardly ever worn, left to me by my Dad. I intend to get it cut down to fit me, but not too much. I like the way American suits looked before the cloth restrictions set in during the Second World War. There was a distinct American style, back then.
Oh, BTW, what music would you like for your retirement ceremony? If I were in charge, I’ve have trouble choosing between “The Aviators” (Sousa) and “On the Quarterdeck” (Alford), though given your continued youthful exuberance (a feature, not a bug) I might incline more to “The Middy” (Alford
Looks like some of your discerning readers are angling for a photograh, Lex. After all, it really couldn’t hurt to add a few extra sets of eyes to those of your better half to make sure you’re turned out just right. There’s nothing in it for us, of course. It’s just another service we offer, gratis. And, please, ‘fess up already, where are the interviews? We’re just trying to keep up here…
Kris, lose the tie if you’re unbuttoning the top button. The guy with the loosened tie always looks harried or overworked to me. But yeah, the top button opened … c’est bien. And Lex should pull that look off well.
Personally speaking, I would suggest Brooks Brothers. There are 2 in your immediate area. Their tailoring is impeccable and puts Nordstrom and Men’s Warehouse to shame. Well worth the money.
Brooks Brothers sounds nice if it’s in the price range. Just be sure to stay away from this collection.
Brooks Brothers is entirely too much Northeastern Elite Establishment. Eff ‘em.
Try Lord & Taylor, maybe?
I still default to Hickey-Freeman.
Oh, by the way, do you have the nerve to wear a seersucker suit, if the interview is in hot weather?
Hmm… I coulda sworn I edited that link above. Here you go…
FbL: Well, if Lex is interviewing to be the bassist for the White Stripes, that suit might be just the ticket. . .
I’ll settle the clothing argument. Stick to Jos. A. Bank. Don’t ever buy anything at regular price, they are constantly having half price sales. Find a good salesman and stick with him. Mine knows what he sold me and knows my sizes. If the wife wants to buy me a suit, he tells her which one. Excellent quality for good price. For an interview, stick to 2 button, dark gray, white shirt, yellow or red neat patterned tie. Smooth leather shoes, wingtips are considered more casual. Straight collar, button downs are also considered more casual.
Blazers and slacks: Only on casual Friday. All other times suits. I started with 5, now (9 years out) probably own 20. Start with grays and Navy, branch out to olives, etc. later. Never wear brown except casual Fridays.
For dress shirts stick to Lands End “wrinkle free” 100% cotton. About $40 each, worth every penny. You can get the basic colors at Sears, more exotic from the catalog.
In a pinch, JC Penny sells a pretty decent suit. Theirs are made by HartMarx, which is the corporate name for Hart, Schaffner, and Marx. Jos A Bank and JCP both put Mens W/H to shame.
I stand by my recommendation on Brooks Brothers. They are incredible in terms of their quality, styling, and tailoring.
Unless you win the lottery, definitely stay away from anything with the word ‘fleece’ in the collection name. I was thinking more along the lines of this one. Designed to keep you cool in the warmer months and still impeccably tailored.
As for Jos. A Bank, they are good. Not great from my experience. But well worth the price. And for $275, you can’t go wrong.
I still say we need pictures. In fact, this would be SO much easier if you would make a video compilation of the suits you do try on and then we could vote.
Brooks Brothers. It is expensive, it is an investment, it is worth it. I love Jos Banks, but I wouldn’t buy an interview suit there.
100% Cotton no-iron shirts (make sure to have them pressed – don’t iron yourself). Brooks makes a very nice cotton no-iron shirt for SDBs, you can buy through the on-line NEX uni shop. I still wear them in the winter with my bus driver uniform.
PS Navig8r, as GYSGT Jones, USMC told us, women wear slacks, men wear trousers…
Nose is right, and pants are what you wear under yer trousers.
But y’all already knew that.
P.s. I betcha Lex could show up in t-shirt, cut-offs, and flip-flops and still make a better impression than most guys who’d had the best suit consultants.
Jos A. Banks now makes the same suits they once made in Baltimore and Philly in Costa Rica, just without any quality whatsoever. You still get to pay the same price as though they were made by American homeowners. Joe Banks is no longer the “poor man’s Brooks Brothers.” Brooks Brothers is now the poor man’s Brooks Brothers. The Brothers Brooks have lots of suits at lots of prices and all have one thing in common. You get what you pay for.
Same goes at Nordstrom, but the better selection there means you can usually find your best option if you know what you are looking for. If you *really* know what you are looking for, cut out the marketing budget and brick-and-mortar overhead of the middle man (Joseph A. Banks VI, the Men’s Wearhouse guy) between you and the developing world and buy online from Paul Frederick (www.paulfrederick.com). That’s the best option of all for shirts.
Um, yeah. What HF6 said. We used to get Lex on video on Friday afternoons – what happened to that?! Clearly he has the technology; he can rebuild himself to be faster, stronger – more powerful. We just want teh evidence…