NBC newscaster John Cameron Swayze was the spokesman for a series of TV commercials that tested Timex watches against jackhammers, paint mixers, washing machines, water skiers and event an elephant. After each test, Swayze uttered, “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking.”

Those eight words continued to be the slogan for Timex watches for many years. I cited it the other day when I was mocked for wearing my Timex Ironman sport watch that I have donned for a few decades. My quoting of that slogan brought about a lot of blank stares from the 35-and-younger crowd.

Doesn’t matter. My Timex rocks. It gives me the time and date. It has a stopwatch, three alarm settings and some other features I don’t know how to use. It also has a button to push so the screen lights up — Indiglo style! The Timex Ironman remains the king of black plastic wristwatches, but don’t take my word for it. Bill Clinton has been seen wearing a Timex Ironman. Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg and Mario Lopez have been spotted wearing versions of it, too. Even Rihanna.

Yes, I also own one of those fancy Apple Watches, the ones that hack — I mean track — your personal data. I won it at a trade show a few years ago. Then I decided that if Apple wanted my personal data, they could pay me for it, rather than the other way around.

So I strap on my Timex Ironman most days. It doesn’t need recharged. It doesn’t send me annoying alerts. It doesn’t sync with anything. I change the battery every year or so, I put a new band on it once, and I have to adjust it for Daylight Savings Time. But other than those tasks, this timepiece has been maintenance free — just the way I like it.

So mock me for my Timex Ironman watch, if you must. Truth be told, my watch and I have a lot in common. We can both take a licking and keep on ticking.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman

President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305

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CITYVIEW announced its 2022 Best Of Des Moines readers' choices Feb.1. You can find all the results from the poll in the February issue of CITYVIEW magazine!

Best Local Dermatologist
1. Dr. Erin Ducharme - Ducharme Dermatology, P.C.
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3. Dr. Andrew Bean - Dermatology P.C.

Meet Allison Lewis:
Likes “being the boss”

As a child, Allison Lewis preferred being in charge. She played school with her brother, who didn’t always like it when she was the teacher.

However, she admired her three aunts, who were teachers, and her grandma, who was a teacher’s assistant. She thought the profession would be perfect for her, as she noticed her relatives were all in charge of their classrooms.

“I thought it was cool they were the boss and in charge,” she reflects. “I wanted to be the boss.”
She adds, “I also had an amazing second grade teacher. I remember walking into the classroom, feeling safe and cared for. In high school, I had an amazing orchestra teacher who was always fun and made sure we worked hard.”

[...]

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