DocuSign Challenge 3: Getting used to it

As regular readers will know I've taken up the challenge to go three months without signing a wet signature. DocuSign issued the challenge.

I'm over half way through and the position is much as I thought it was last time I wrote about it. Basically if you're doing anything for businesses it's terrific. Nobody has questioned my right to sign electronically, contracts have been accepted without any issues, it's been great. This coming Friday I should receive my first payment based on a contract I signed using the iPad App. All good stuff and as an added benefit all of my contracts are stored securely offsite in electronic form.

This is all excellent. Meanwhile when there's anything personal involved - hospital visits to pick up a blood pressure machine, pharmacists for the odd prescription, ordinary stuff like that - signing electronically isn't an option.

I certainly feel my business life is easier with this technology - but suspect that costs will prohibit the business stuff for a fair while yet.

Watches without borders

Regular readers (hi Mum) will be aware that I'm quite fond of nice watches. And by 'nice' I generally mean uncomplicated, a classic design, something that looks as if it tells the time rather than plays music, acts as a video phone and goodness knows what else.

(Note: I reserve the right to change my mind if Apple ever produces the long-rumoured iWatch).

If it can be sold raising money for a good cause that is of course a bonus. So the only thing holding me back from acquiring a Special Edition Tagente (pictured) from Nomos Glashütte is the absence of a spare £1350. Or £1200 for a slightly smaller model, the Special Edition Tagente 33.

Design

As you can see they are simplicity itself, and better still they're mechanical. I'm fond of well-engineered products and an old-fashioned wind-up watch is something I don't actually possess, although my automatic is a good substitute.

These models are distinguished by the red '12' which is a way of reminding yourself that when you spent all that money £100 went to Doctors Without Borders (or if you're an old git like me Médecins Sans Frontières). Meanwhile you'll have a watch with galvanised white silver-plated dials, black oxidised polished hands and an a (alpha) Nomos caliber movement with manual winding, for people who know about movements.

I think they look excellent and are a discreet way of supporting an excellent cause. I may consider making a donation and telling them Nomos gave me the idea. Meanwhile if you're in the market for a watch and can withstand the price, the two models are limited to 1000 pieces each.

Losing weight: an update

OK, it's a while since I adopted this 5x2 diet and promised I'd keep people updated - the original post from September is here.

There has been some qualified success. The first thing I'd have to say is: do not assume that if your jeans are more or less spray-on, really ought to get the next size up, that you're going to shrink two waist sizes within three months. This, if it's going to be sustainable, is not going to happen.

However, there has been progress. I'm still wearing the same jeans but I need, really need, a belt. And I've lost (FX: DRUMROLL) just over two stone. The shape would probably have changed more if I hadn't managed to develop an ingrowing toenail, which has limited some of the exercise possibilities (this has been treated, is improving and I was back in the gym yesterday).

But here are a couple of pics of me from BBC appearances - before the diet:

And after:

Now, nobody should kid themselves I'm an oil painting, obviously. And it's been gradual (and will continue to be). Having had the cysts removed from my scalp I can have a shorter haircut, which helps.

But there's definitely a difference. I can recommend this diet to anyone who's serious about losing weight permanently.

Heaven is the first haircut in weeks

A handful of you may be aware that I had minor surgery at the end of April - just the removal of a few cysts from my scalp. It was all supposed to be over very quickly, better in a couple of weeks.

Hah.

We pause here for a quick wallow in self-pity and snarling about stitches and wounds going infectious. Tell you what, let's just put a quick picture in:

That's me, the day before a major stage presentation, a week or so after I was supposed to be 100%. The bandage pinged off during the presentation.

I was not delighted.

Later the head bandage shrunk to a plaster and people kept asking whether I'd been in a fight. Nobody had accused me of looking hard for...actually, no, it's never happened. Until now. Oh, and of course you can't have a hair cut with all this going on.

Yesterday - finally - the plaster came off and I went to the barber. Almost flew. Frankly they could have cut my head off and got a good review.

Towel shave

But I do feel I must recommend all blokes have a hot towel shave every now and then, and if at all possible do it at The Valet in Addiscombe or one of its concessions at local hotels. I had the "Casino Royal" (yes I know the book and film have an 'e' on the end of 'Royale', it's a barber, you think they care?) which costs £45 but honestly, it's worth it.

You start off with a pre-coating of Proraso Eucalyptus undercoat. This refreshes and stimulates the skin, and then they put a hot towel over you. You then get a close shave (or three; the trick they use is to take a little hair off often, which is gentler and less prone to provoking a rash).

There's a clay mask for extra cleaning. There is cleanser. There is a total of five hot towels. Nobody, repeat nobody, is allowed to disturb you during this hour of completely indulgent time.

Then I switched to the other chair for my first haircut in months. I spent £29.50 on a decent re-style, after all that growth it needed it; I asked them to model it on Jose Mourinho, and when they'd picked themselves up off the floor they did their best (Lucky I didn't ask for George Clooney). It looks unusually good - for me anyway:

No doubt I'm biased by this being my first fully de-bandaged day since 30 April, and this being the first picture I've seen of me from that angle without a large visible cyst on the side of my head. But I feel genuinely refreshed, the attention to my wants from the guys at the salon was superb as always and I'd certainly recommend it.

(And yes, good of you to ask, I have indeed lost a little weight).

Pop-up shop this weekend

Anyone who fancies looking at some of the socks I highlighted earlier this week (see this post) and who's in the Spitalfields area might want to know it and a few other menswear brands have a pop-up shop from Sunday until Tuesday at 52 Artillery Lane, E1.

As well as Richmond Socks there will be bow ties from Charles Olive, 'preppy; clothes from Coeur (a bit young for this blog's target market frankly), underwear from Hamilton and Hare and various luxury items from Monsieur London.

I'm hoping to pop in on the last day, Tuesday - when, with a bit of luck, they'll be reducing the stock rather than carting it all back. Dream on...

Father's Day: some drinks ideas

So it's Father's Day on Sunday. This I know because my daughter is going to have some friends for a sleepover. I will be up at 6am cooking breakfast I imagine, for several small females who refuse to eat my greasy food.

Which is as it should be...

If you managed to resist the socks I wrote about the other day and you already have slippers, you may be limited as to what to hint that your offspring ought to get you. My feeling is that a single malt would do nicely (and do drink it very sparingly - ignore the standard 'safe limits' in terms of units, I've recently had cause to find out they don't work if you have high blood pressure - less is always more).

If you want to drink small amounts then there are a number of ways of doing it. First go for something stonkingly expensive. Glenfiddich is a single malt that comes in a number of expressions; the 12 year old is probably the most popular, light, oaky, very pleasant with a drop of water. The 15 year old has a more depth and tastes a bit fruity; if your kids are adults and feeling flush, splashing out £50 on the 18 year old version (pictured) will make them very popular, you can tell them. Intensely sweet, the price tag means this one is really for the buff - do not under any circumstances drop hints for this one if you're planning to put ginger ale into it.

Tasting sets with small amounts of all three are also available, and these come from supermarkets which is helpful at this distance. Likewise another of my favourites, Penderyn (the Welsh one) has tasting samples available from a number of outlets, we're talking the signature 'Madeira' finish, another version in sherrywood and another which is oaked. The sherrywood is my personal favourite (this means the casks used to store it formerly contained sherry, imparting some of the flavour).

For a gift that gives for a little longer you could drop hints for a membership of Flaviar, if you're into your spirits. This sends boxes of five phials of expensive spirit for £24.99 a month, suitable for having friends round and tasting. They sent me a selection of Indian whiskies a few months back and very nice they were too; at the moment there's an offer for Japanese. 

They won't arrive in time for Father's Day, though. At this notice it may well be socks or nothing. I will be delighted with my Dennis and Gnasher tee-shirt and will pretend to be surprised.

Docusign Challenge: Some hiccups

Not quite a month ago I agreed to take part in the DocuSign challenge - the idea being that I would try to go three months without signing anything with a 'wet' signature.

I'm learning that this is really easy when you're dealing with a business signature and less so when you're doing something personal. For example, this very evening I will be speaking for a client at Claridge's; I was sent the contract by my agent and used DocuSign to sign it, sending it straight back without fiddling around printing it out. This has happened a couple of times.

It is a genuine time saver. However...

Personal stuff

As you know from the title of this blog, I am an old git (actually 48 which is significantly over 35) and as happens with middle aged men, the doctor is keeping an eye on a few things. I've had a minor infection following a minor operation on my scalp and no, when you're in a pharmacist they don't welcome people offering to sign for prescriptions with their phone. They hand you the biro and you sign, thanks.

Likewise the doc is keeping an eye on my blood pressure and had me carry a 24 hour monitor around for a day. This isn't inconvenient, it's an excellent precaution and gives you a perfect view of how high or low your pressure is over time BUT asking whether you can sign to borrow the equipment using your phone rather than just scribbling on their bit of paper does not go down well.

And no, I'm not going to risk my health for the DocuSign challenge!

So, one month in (almost) and we have a broad distinction emerging - at this stage it appears to be a lot better for business than for personal stuff, and people handing equipment out at my local hospital are still in the biro age. This means they don't record everything centrally immediately, nor do they have an automatic time stamp for when things are signed out, but that is (literally) their business.

I'll blog again on the subject next month...