TWE: Money Clips

Men don’t (or shouldn’t) carry purses, and as such must choose from only pocket-sized vessels in which to carry their money. Which pocket to carry money in is also a concern – if you wear a jacket regularly you are blessed with many pockets from which to choose – but this post addresses my taste in money-carrying devices. I prefer a money clip.

Wallets are fine. There’s nothing wrong with a wallet (unless you shove it in the back pocket of your slacks, ruining the slacks and making you look dumb). But a money clip says some things about the man who carries it. And they’re all good things. A money clip draws attention because it’s distinguished; a wallet is ordinary. A money clip says you’re a man with nothing to hide; a wallet is a mystery.

Practical benefits of the money clip include:

1. It forces you to minimalize. Your Costco card that you use three times a year, your video rental membership card, and receipts from your last seven visits to Taco Bell don’t need to be in your wallet, but they probably are. They just can’t fit in a clip. How much does one person need? A few folded bills, an ID, a credit card or two. That’s about it. For special circumstances (like a trip to Costco) think ahead and grab what you need.
2. It necessitates the carrying of cash. Understandably, use of cash is in decline, but we all know how annoying it is to wait behind someone in line while they pay for their $1.85 cup of coffee with a credit card, or to have to buy your buddy lunch because he didn’t think to bring cash to the burrito stand. Don’t be that person.
3. It’s just less to carry. Enough said.

I wish I was awesome enough to regularly use a money clip. My bulky wallet will probably give me back pain later in life. Men, give the clip a try. Too much stuff to carry? Get rid of some. Or ask a woman to put it in her purse.

The Weekly Endorsement: The Summer Movie Season

I love the first week in May. At other times of the year, movies are divisive. But come May everyone agrees on why we go to the movies: it's damn fun. Critics sometimes try to maintain some kind of artistic standard, but more often than not they say stuff like, "It's the kind of blockbuster that makes you happy movies exist" (Katey Rich). Other seasons isolate certain demographics, but summer is for everyone!

Summer's also the best time to see art and entertainment come together and blow our minds. Some people say you have to sacrifice one or the other, but summer respectfully disagrees. For example, content aside, Star Trek is an interesting piece of art simply for daring to take on and revamp an established cultural phenomenon. For the same reason, it's an interesting piece of commercialism. And it's probably awesome to watch, too.

Another reason: everyone pays attention to box office figures. If you're a big nerd you pay attention the whole year, but everyone seems to care more in the summer.

For being all-around awesome, the summer movie season earns my weekly endorsement.