Snooze.

Similar to my quest for a non-ugly camera bag, I am now on the hunt for another non-ugly version of a typically-hideous item: an alarm clock. Why do most of them look like a 1980s interpretation of the future? We put a lot of work into the design of our bedroom. A cheap plastic alarm clock resembling a model-sized Starship Enterprise would just be an eyesore in the middle of our romantic/baroque/boudoir vision. Are all clock radios designed by middle-aged Trekkies?

(Really? Really?! Come on!)

So, I slept through an important appointment this morning. 

*Sigh*

My "sleeping in" is usually intentional. Calculated snooze-button hits - as many as I can possibly get away with to still be able to make it on time. I rarely sleep in by mistake. However, I am relying on my Blackberry alarm clock to get me up-and-at-'em - a function only secondary to its main purpose as a means of communication. The trackpad is dangerous. If I move my finger slightly while attempting to select "snooze", it's very easy to hit "dismiss" instead. This level of coordination shouldn't be expected of someone who is barely awake/alive. And I am NOT a morning person. 

This mishap is likely what happened this morning, although I actually don't even recall hearing it at all or attempting to "snooze". The margin for error here is too great. If I 'm going to be starting a real job again soon, I need a better solution, but the options are seriously ugly.

As with my camera bag dilemma, I realized quickly that there are decent options if I'm willing to fork out some serious cash. I'm not.

So, if you've ever met my parents, or have visited their house, the following statement will seem completely reasonable: I have 1950s nostalgia. I never lived through the decade. In fact, I wouldn't be born for another 20-something years, but I grew up with the music and the "stuff". Oh, the stuff. Dad turned our basement into a 50s diner, and the aesthetic spread like an infection to the rest of the house. Kitsch soda pop ads take up every possible square inch of wall space. I'm not kidding:

My time-capsule existence (that used to be my bedroom). Life was like 1999's film-flop Blast From the Past, but with actual access to the rest of the (normal) world. 

Dad also had a collection of great old radios, like this Crosley version:

Crosley, luckily, is still in the radio-making business, and while the models have morphed into more modern shapes, elements of the original design still exist. I decided that a 50s-inspired alarm clock would be a perfect addition to our sleep-space. Other criteria: iPod compatible (so yeah, the real thing is out of the question).

I love these two, as seen (and coveted) at Urban Outfitters once, but they're no longer available:

Moving on. Unfortunately, Crosley's online store doesn't ship to Canada, and this one at $69 isn't attainable. (Found on a Canadian site, it was twice the price.)

The following model, is also available via a Canadian online retailer, and I love it! Still... $150 for an alarm clock? Oh, oh. Ohhhh.

I have always been partial to this one by Vers ($199), but it's also out of my price range. When I worked for Pistachio, we were looking at bringing in the line for the store. Had I still worked there, I could have scored a great discount. Oh, the perks of employment (that I will hopefully soon enjoy again)!

Ditto for this Tivoli beauty ($299). Siiiiigh.

In the affordable range, I'm eying these two. The first (Memorex, $59) isn't EXACTLY what I was going for, design-wise, but it's not ugly. The second ($40) is super cute, but seems to only run on batteries and I can't determine if it's iPod-compatible.

Sangean makes a sleek version that's maybe a bit more modern than I'd like, but it's in the same vein as the Crosley updates. A little closer to affordable but still over $100.

I'm no better off that before I started this post. Drat. I'm leaning heavily towards the Crosley CR30005, though, and maybe I'll just keep sniffing around for a better deal. Dropping a serious wad of cash on a clock is not exactly the most exciting use for my limited funds, but I  do need a reliable wake-up call. And I'm not willing to settle for a timepiece that resembles a Lego spaceship.

(Images c/o: Future Shop, High Fashion Home, Amazon.com, The Source, electronicsforless.ca, J&R, crosleyradio.com, Technabob.com, decorradiosales.com, Vers, Tivoli, The Rocketeer on Flickr, Mom)