Become a Man of Letters. . .

Ok, one more time, guys. This is your brain. This is your brain on a steady diet of typical guy stuff --------------------------------------------------. Right. Try using your brain for something besides memorizing batting averages and recalling the number of touchdowns in last season's Superbowl.

Another part of kicking up one's style a notch or three that should not be forgotten is the mind. In short, use it for something more than trivial crap. There's more to life than large screen TVs, football jersey collections, being gross in the company of male friends, and your "little general." Figure it out.

In short, don't continue to be a nowhere man. Get with the program. Stretch yourself. Step outside your comfort zone. Learn another language. More than half a dozen carefully memorized phrases. Plan a trip somewhere besides Cancun or Cozumel. Try to think in different ways. Read some books on things besides sports, the American Civil War, Iraq, and WWII. Try other more current non-fiction or, oh, I don't know, some REAL literature. No, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Lee Child don't count. Hell, take a crack at some cultural critique and theory if you want to go whole hog. It will piss you off, and keep you thinking about it for days.

Otherwise, read a newspaper, online or hard copy. But not simply the sports section. Find out what's happening in the world today and why. Here's an idea. Take a look at news and current affairs publications like The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Christian Science Monitor, U.S. News and World Report, Scientific American, Psychology Today, or The New Republic from time to time. Time and Newsweek are empty shells these days, so save your money.

Don't worry. There won't be a quiz later. No final exam. You needn't memorize anything. But become conversant in current events and discussions besides what is presented as news on Yahoo or ESPN.

The point is this. Become an intelligent and involved citizen of the world and develop informed opinions. Sure, it might seem safer within the narrow confines of your own little microcosm. But for the love of God, make it your business to find out what is happening beyond your man cave, outside your front door, beyond the borders of your state, and elsewhere on the planet. Believe me. It will help make you much more interesting and contribute in no small measure to your overall style. Remember, it's not always about the clothes and shoes.

Comments

Avoid Careless Chatter. . .

E specially about the personal details of our lives. There is a lot that OUGHT to be kept more private in 2022 than has become the accepted norm for many. With the conscious and intentional cultivation of classic style in mind, however, we want to avoid oversharing and keep a bit more of ourselves to ourselves. Exactly what personal information and how much of it to keep private seems to be a slippery concept though. Here’s my take based on what I was told and observed as a child and young person at home. Basically, one should keep oneself to oneself in all respects (finances, personal worth, accomplishments, politics, sex, dirty laundry, etc.). As my late father used to advise when we were very small, and I am talking preschool and kindergarten, there were particular subjects that were not discussed outside the immediate family. There is a time and place for sharing certain details of one’s life, but most of the time, those should be played very close to the chest,

Chilly Late April Wednesday Attire. . .

Y ou know, if it is going to remain this cold and blustery, I need about eight inches of snow for some more cross-country skiing. But since the white stuff is long gone, it was time to fish through the cedar closet down in Zum Stollenkeller and pull out some cold weather attire for a seasonal reboot. But I decided to forgo the usual gray herringbone jacket from J. Press (my go-to tweed sports jacket) and instead opted for this number from Hart, Schaffner, and Marx plus the tan cords that hang on the same hanger, so strenuous mental effort was not required. Pressed the shirt after tucking in the Young Master last night at 8:30, grabbed these shoes, and socks, and Bob is your mother's brother as they say. Occasionally gazing through the large library window to my immediate left this morning, and I keep hearing that old Jobim tune drift through my mind this morning (aided by the windmills), as sung by Astrud Gilberto ( together with Leonard Cohen and Paolo Conte, the musi

The Pleasaures of a Well-trained Dog. . .

A few final photographs from my visit to my sister in Washington, D.C. last week. These include one of 'Mr. Beau,' my sister's meticulously trained and truly wonderful Doberman, another of my sister, second cousin, step-father, and yours truly on the steps of the church outside Lexington, North Carolina just after our late mother's interment service, two of me solo at the National Cathedral, and a final one of my sister and me hamming it up during a long evening walk the day before I returned to Michigan. My sister routinely walks to the cathedral, about three blocks from her place, to enjoy the grounds and gardens. The Bishop's Garden, in particular, is a place she likes to sit for quiet contemplation and internal dialogues with our late maternal grandparents and mother, very much in keeping with the Episcopal side of things. Our grandfather, who was raised Methodist, became an Episcopalian when he married our grandmother. Before you ask, I am not sure tha

Classic Style

Search This Blog