Let's Pull Ourselves Together, Gents. . .

All dressed for the office of days gone by.

We have only been lightly confined for a few weeks relatively speaking, so it seems almost incomprehensible when I see and hear in the news people of various ages and stripes complaining about one thing or another connected with self-quarantines, stay-at-home orders, or social distancing. How entitled and soft we have become in the decades since The Great Depression and WWII, when so many people around the world had to make do with far less for much longer and often under far worse circumstances. And that’s not even taking into consideration the sheer number of injuries and deaths endured by so many military personnel and civilians around the world between 1939-1945.

Oh, I get it. We’re disappointed if prom and graduation have been cancelled. We’re scared. We’re frustrated. In some instances, we disguise (we kid ourselves) our great anxiety behind politically charged bluster. We may have lost our jobs, or been furloughed. We may have already lost loved ones to Covid-19. There is a lot we don’t know and cannot predict with any certainty in the coming months.

But, if we are not already sick and fighting the virus in bed, we can control how well we are personally turned out each day even in the privacy of home and family. We can choose to exercise our respect for self and those around us. Little things like brushing our hair first thing in the morning, cleaning our teeth, shaving (if we don’t cultivate a beard and ‘stache), and tucking in our damn shirts might, just might work wonders for how we feel about ourselves, the world around us, and the stark choices now confronting us daily if we pay any attention to the news outside our front doors.

So, how about putting on some actual clothes before you come downstairs every morning? While I don't mean a suit and necktie necessarily, how about something a little higher up the evolutionary scale than sweats, flip-flops, cargo shorts, or those grubby boxers or sleep shorts that are almost transparent now because they're so old and well worn? You never know. Your nearest and dearest might appreciate not having to look at a walking, talking dirty laundry hamper from across the breakfast table as you shovel Cornflakes into your maw and barely stifle burps or worse.

If you're with me on this, how about donning a non-wrinkled dress shirt and sports jacket for that next Zoom or Microsoft Teams meeting, hmmm? I can guarantee that your coworkers will enjoy NOT having to look at your bedhead, last night's sleepy dirt still in the corners of you eyes, or remaining egg residue from breakfast still on your face during that 3-4pm meeting.

A little self-respect and respect for others go a long way, guys. Two sides of the same coin, they help grease the wheels of life.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

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

CharlottesvilleApril 22, 2020 at 8:44 AM
Well said, Heinz-Ulrich. I could not agree more. While not everyone would want to wear a coat and tie every day, which I usually do, it costs nothing to make one's bed, shower and shave, comb one's hair, iron a shirt and tuck it in, etc. and it shows not only respect for others, but for oneself. Today I am actually in the office, and while there are only a couple of other people about, I'm wearing a navy blazer, Tattersall shirt, striped repp tie, gray flannels, argyle socks and cordovan penny loafers. Necessary? Of course not, but I feel better and at least it makes a change from the boring sea of T-shirts, denim and puffy athletic shoes I see everywhere.
WSTKS-FM WorldwideApril 22, 2020 at 5:14 PM
God bless, you Charlottesville! One cannot go wrong with a navy blazer and gray flannels.

Best Regards,

H-U

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