Sir

Why I hate flip flops continued:

2010-08-05T15:22:00.004-04:00

Listening to "All things Considered" yesterday I was glad to hear a Doctor back up my feelings on this faulty footwear.

Wearing Flip-Flops? Watch Your Step : NPR

Basil Lemonade

2010-08-02T00:03:00.003-04:00

There is a noodle restaurant on Union Square called Republic that has an amazing Basil Lemonade. It's the kind of drink that totally refreshes. This is the kind of drink you want to drink pitchers of, but a small collins glass is $4. So I decided to try to figure out how to make it.

I started with a recipe for Basil Lemonade from epicurious.

First you have to make the Basil Syrup.

4 cups of Fresh Basil. Cut off the stems.
4 cups of water
2 cup sugar (I like organic sugar, it has a deeper flavor that I like.)
8-10 strips of lemon zest (I use a peeler to remove the zest. Try not to get any of the rind, it's bitter)

Put all the ingredients into a sauce pan and bring to a boil.

Upon reaching a rolling boil remove from heat and cover.

Let it cool for about an hour.

Transfer to an airtight container and let stand for another hour.

Strain the syrup squeezing out all the liquid. (If chilled in a container it will last for five days.)

And now for the Lemonade.

2 cups basil syrup

2 cups cold water

2 cups ice cubes

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Combine the ingredients in a large pitcher and garnish with fresh mint or basil and lemon and/or lime.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/drink/views/Basil-Lemonade-238928#ixzz0vPuWBBD6

The Pen Knife 2.0

2010-07-08T23:43:00.002-04:00

My Dad always carried a pocket knife. After getting tired of gnawing at packages and getting paper cuts from envelopes I decided to get one my self. I went with the Leatherman Style CS Clip-On Multitool with Scissors ($20). I have owned a few Leathermen for work. I am a big fan of the Wave, but it is too big for your pocket. I saw this online and ordered it right away. At first I was thrown by how small it was, at least an 1" shorter than I expected.

But after a few days I really came to appreciate it's size. The scissors are spring loaded with a nice full handle. The knife is very sharp and opens on the outside. The carabiner clip is great for your keys and doubles as a bottle opener, a file/flathead screwdriver and tweezers. It's all around a great little tool that you can carry in your pocket.

new post

2010-07-03T12:14:00.001-04:00

I apologize for the lack of postings this week. My daughter's birthday was Thursday which, as she is two, means quite a bit of work. I have also been working on some posts that are turning into longer forms than I intended which, when I post them, will also explain my lack of productivity.

Restaurant Week

2010-07-03T12:03:00.000-04:00

A little tip from Mark Weiser:

One of the best perks of NYC living (from the vantage point of this particular native) is the embarrassment of riches when it comes to cuisine. Of course, fine dining can also mean high prices. But, for those of you who want to sample the wares on a budget, Restaurant Week is here to help.

Twice a year, many NYC restaurants band together and offer $24.07 lunches and $35 dinners. It's an easy way to culture up your palate on the cheap.

For a list of participating restaurants, and any restrictions that each one might prescribe, go to nycgo.com

Summer Wears

2010-06-28T20:34:00.002-04:00

The summer is about trying to stay cool and be as comfortable as possible, but instead of the tank-top, basketball shorts, and flip flops. Try something with a little flair and not a lot of money.

You need to keep the sun off your head the Telecoco, from JJ Hat Center in Manhattan, is made of Coconut leaves. ($55) Nice hats cost money, but, they last for years. The cheap ones from H&M run you $35.
The shirt:white linen. This is Target from a couple of years back. I bought 3 of them because they were ($24) and I figured that they might not always be in stock. Which this season they aren't.
The shorts engineer's pin stripe cargo shorts, from Old Navy. (On sale for $17.)
The shoes are an update of the classic Sperry striper laceless C.V.O., the red just in time for the 4th of July. ($55)

Moleskine Note Books

2010-06-24T12:59:00.094-04:00

The great thing about pen and paper is you don't have to worry about the battery dying out on you. When it comes to pocket notebooks nothing compares to Moleskine Cahier Notebooks. They are inexpensive, well made, and the perfect size. They are more durable than spiral notepads and work great for to-do lists. They come in a set of three which works well if, like me, you tend to run a few different notebooks at the same time.

Another great set of notebooks are the Moleskine City Notebooks. This combination diary/travel notebook allows you to create your own personalized resource guide. Complete with maps, tabs, blank note pages, and removable translucent sticky sheets to layout routes along the way. Whether for work or pleasure, these are the perfect pocket notebooks for cities you return to again and again.

Why I hate flip-flops.

2010-06-20T01:15:00.009-04:00

I realize that I am going out on a limb here, and I am in a big minority, if not all on my lonesome but... I hate flip-flops. This is not hyperbole, I really, really despise flip-flops; to the point that I have a visceral reaction to the cheap tacky footwear .

Given that it is now the time of year when they are the footwear of choice for a vast majority of people I decided to try to get a grip on why I hate them so much.

For starters, I live in Brooklyn. The city is dirty. There is dust, dirt, pollution, garbage, animal and human waste all covering the sidewalks and subways of the City. 1/4 inch of foam underneath and absolutely nothing on top of my feet; leaving them completely open to all this detritus seems totally inconceivable.

Secondly, the sound of someone walking in flip-flops ranks up there with having to listen to someone slurping a large bowl of soup. The slap, slap, slap with every step. I am getting creeped out just thinking about it.

I have vague childhood memories of severe irritation from the deadly combination of beach sand, water, and the dreaded thong. The pain, the grit, the chafing. It haunts me to this day.

There is no such thing as dress up flip-flops. They always look cheap. I don't care if they are hand crafted from leather imported from Italy, they will still look like flip-flops.

Lastly, there is just something inherently lazy about flip-flops. When I see a man wearing them it just seems to say, I am planning on doing absolutely nothing. I am not walking far, because they have no support. I am not doing any chores, because the offer no protection. I am not going to work, because there are very few professions that would allow you to wear them. Look, I just think that a man should be prepared to be able to run at almost any time. I'm not talking about a marathon. I just mean a short sprint. To catch a bus, a purse snatcher, my 2 year-old daughter who's making a mad dash for the street.

Flip-flops are the worst fashion invention ever. Ever. I know I sound crazy, especially to all you Rainbow wearing hippies out there. But, what you going to do, throw down? You can't even get into a good fight with flip flops on.

The Cold Shave

2010-06-18T23:27:00.000-04:00

I first heard about cold shaving while watching "Good Morning, Vietnam". Dan "The Man" Levitan explained to G.I. 's that shaving using cold water in the heat would reduce bumps. I was 17 and shaving more than once a week was a new thing to me. I had tried to use my Father's electric razor but that just chewed up my neck. I had decided that I had to shave the "Old School" way with a disposable razor and shaving cream, but my neck would still break out and in the summer months it was very bad. So like any 17 year old who was fighting acne the last thing I needed was more bumps. I tried shaving in cold water and I was surprised at how well it worked.

I have since up/retro graded to a Bigelow's shaving kit with a Mach 3 handle. In the winter I like to use soap and a badger brush. In the summer I like a thick cream that can still spread with cold water; the soaps and brush don't lather well in the cold water.
The feeling of a cold razor on your face after a hot shower is rather refreshing. Give it a try.

The Year of Living Frugally

2010-06-17T22:40:00.000-04:00

Andrew Pascal tried a little experiment in self-deprivation.

The Year of Living Frugally

A couple of years ago, I had stumbled on a YouTube video by Bobby Llewellyn, an English actor (on “Red Dwarf”). It was a video diary of a yearlong sabbatical he was undertaking to not buy anything new for a year. Anything. I couldn’t comprehend this. But like a bad accident, I couldn’t turn away. I watched every one of Llewellyn’s bi-weekly testimonials, all the while asking myself, “Could I do it”? Certainly not the life of an ascetic, but for a gadget geek like myself, this was something that was, well…impossible.

A full year of no DVDs, no new video games, and - oh God…no new underwear! Yet, he had a point. I have been studying climate change as of late. This has that led me to the simple conclusion that consumerism was destroying us. Beyond the awful mindset it puts us through, consumerism has become the insidious cause of why our government, our country and our planet is as messed up as it is.

But enough about the planet, let’s get back to me. Was I was contributing to our demise with every T-shirt I bought or iPod I purchased. It was put up or shut up time. Could I pull of a year of not buying anything for myself? All I could think was that it would kill me. Or would it? I mean, I wouldn’t really die, would I?

The fact of the matter is, I live in fairly fortunate conditions. Certainly, not luxurious, but as my Uncle George once put it, “I can afford everything I need and some of the things I want.”

So, here are the rules I set for myself:

1) I am not allowed to buy anything for myself.

Actually, that’s pretty much it. I can buy food and stuff for the house (which is anything that my wife uses). But, that also means no second-hand stuff, no personal hygiene products (hence the beard), no underwear, no socks (no worries, I stocked up), nothing.

First month was tough. But like any addiction, all it takes is time. I stopped searching on Amazon, didn’t bother reading reviews on Engadget. I soon realized that there was a compartment in my brain that was always full of stuff. Stuff I wanted, stuff I needed, stuff I had to have. But once I stopped stockpiling all that stuff in my head, I found a certain freedom. This happened for the simple reason that because I didn’t allow myself to buy what I wanted and when time passed, I found my desire for whatever it was begin to disappear. In other words, I really didn’t want it that bad in the first place.

It gradually became easier. Books were tough, but there again, I realized there were so many books in bookshelves that I had yet to crack open. Clothes? I had way more clothes than I ever wore. Time to actually wear the things I owned. Music was never a problem, having switched to an all-digital library. I hadn’t bought a CD in ages. Video games? Well…do I really need to be playing video games?

Sure, I saved money, but that wasn’t the point.

But then, what was the point? It took me until the holidays (which were admittedly tough) to figure it out. The great revelation was something I’ve heard countless times, but never experienced first-hand. And here it is:The things that are important in one’s life don’t cost anything.

A platitude? Yes, but with some merit. During the holidays, I visited my family in Virginia. After seeing a movie with my family at a local mall, everyone decided to do some shopping... something I was loathe to do since, if you recall, I couldn’t buy myself anything. But neither did my sweet grandmother, Josephine. She’s been around the block, she knows what’s what, she saw the futility of it all.

So I sat with her and we hung out. It may not seem like much, but it was an hour I enjoyed much more than walking around the mall wondering if I should’ve gotten that Gap shirt in a Large instead. I’m learning that I don’t really need everything I think I want. It doesn’t make my life any better. In fact, I found that as soon as I bought something, I wanted something else. The stuff I bought never fulfilled me the way a conversation with my grandmother, hanging out with my friends or my family ever did. Corny, I know. But, fortunately true.

Andrew can be followed on twitter @ARKFoodie

Fx Camera for the Droid (Toy Camera)

2010-06-15T11:52:00.001-04:00

I really like this application. It gives a great range of color and exposure. The autofocus is great but shooting stuff out of focus looks great too.

All the above were taken on my Droid with the Fx Camera.

Wine 101: Buying wine at a retail shop

2010-06-10T15:27:00.011-04:00

I quit drinking 14 years ago so I am by no means the person to talk to about wine. I do realize however, that knowledge of wine can be an asset in social and work settings so I asked my friend Rebecca Banks-D'Andrea, the Wine Director for Balthazar Restaurant, to give a few tips.

Wine 101

Buying wine at a retail shop
By Rebecca Banks

It takes a lot of confidence these days to walk into a wine shop and pick out a bottle of wine for dinner. With all the choices available—new world vs. old world, light-bodied vs. full-bodied, even red vs. white—it’s anybody’s guess what you’ll actually end up with in the glass once you get home.

I’m here to tell you that it’s not all that bad. It doesn’t have to be an intimidating shot in the dark. Hopefully by the end of this article, I will have taken a little bit of the guesswork out of purchasing a bottle of wine and you can go on with your life, drinking good wine and impressing your friends and family with your new-found oenological confidence.
In my time spent managing a wine program at a restaurant in Manhattan and as a wine consumer myself, I’ve come up with a few tips over the years to alleviate the stress and mystery of buying wine. Dare I say, it’s fun once you master a couple of basics. I’m going to share my top 5 hints on navigating a wine shop, using the tools (and people) at your service, and ultimately walking out the door satisfied with your purchase.

Tip #1
First and foremost, define what you like. You probably have a better idea than you think. Do you like lighter-bodied, refreshing quaffers like Pinot Grigio or Muscadet? Do you prefer full-bodied, fruit-forward wines like a buttery Chardonnay or a powerful Syrah? Or do you like something in between (medium-bodied) like a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or an Oregon Pinot Noir? If you’re buying a wine to go with a meal, then what kind of food are you trying to pair it with? You can think in the same terms of light-bodied (salads and light fish dishes), medium-bodied (chicken, pork, or grilled vegetables), or full-bodied (stews and roasted meats) and match a wine with a similar body style. This will help narrow down your choices significantly. Once you know what body style you like, it’s easier to communicate that to the owner/associate at your local wine shop. This brings me to point number two.

Tip #2
Get to know your wine merchant. Find a reputable wine shop in your town or city where the owner or salespeople are actually out on the floor talking to customers. This is a good sign that they know what they are talking about and know what they are selling. Ask their opinion, ask what they’ve tasted, and ask what is new. Tell them what you are looking for; don’t be afraid to talk about your price range either**. The upside of finding one or two wine shops that you feel comfortable buying from is that a good merchant will start to understand your tastes as well and can better help you choose something that you will like the next time you come in. Some shops will even put together a mixed case (6 or 12 bottles) of a certain style, grape, or region for you to taste through, hopefully with an eager group of friends! Always ask about case discounts too—usually 10% off a case.

**A little known secret is that the less expensive wines generally have a higher mark up and profit margin, so wine shops and restaurants are not shy about selling the cheap stuff! While you can still find some great every day wines for under $10, you’re going to get the most bang for your buck in the $12-$30 range. Generally, the quality is significantly higher for the money which equals a better value and overall wine drinking experience for you.

Tip #3
Admire the front label, but read the back label. Weren’t we told to never judge a book by its cover? Well, that’s partially true when it comes to wine. I’ve been known to choose wine based on an interesting modern label or with a drawing of an idealist château on the front. However, what I really pay attention to is the back label. Not only will the back label most likely tell you what grapes are in the wine (a huge help when buying wine from countries like France and Italy where wines are based on regions, not grapes), and sometimes a little story about the winery or winemaker, but it will tell you who imports the wine. Unless you back your car up to a winery and put cases directly in to your car, the wine you buy is coming through an importer and/or distributor. Like any other product on the US market, there is a tiered system of importer and distributor before it ever gets to a store or restaurant. There are a handful of excellent importers that are extremely selective in the wines they bring onto the market. My three favorites are Louis Dressner, Kermit Lynch, and Neil Rosenthal—all noted prominently on the back labels of wines they import. When you find a wine you like, make note of the importer or distributor listed on the label. Chances are you will like other wines in their portfolio too.

Tip #4
Second wine but not second best. Most wineries make more than one wine. Does a clothing designer only sell one shirt each season? No. Wine producers are no different. They generally want their wine to appeal to a wide range of customers with a wide range of personal taste and financial resources. You can’t afford to drink a $500 Château Margaux ‘66 every night with your take out and Sunday night left-overs (well, maybe you can, but then you don’t need my advice).   You may have also graduated from the bag-in-box wines (though good bag-in-box wines do really exist) of your more formative wine drinking years. Thankfully there are all sorts of options in between. Many wineries have what they call “second wines” or “second labels.” These wines are made right along side their more expensive sibling wines, but may be the product of younger (read: less complex) vines or from a vineyard right next door without the pedigree of the “first” wine. These wines are generally ready to drink much earlier and as a result, are less expensive. For example, instead of buying a Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge, 1er Cru (Pinot Noir) from Domaine Leflaive, you could buy a “Bourgogne Rouge” (also Pinot Noir, but from less specific vineyards) from the same producer for a fraction of the price--same winemaker, same general region in France. By the same token, the Australian producer, Penfolds, carries a variety of wines in a wide range of styles or “bins,” and price points available each vintage (year). This is a perfect opportunity to enjoy wine from a great producer without breaking the bank. Once you’ve tried some of the less expensive wines from one producer, you can more confidently move up to their top cuvées for more special occasions.

Tip #5
Don’t look at the scores. This concept may go against every bone in your body, but trust me—no, trust yourself. Scores are important to people that sell wine, but should not matter to people that love and buy wine. The great thing about wine (and food) is that it is subjective. Everyone has a different sense of smell and taste, so what you think is delicious may not be what someone else finds appealing. Your co-worker may think his cologne makes him smell like a rock star while you think he smells more like a wet rock. You may love sautéed liver and onions, while it brings some people to point of nausea. My point is, unless you’re buying wine that comes in a large glass jug or has been baking in the sun in the shop owner’s window, the odds are it is perfectly acceptable and probably lovely enough for everyone.   Wine practices have come a long way since Greek and Roman times, and quality and supply is much higher than ever, which only fills the trough for hungry wine reviewers (who are probably getting paid by the word). Wine trade magazines can be a great place to learn about wine makers, winemaking regions, and so forth, but scores are subjective and not based on your tastes or dinner plans. Trust your nose and your palate, and when in doubt, go back to tip number one.

As you begin buying wines, keep a small notebook of the ones that you like—you may notice that you gravitate towards a specific grape or region. Maybe you find you love Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley (a light to medium-bodied red wine from the Loire Valley, France). Next, experiment with Sancerre Rouge, another red wine from the Loire Valley, but made from Pinot Noir. Maybe you absolutely love Chardonnay from Napa Valley. Next time, try a Chardonnay from Burgundy, then a Chardonnay from Australia. (You could work on this experiment for some time!) Try not to buy the same wine twice. This is one of the best ways to improve your palate and speak confidently about what you like and dislike.   If you can’t afford to buy a bottle once a day or even once a week, attend wine tastings. Most wine shops host wine tastings on a regular basis. It’s like a test drive before purchase and a great way to add more notes to your wine journal. This is another good time to ask questions and clear up any confusion about grapes, regions, vintages, etc. Don’t be shy.

These are just a few ways to help you ease into the vast world of wine. It’s not an exhaustive list by any means, but should help get you started. The bottom line is that wine should be fun. Just get out there and start buying wine and the rest will fall into place. Buying and understanding wine helps our hurting economy and in the process, might just have the potential to make you a more interesting person.

Public Art Installations: A Must!

2010-06-08T00:46:00.006-04:00

If a public art installation comes to your town, go and be a part of it. They are moments in time and it is nice to be a part of something etherial. This was taken at "The Gates" in Central Park. Art by Christo, photos by me. Feb. '05.

Fashion Tips.

2010-06-07T01:00:00.003-04:00

   When thinking about fashion I can only talk about my own personal sense of style. In trying to become more adult, I begin to realize that the old adage is true “the clothes make the man.”

  That being said too much attention to clothes and fashion can leave you broke and swinging to narcissism and mirror gazing; which is as unattractive as sweats and a football jersey. So here are five rules of fashion:

1)   Every closet should have the classics.   There are several items that will never go out of style. Three suits, one black, one dark blue or grey, and one lighter summer weight. A good two-button pin stripe sports jacket. White collard shirts. Regular jeans. They may not be the cutting edge of fashion but any of these items that fit well and are in good shape will always look great.

2)   I know it’s not a very “guy” thing to shop around, but… If you know what you want, you don’t have to run out and buy it. Look for sales or keep track of your favorite items. Every season new stuff comes in; I’ll go around and look at what is out there. A lot of the big chains all follow the same trends so they’ll have similar looks with slight difference; some fit better than others. As each new season comes the previous season goes on sale. Winter items go on sale in the Spring, Summer in Fall. With classic items you can buy them any year and they’ll still be in style.

3)   In general, I have the 20% rule, when I go shopping, I have a price in mind and if I see something that is really well made, that fits really well but is up to 20% more than my price, I’ll probably buy it.

4)   When shopping for clothes, whether it’s a suit or even more casual clothes, look for quality. And quality, in my opinion, is all in the feel. Touch the garment; you can feel good fabrics.   They have weight and texture. But the thing about quality is you have to pay for it. Compare an oxford shirt from Ralph Lauren to the Gap or a department store brand. The Polo shirt has weight, the white shirts are not see through, the thinner material will show your undershirt or chest hair. I have had some shirts for over 10 years and they still hold up. Brooks Brothers also makes great shirts. A cheaper shirt for half the price starts to fray at the collar after a few years.

5)   Find a good tailor and get your clothes fitted. The difference it makes in a sports coat is amazing. Well fitting clothes make everyone look thinner and taller. Try on your clothes once a season. Taking clothes out can give extra life. (I know that places like Men’s Wearhouse actually gives a lifetime guarantee which means they’ll take the seam in or out for free after the initial alteration.)

Risotto

2010-06-06T21:34:00.004-04:00

A couple of years ago my wife convinced me that we should try to cut out wheat for a while and see what happened. I lost 20lbs in 6 weeks. I went off the diet for personal reasons a year later and gained all the weight and then some. So about a month ago I went off wheat again, and again I have started to shed the pounds. Now some may say “a low-carb diet…”; but, I’m still eating carbs, just not wheat. I eat rice and rice pasta, potatoes (sweet and white), and spelt products, which is part of the wheat family but is okay for some reason.

So in searching for wheat alternatives I discovered that cooking risotto is not that hard. I end up making it a couple of nights a week.

For this recipe you’ll need the following:

1-cup risotto

3-cup chicken stock (I like to use organic but you don’t have to)

3-cups water
1-cup white wine

2-tbl spoons butter

1-tbl-spoon olive oil

1-tbl-spoon fresh thyme

1-medium onion (finely diced)

1-clove garlic finely chopped

2-teaspns salt

1-teaspns pepper

¾ of a cup of Parmesan Cheese

In a small saucepan combine the water and chicken stock and heat up the until it simmers. Lower the heat and keep the stock warm.

In a sauté pan on medium heat add the butter and oil. Once the butter begins to bubble place in the onion and garlic. Be sure not to let the heat get too high and stir occasionally, as the garlic will brown and take on a bitter taste.

Sauté until the onion is transparent. Add the thyme and stir until the aroma of thyme rises from the pan.

Add the risotto. Work the oil and butter through the risotto and continue to stir until the edges of the risotto become translucent.

Add the cup of wine, and increase the heat a little. Let the wine simmer and continue to stir. (The wine is crucial for the recipe. It creates a creamy consistency without adding cream and gives the dish a bright taste that gives the dish a fuller flavor.)

When the wine is absorbed/evaporates lower the heat and pour half of the chicken stock into the sauté pan. Stir occasionally. As the liquid is absorbed add one ladle full of stock and stir.

When the liquid is absorbed add another. The process should take about 18 min. Before you have added the last few ladles of stock, take a small sample of the risotto. If the risotto is firm add a little water to the stock to stretch it out. End the dish with the Parmesan cheese, mix thoroughly.

This is an excellent side for roast chicken.

Sir

2010-06-04T21:53:00.003-04:00

I remember the first time a stranger called me “Sir”. I was in my mid-twenties and someone had stopped me on the corner to ask “Which way was downtown?” I was more than happy to help them get where they wanted to go; having lived in New York for only a year I’m sure I was a little jazzed at looking like I knew what I was doing.But, the “Sir” was a bit off putting. Did I look that old? Sir? Really?

Through the ensuing 15 years I have been stopped quite often and asked for directions.I still don’t mind, to be honest I kind of like it. I’m proud of my City and if it helps someone else enjoy it and take a little of the nervousness away from their visit all the better.

I have even been known to stop at couple or a group of people that have their heads buried in a map and offer a little help. I like the look of relief on people’s faces as they head off in the right direction. And, maybe just because I’m older, the “Sir” doesn’t bother me. I began to realize that it was just a sign of respect.

Over the years I have become one of the guys that my friends come to when they have a question, about facts, or history, or what’s around town.I guess I just collect a lot of information in my head and like to spread it around, at the risk of occasionally being called a “know-it-all.”

I do like being asked questions and looked to for information, which is why I thought I’d start this blog.

Most men’s lifestyle magazines are all about fantasy.They show pictures of women in seductive poses, the latest high-end stereo gear, clothes, watches, and cars that men drool over but are never going to own. They show objects and a lifestyle that is way beyond the means of most men. These magazines don’t offer any tangible advice or real help to men who are looking to grow up.

I know there is a big tendency, these days, to try to be a kid as long as you can. To rock your Thundercats t-shirt while tweetering your buddies about the new cheats in Red Dead Redemption.

And if you spend all your money on a new iphone and a 52” hi-def flat screen; of course you are going to still be wearing the same clothes from college and maybe not have the best taste in fine dining. But, at some point, you realize that you want to be taken seriously, by women, by your boss, by pretty much everyone.

So you begin looking around for what makes an adult. I don’t think society makes it so easy, the longer you remain in suspended adolescence; the more likely you buy the next gadget or fad.

But that’s why I’m trying to help. Show some of my ideas, and the ideas of men and women I respect, whom I think, have a handle on what it means to be a responsible member of society. I don’t know how it will finally take shape; this is in part my own “meta” experiment. Trying to be helpful to others. I have a lot of interests so it will be broad. Clothes, cooking, politics, the green movement, music, movies, volunteer movements, women, family, travel, DIY, and yes… gadgets too (hey I think “Attack of the Show” is funny.) I am just trying to put as much advice as I can out there if only to make more room in my brain for new stuff.

I have an old friend who grew up in the South and he always is saying “Sir”.

“Yes, Sir.” “No, Sir.” “No thank you, Sir.”

He credits his Southern upbringing and a military father. I came to like it and have adopted it for certain occasions.Nothing amuses me more than calling someone “Sir” and watching him recoil.

“Don’t call me Sir!”

“Why not?”

“I’m not that old!”

Sir is a title; an honorific, as in a knight of the Realm, as in Sir Thomas Sean Connery.When someone calls you “Sir” it’s not an insult and people should not take it as such. It’s actually a term of respect. The person thinks enough of you not to call you “Buddy”, “Mac”, or my least favorite at work… “Hey, Mo”

So the next time someone calls you “Sir” don’t give them grief. Try living up to the name.

So here we go

2010-06-04T19:17:00.001-04:00

This idea has been rattling around in my head for over a decade. The shape was to take many forms, public access show, cable show, web zine. But life gets complicated and there are a few other things that I do with my spare time so this has been shelved but since I am suffering from a type of writer's block I thought if I let off a little steam and do something creative every day that I might get my mojo back so here I go. A simple blog. But who knows.

Sir

Why I hate flip flops continued:

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So here we go