Minnesota Gentleman

I am striving to be what my title says, a Minnesotan Gentleman. I am a married man, a teacher, a family man, and have a solid foundation in my faith. I use this site to post about my interests, current happenings in my life, and my personal opinions when I feel it appropriate. This is a way for me to share how I am attempting to become, a Minnesota Gentleman.

[mngentleman-blog]

I Slept Through My Alarm

I am a very routine based person, although I never used to be that way. There are certain expectations I set for myself, and missing any one of those expectations, for whatever reason, is always a tough pill to swallow. This morning was nothing short of yet another bothersome slip of a personal expectation, I slept through my alarm. 

Now, I initially wanted to assume that my alarm clock never went off, but I know that simply isn't the case. I have one of those alarm clocks that sets the time based on the time zone you input. You know, the one that doesn't need to be changed during daylight savings time because the clock just knows. The one that if the power goes out and then comes back on, the clock resets itself so that you DON'T miss your alarm. Yeah, I have that kind of alarm clock, which means it definitely went off. 

This week is my spring break, so it might be surprising to know that I even bother to set an alarm. In addition, I am spending the first two days of my spring break working in my wife's classroom. My alarm was set for 4:45 because I needed to get to the gym before our school day started. I have master's class on the other side of town tonight, and going after class is impossible due to gym hours. I made sure to set the alarm, checked it a few times to make sure it was set, and then fell asleep, planning to wake up to work out before I started my day. 

As I opened my eyes, and wished I wasn't awake before my alarm went off, I looked over and noticed that it was an hour past the time I actually needed to get up. This meant that not only did I sleep through my alarm clock, but that I had completely missed my opportunity to go to the gym. Immediately I was frustrated, and I huffed and puffed as though I were a wolf chasing pigs. I conceded to the late start of my day, and lay in bed until my wife's alarm clock went off ten minutes later. 

I asked my wife, who was still trying to wake up, if she had heard my alarm go off this morning at 4:45. She said yes, but figured that I continued to sleep because I needed the rest. Even though she was right (which she was), I was bothered to the point that I was talking to her in an agitated and elevated voice. She didn't do anything wrong, but I was speaking to her as though she had. Frustration had taken the place of consideration or care, and that frustration settled in for the morning. 

Unfortunately, it took me a long time to snap out of my funk. I packed up my stuff I needed for the day, helped my wife to the car, and got to her school in enough time to work on a paper for my evening class. As I finished writing the paper, I realized I was still frustrated that I slept through my alarm. It was going to throw off my whole day, my energy, and my general demeanor. My poor wife. 

That's where I needed to make the change. My wife, her students, and anyone else I came in contact with had nothing to do with the fact that I had missed my alarm. Just because I was mad I didn't get to the gym doesn't give me the right (although I wanted it to) to treat others with a hint of attitude. I knew I couldn't do that, and evenmore, I shouldn't do that. I needed to "buck up." 

My goal, to get better at adjusting to the changes that are inevitably going to come. Even though I had good reason to want to be at the gym, I need to find ways to get over my subtle frustrations. With a baby on the way, there are certainly more of these types of mornings to come. The alarm clock will still go off, but there are so many other things that can change or "go wrong" that I can't allow myself to be consumed with such small issues. Back up plans need to be made, and a complete change in plans needs to be okay. I need to be more patient, and less impulsive. 

Here's to hoping that over the next few months I can adjust my thought process, and learn how to roll with the punches. 

This clip shows how I sometimes get when my routine is blown. 

[mngentleman-blog]

A Bugle With An Indistinct Sound

1 Corinthians 14: 8-9: 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air.

This morning I spent some time preparing for a class I have this evening for my master's course, and my task was to find an article that spoke to how people communicate. I found a great bible study guide provided by Faith LaFayette Church, and wound up using it as more of a bible study, and less as a homework assignment (although it will still serve that purpose).

The bible study itself speaks to four key pieces to communication, and the verse listed above is one of the verses the resource page shares as support for one of the keys to communication. As I was reading through all of the different verses that the resource page listed, the verses from 1 Corinthians jumped out at me. As I continue to grow as a husband, future father, educator, and so many other roles, one of the areas I want to become stronger in is communication. 

In any of the roles that I am a player, communication can work for me or against me. I celebrate the times that it works for me, and I am disappointed when it works against me. It is easy for me to share my opinions, but what this verse stresses is that there be substance to what I choose to say. As I work through my thoughts and feelings on a daily basis, my intentions should be to make sure to choose my words before I say them. I can use a lot of language, and still end up saying nothing. As a husband, father, or educator, this can be a dangerous trap to fall into since my words can hold so much weight. 

Reading further on in 1 Corinthians, Paul discusses the gift of speaking in tongues to further his point. His argument is that the ability to speak in tongues is of little use if there is no knowledge or information to be gained (1 Cor. 14:6). This is exemplified in the idea that a bugle makes no difference if an unnatural (useless) sound comes out. Personally, I need to work on using my speech in order to share my ideas, support those around me, and lead those whom I'm responsible for leading. Every time I want or need to share something, I need to ensure that what I am saying has a sound (purpose), before I share my thoughts.

I want to establish and follow a three step process in order to become a better communicator in all of my roles.

Listen: Often I find myself listening to someone, while thinking about what I am going to say next. I even find myself tuning the person out rather than truly listening to them and what they are sharing with me. Both of these things are horrible for me to do, but I find myself doing them often. However, to be an effective communicator (and eventual leader), I need to listen as often as I can. The more I take in, the more I consume from others, the more information I have in the future to share my own thoughts or ideas. In addition, listening allows me to build a bank of information to connect with that person on a more intimate level. 

Think before I speak: So often, especially when I have taken the time to listen, I want to blurt out my thoughts. What this verse tells us is that we need to speak, but speak with purpose and with intention. If I blurt out, most likely what comes out next is not what I truly want to say. The time and energy I should spend on thinking before I speak is currently being spent on editing, correcting, or apologizing for my comments. Or, if I blurt something out, what I say has no depth to it, therefore I am using a bugle with an unnatural sound. 

Choose my words, and keep them short: If I do the first two steps well, this idea should be rather easy, in theory. Taking the time to listen to other parties allows me to spend time gathering information, which allows me to gain perspectives from other view points I may not be able to see. Using others viewpoints, and taking time to think before I speak, I can synthesize the information they have shared in order to build a more structured response or commentary before I add to the discussion. After ensuring I have done both of those steps, I can construct my thoughts in a clear and concise commentary that will be useful in the conversation I am participating in. In other words, using my bugle to make an audible and identifiable sound. 

I will never claim to be great at this, I would be lying if I did. However, I will continually get better at doing this in every aspect of my life. Paul shares in this chapter of Corinthians the importance of using speech in an effective and powerful manner. As I internalize this message, the more I realize just how important it is to not put my bugle away, but to ensure that I use my bugle in order to make a true sound.  

[mngentleman-blog]

I'm Going To Be A Daddy

To say that I was elated when I heard the news that I was going to be a daddy, would be an enormous understatement. When my wife showed me the two deep red lines that were inked on the pregnancy strip, I couldn't help myself but let my tears fall. The doctor's confirmation we received at the following visit sent another rush through our bodies, pumping us with another dose of elation. The tough part was to come, waiting share with others.

The next 5 weeks of waiting was long, but worth it. We, like many couples, didn't want to share our great news too early, and waiting only made sense. There were oh so many interactions where both my wife and I had to bite our tongues. Our desire to keep it quiet until the right time even pushed us to avoid friendships just in order to avoid spilling the beans. I can say that avoiding those friends was a very tough thing to do. 

All our waiting has finally paid off. Friday we went to the doctor and had our first ultrasound where for the first time I got to see my child. It was amazing, to say the least. I was able to see the buds of legs and arms forming, and of course there was the fluttering of her tiny heart. Realizing that in just seven short months I would be holding my first child in my arms sent shivers through my entire body.

Looking forward has become my new mantra. Financial responsibility has taken on a whole new meaning. My decision-making is being tailored to ensure that I prepare myself to be a quality head-of-the-house, and a great daddy. My health has taken on another level of importance, as I want to be in great health so I can take care of something so wonderfully precious. My desire to be more industrious, like the desire to build hand-crafted things for my future child, has surprisingly been on the rise since we found out. There have been so many new shifts in my thoughts, desires, and goals that I am trying to take them all in stride. 

Looking forward means a change of pace, a new way of thinking and processing ideas, and preparing myself to take care of my first child. I have seven months to get myself ready for the single biggest change of my life. What life has ahead for my wife and I is going to change rapidly over those seven months and the months to follow, and we couldn't be more excited.

A young cousin of mine has been waiting for us to become pregnant for quite a long time, and I believe he summed it up best. When he found out, he simply said, "OH MY GOSH! What are you going to name it?"

It gives me such joy to be able to say, I'm going to be a daddy. 

[mngentleman-blog]

Baking - Yup, A Minnesotan Man Can Do That

Today is a day away from the hustle and bustle of students. It is a much needed break from the day to day work that goes along with teaching highly spirited teenagers in an urban environment. Although I was unable to sleep in this morning, today has been a phenomenal day. 

As I left school this morning (I went in to do a bit of preparation for the week), I pulled out a recipe I had found to make a blueberry-lemon yogurt bread. Since my wife had a professional in-service day at work, I decided I would make something for her to come home to. Blueberries are one of my wife's favorite fruits, and making a pastry with blueberries is sure to make her happy. 

I hope you enjoy the photos of the finished product. Below the photos is the link to the blog that first shared the recipe. Gentlemen of Minnesota, go ahead, bake, you might be surprised with the result. 

Recipe was provided by:

sweetpeaskitchen.com

[mngentleman-blog]

A Year In Review

It is hard to believe that the year is actually coming to an end. Many people say this, its cliché to be quite honest, but I do find it to be quite true of the year I have had and how quickly it is coming to an end. Since the first of January last year, I have gotten married, renewed a teaching a contract, and have moved into my first apartment with my wife. In addition to all of that, there have been trips to Indiana and Duluth, visits from in-laws, and time spent in multiple different family locales. I can honestly say as I look back it has been a good year, and this upcoming year will have to work pretty hard to beat 2011.

Last year I took my first trip down to Lafayette, Indiana, the birthplace of my beautiful wife. I packed my luggage as I normally would, but added a small box to my carry-on before I left. I arrived with anticipation and excitement for what was to come in the following days. My future in-laws already knew that I had plans on asking my now-wife for her hand in marriage, but I still took the opportunity to ask my now-father-in-law for his blessing. He graciously agreed, and said that the family couldn’t be happier. Christmas morning we woke up, ate breakfast, and then I asked her to join me in the den. After a short YouTube video, I got down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage. Just in case you haven’t done the math, she said yes. We were married May 26th, just five short months after the engagement.

Our first home was a short sublease that my wife had already been living in for the past two months, and we had two months left on the agreement. As July rolled around, so came the time to move. All of the packed boxes and bags were loaded into the U-Haul and we made a 25-mile trek to the other side of town.  Now we live conveniently between both of our work locations, and we are near a lot of what St Paul/Minneapolis has to offer.

At the end of last school year, the school district I worked for asked me to renew a contract with them for the current year. Although I took the original position aware of the fact that there was a potential for continued employment, there was no guarantee. When the email got to my inbox, I was more than happy to confirm, and two-days later I was signing a contract for this year. This meant that over the summer I didn’t have to worry about if or where I would be employed, what I would be teaching, or whom I would be teaching with. Instead, I was able to take a summer school teaching position at my high school, and when that wrapped up, I was able to leave my classroom as is as I knew I would be back in a short time.

In between all of the new changes, my wife and I found time to strengthen our new marriage, and to visit family as much as possible. Since we are both teachers, we had a very short, yet wonderful, honeymoon in Duluth. My wife had never been there before, so it was new to her, and I really enjoyed the opportunity to show her around town. In addition to Duluth, we made a summer drive down to Indiana to be with my in-laws. We spent 10 wonderful days with the family, soaking up as much time as we could. When we were back home in Minnesota, we spent time running outside, biking, and attempting to play tennis. There were many nights spent with my parents and brother, and even some time with extended family.

To put it simply, I have had a busy, but wonderful year. I cannot express how great it is to be married to such a wonderful woman, and I find new reasons to love her everyday. My wife makes me a better person, a better man, and I will forever be thankful for that. The in-laws are fantastic people, and I am truly happy to call them family. It took no time at all for their names to switch to Mom and Dad, as their affection and care came so freely. The immediate family in Minnesota has opened their arms to the first girl in our family, and the bonds made over the summer have laid great foundation for the years to come. Teaching at the same school has allowed me to not only plan, but also fully enjoy where I work and the great students I serve on a daily basis. God has truly blessed me this year in so many ways. I find myself marveling at his great works, and I am so glad that he calls me his son.

I look forward to next year and the changes it will bring. I trust in God that he will help me surmount any and all obstacles that come in my way. My wife and I will continue to grow, and someday soon, our own little family will too.

Happy new year!

[mngentleman-blog]

A Renewed Christmas Spirit

I am a very type A personality in many aspects of my life. In fact, I have an "end of the day" checklist at my desk in my classroom, and that list has been placed on red construction paper to match the colors of my school. There are many small activities I must finish before I leave for the day, one of them is to cross the current day on the calendar off. For me, it is a way to keep track of just what the date is, and for students it is a way for them to see how many days, if any, they have off during the month. As Christmas break has quickly approached, students have started to pay much more attention to the calendar over the past few weeks. To be quite honest, so have I. However, as I was placing a line through the date the other day, I found myself reflecting on just what the season means to me. No doubt it has changed, but more than that, I believe that I have a truly renewed Christmas spirit. 

When I was a kid, I was not much different than many others of the same age. I looked forward to the holiday for the snow, the time off of school, the stockings and presents under the tree, and so much more. As a child, my family had a wonderful tradition of sleeping out by the lit Christmas tree with my dad and two brothers. Ma of course loved this as she got one night of complete rest as us boys played with the model train around the tree, we horsed around in the living room, and eventually crashed in our sleeping bags, awaiting Christmas morning. Upon waking up, we would find stuffed stockings, neatly wrapped gifts, and the lights on the Christmas tree still glowing. The entire morning was filled with Christmas cheer. Everything from the big pancake breakfast to the taking of turns to open gifts. We shared in each others' joy as presents were opened to be followed quickly by testing out the new toys we had received for the year. As kids, we were even excited for the toothbrushes and other practical gifts that were found packed into our colorful stockings. In short, we were excited for the time of year for so many reasons. 

As I became a teenager, I played the holiday off as less important. We still slept by the Christmas tree, and we still found our stockings plum full of knick-knacks Ma had stuffed them with. However, the holiday lost some of its vigor. I don't know if it was teenage arrogance, subconscious ignorance, or just a lack of energy. Most of the time was spent at friends houses crammed in dimly lit bedrooms playing Halo and Mario Kart. Time with the family was important, but not as important as it was when I was a little tot. Christmas was a way to get away from school, to stay up late, sleep in, and get and give present. 

In college there was a shift to be sure. Christmas took on a new meaning. The season meant a month long break from college courses. It meant more time in the financial office I worked at. Soccer games were played in the dome on campus. Gifts were more thought out, and quite elaborate at times. Church played a much larger roll in my holiday plans. Time with my family was relished, rather than being seen as a burden on other plans. The snow provided opportunities to walk Belle (my dog) through the snow ladened paths of my home town's local parks. The snowblower was now a gas smell that I enjoyed being around. It was a time of year that I tried to reinvent the wheel and promise change for the upcoming year. College placed me on a track that was more appropriate, and definitely more enjoyable. 

Last year however was the best Christmas I have ever experienced. Over the break, I went down with my girlfriend (who is now my wife), and spent a wonderful week with my future in-laws. One evening I spent expertly wrapping gifts with my soon-to-be father-in-law. That night I asked for his blessing on my proposal for his daughter's hand, and he graciously agreed, and said he couldn't be happier. I nervously got the ring ready in my pocket, and went downstairs to eat breakfast with the family, sitting next to an unsuspecting girlfriend. After breakfast, we headed to the couch and I played the song "Marry Me" by Train via YouTube. As the song finished, I got down on one knee, and asked my girlfriend to marry me. She said yes, we kissed, and turned for a wonderful photo opt that my mother-in-law took advantage of. It will be a tough Christmas to beat! 

That brings me to this year, and my renewed spirit. Over the years I have had many reasons to look forward to Christmas. Some of those reasons were good and true, others were self-serving and a bit self-centered. This year though, as I crossed out another date from my schoolroom calendar, I realized I am looking forward to so many new things. The trip to see my in-laws couldn't be more anticipated, but the trip itself could be longer. I look forward to the many cups of coffee to be shared, the hours of watching Disney and playing Wii with my brother-in-law, and the many conversations that will be shared between us around the dinner table. My time at home here in Minnesota is also going to be a wonderful experience. It will be the first Christmas as a married man, the first Christmas that my brother has to fly in from where he lives to celebrate with us, and the first of many true breaks from my job. 

My desires have definitely changed over the years. I am pleased with what holiday cheer that wells within me, and I look forward to a wonderful Christmas. 

I wish you and your's the very same. 

Happy Christmas! 

[mngentleman-blog]

Childish to see Harry Potter?

As I was reading through my morning RSS feeds, I noticed an interesting feed coming from GQ. The author proposed that as an adult male, he should avoid any urge or inkling to go see the new, and final installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. I found this a bit strange, and so I read further to see what he had to say.

In the article, he mentions that the only good film is the third movie, The Prisoner of Azkaban, and that the rest of the films suffered from poor acting and poor directing. I have to concede that the movies haven't always had the best acting, especially the early years, but that is expected when your actors are so young and playing such a big roll. The acting wasn't always what a true Harry Potter fan wanted to see; it was more important to see the book played out in movie format. To come down on the acting, as a complaint of the movies, is missing the reason why we watch them.

After complaining about the movies, the columnist took after the books, calling them mundane. For hundreds of thousands (millions really), the books have been anything but mundane. Books were released and people would pick them up as soon as possible, and wouldn't put them down until they were read front to back, and sometimes even read twice over. To say that the day to day lives of the students at Hogwarts was boring, that the books held no true action, I think is missing the mark.

Call me a geek, but I truly believe these were books that were well written, and were so loved based on that fact. The authors ability to draw you into the "mundane" book via the characters, setting, and progression of the years has been unmatched by most authors to date. To draw so many into the lives of 3 students, and one Dark Lord, is an impressive feet no matter who you speak with.

To skip the last movie, to not watch the movies and books come to an end, seems silly to me. If you have watched all the other films, up to the last installment of the film series, abandoning ship for the final film seems like an odd venture. If this movie somehow damages your "manhood" or your ability to be an "adult," than I guess I can admit that I will not be either of those things this upcoming weekend, and I am okay with that. 

For those of you who are not Potter fans, I understand that you think this phenomenon is silly. Those that found the books boring and quit reading after the first, you are undoubtedly confident that you have no need to see the final film, and that makes sense. But to abandon a series, of which you have followed for many years, at the very last moment does not make much sense to me at all.

This short rant is for those of you, no matter your age or sex, that are excited to see the final film. To those of you who will be joining me this weekend and concluding your Harry Potter experience, enjoy. 

[mngentleman-blog]

A reprieve from the heat

The last few weeks of July have been almost unbearable for your every day Minnesotan. We are used to the idea that July will be sticky, hot, and uncomfortable at times. But the stretch of hot weather we just survived was almost intolerable. Days went by where exercising seemed to be a no go, although in the end we forced ourselves to do it. (My apologies to the southern states that are surviving much worse, I don't mean to whine.)

As the heat increased, the level of motivation decreased quite heavily. I have been working in summer school since the end of June, and there have been few days where I have went home without having lost a few pounds in sweat. The school has no air conditioning, the fans help some, but the closing up at night just traps in the heat. So needless to say, I have had to search out ways to stay cool.

I have resolved to wear light clothing, jeans and a t-shirt on almost a daily basis. I would wear the dress pants, knowing they would be lighter, but it just doesn't fit the summer school dress code. Students and staff alike show up in what gets them through the day, and that typically means the simplest outfit that one can find. To avoid this, I made a last ditch effort to make at least one smart style decision while still teaching summer school.

That led me to my first US purchase of capris. While I was living in Spain and Guatemala, many men were comfortable sporting a pair of capris. However, in our US culture, these have yet to hit mainstream. That statement is even truer for the midwest states, who find roots in blue jeans and sometimes even overalls. With that being said, as soon as I saw capris on the rack at GAP, I just had to pick them up. The fact that they were on sale, made the deal even sweeter.

So finally, I have found a way to stay cool, and keep my look clean. 

[mngentleman-blog]

A political debauchery.

For any of you that live in Minnesota, this month has been stained by a political rhetoric that infuriates all most all who live in the state. There are the few who feel that the government shut down is a good response for a government gone wild, but they are the minority. 

As I was listening to the radio on the way home from work today, where I am a teacher of a public school, I found myself battling anger as the host announced that there were no talks scheduled today for the two sides of the debate. Rather than meeting and discussing how to get thousands of workers back into the office, they were off, doing whatever it is that a politician does. 

Call me crazy, but if you have a decision to make that affects thousands of people, millions of dollars in revenue, and the livelihood of your state, skipping a day of discussions shouldn't be an option. The NFL executives and players showed more resolve to show up for discussions than our own state legislature. Why these politicians can't find the same muster to show up daily to get this settled has left me flabbergasted. 

Any other business in existence would be at the board room table eating chinese food and drinking cold coffee until there was a settlement made. Our state government however feels it appropriate to take furlough from their discussions. If this is their idea of joining the masses on their state forced furlough, they may want to put the kibosh on that idea and actually get some work done.

The week of the shutdown, many days were spent in discussion of having discussions, and then the two sides would meet for a couple hours, call it a day, and head out for the day. Granted, there must be some true politicians sticking to their guns and trying to figure something out for the state, unfortunately, they too are the minority.

Rather than hearing about stand-offs, non-starters, and steps backward, we need to hear about progress, and soon. Movement in the talks, a plan of attack, and a resolve to this show of political testosterone is needed in a most serious way. Now, I know there is a lot at stake, budget cuts that would slash programs, destroy jobs, add taxes, and much more, but rather than using that as an excuse, they should be using it as firewood for the fight. The citizens of Minnesota have voted to place people into office of whom we thought would lead our state, not put us in a political debate and a state shut down.

Safe to say, I will be listening, watching, and waiting with the rest of the state. 

[mngentleman-blog]

Education begins the gentleman, but reading, good company and reflection must finish him. ~John Locke

[mngentleman-blog]

Tying a tie, more than just one option.

I was pretty proud of myself the day that I learned how to tie a tie. As I walked into the interview, I felt proud of the fact that I had put that tie together. As the years have gone on, I have added the four-square and half-windsor, along with learning the bow tie. Here are even more to add to your own repertoire. 

Most basic

Four in Hand Knot: This knot is also commonly know as the schoolboy knot. This tie was used in a wide range of settings, but is said to originate from England and highly used by early seamen. The knot itself is the simplest in regards to any ties, as it requires little actual tying, and more of a simple cross and loop procedure. When ties were becoming a fashionable piece of clothing in England, the easiest way for everyone to get in on the style was to keep their look simple, and that lead to the fame of the four in hand knot. Now-a-days you can wear this knot for a lot of events, but of course it is inappropriate for specific settings. If shirt and tie are required, you are good to go with this knot, but as soon as you throw a suit jacket on, it is a good rule of thumb to step up to a more elaborate knot. 

Oriental knot: This tie gets its name based on its being made popular by students from both China and Japan. The oriental knot is also know as the Kent knot, a more Americanized name for the knot. For simplicity, this is a knot identical to the four in hand knot, just flipped inside out. What I mean is that when you tie your tie, rather than having the presentable side of the tie up while tying, you flip the tie over and have the seam side showing. The other main difference between this and a four in hand knot is that this is not a self-release tie. That means that you have to untie the tie in the same fashion that you tied it. Most men, including myself, prefer a knot that allows them to loosen the knot, slip it over our head, and do a quick pull to untie the knot. With the oriental knot, this is simply not an option. Another draw back to this knot can be that if the small part of the tie sneaks out from behind the larger part of the tie, it can be a bit tricky to get it back in place. However, if you take a moment, you can maneuver the knot to allow the small part to go back into place. 

Classics - varying levels

Windsor knot: 

half windsor knot

pratt knot

Abstract - difficult

St. Andrew knot

Plattsburgh knot

Nicky knot

Victoria knot

Christensen knot

Cavendish knot

Bowtie - semi-difficult

[mngentleman-blog]

Staying cool

The past two days in Minnesota have reached temperatures flirting with, or reaching 100 degrees. To make matters worse, I am in a school with no central A/C, and I have classes of 30 or more each period from 7:30am to 2pm. Keeping cool, that has to become an art, especially in the business world. 

It would be much simpler if we could just toss on a pair of gym shorts, a white t-shirt, and some sandals to avoid the temperature spikes. However, due to our obligations to head in to work, and in appropriate attire, choosing the beach outfit just doesn’t work. Some of you may be lucky enough that shorts are a part of your approved attire, but the rest of us still have to suit up in some sort of dress clothing to stay presentable throughout the work week. 

Some may run directly to the jeans to appease the desire to be more comfortable throughout the day, but that may one of your most detrimental mistakes. Jeans are dense, they are made to be dense, and they will do nothing but attract sunlight, and will deny your legs from breathing at all. There are some exceptions to the jean rule, some that are made for hot days, but those are hard to come by, and a frugal man may not be able to splurge on those lighter jeans. For those of you dead set on wearing the jeans, Ralph Lauren has fairly decent price on a pair of their jeans ($48 @ Dillards. Notice though, these pants are still dark, the description says they are tight fighting, and they are still made out of the same material as the rest, just less material.  

So what are you supposed to do, you can’t wear shorts, jeans are going to be way too warm, you are left with dress slacks. Maybe you are one who hates wearing dress slacks, this may be a turning point for you. Most dress pants, unless made with heavy material like wool or polyester, are made of a lightweight material, are well fitting, and come in a variety of light colors to help deflect that hot sun. It is up to you to decide what you are comfortable with, but it would be wise to start shopping now for light colored dress pants before the season hits. You can even get away with darker pants, especially if you are picking something like a chino off the racks of your local Gap store. If you think those dress slacks are a bit too boring check out these styles of chinos, that keep you comfortable, and still have a bit of flair, and don’t scream dress slack.    

    The nice thing with dress pants, they look professional, yet keep you cool throughout the day. In addition, you can match them up with a golf polo, you know the one you spent $45 on because it was designed to fight the sun. If you want to take it a step further, allowing yourself to really calm down, you can slip on a pair of boat shoes, light loafers, or a pair of white tennis shoes and go barefoot. As a rule though, don’t slip those shoes on without preparation. Grab a bottle of non-medicated (unless necessary) Gold-Bond or baby powder, toss a puff into each shoe, and toss a dab on your feet as well. This will allow you to slide in and out of the shoes, and not have to deal with the sweaty stench of feet by mid-day. 

These of course are not your only options, but there a few to start with. Light dress pants, cool polos, and bare feet are all ways you can hopefully beat the heat. 

[mngentleman-blog]

The Bow Tie - An old time style with a new age spin

Over the past few years, the bow tie has claimed a certain level of fame again. Bow ties of course were the norm in the olden days, as were top hats, knickers, and suspenders. Although not all of the items listed have returned to an age of glory, the bow tie has stood the test of time, and come out of it with a renewed spirit. 

It still takes a certain man to choose to walk into your local clothing department store and browse the bow tie section. In fact, many of the area stores are hard pressed to have a bow tie section to begin with. Once you have made the decision to actually purchase a bow tie, your job is to then find the right one for you.

Many online stores have bow ties by the hundreds, or thousands, but I would stay away from those shops, at least at first. Since it is a new clothing item for you, my suggestion would be that you head to the store to pick out your first one. It is hard to know exactly what you like and don’t like, if you only browse on the internet. (Once you are comfortable with wearing bow ties, than utilizing an online store is one of the cheapest ways to get a bow tie from a very large selection).

How to choose the right bow tie is very similar to choosing a regular neck tie. You need to be aware of your outfit colors, your patterns, and what type of occasion you will be wearing the bow tie to. To keep it simple, when you first venture out, you need to decide on whether you want a skinny or fat bow tie. The description of these two basic bow ties pretty much sum up what they are, but let me quickly explain a bit more about the two options. 

A skinny bow tie is skinny in more than one way, but mainly in the presentation at the end. The back side of the neck may actually be smaller, but that is not always the case. However, it is the actual bow that is produced that makes the bow tie a skinny. This is a tie you would want to wear if you have a smaller collar, if you are nervous about wearing one for the first time (as it will call less attention to itself), or if you are looking for something that is simple, and neatly done.

Fat bow ties are the ties you remember circus clowns wearing, you know, the ones that squirt water out from the knot. However, these are also a great choice if you want a distinct look. If you are are wanting to call attention to yourself, if you are hoping that it will set you apart from the rest of the neck ties, or if you are simply looking to display a more pronounced design, than a fat tie is your tie. These will produce a bigger bow, and be more appropriate for bigger designs and larger collared shirts.

Once you have made the decision on purchasing that blue bow tie with red stripes, you can take it on home and try it out with whatever shirt seems to match the tie, or vice versa. The last piece of the puzzle of course is tying the actual bow tie. For those of you who are taking a big enough leap purchasing a bow tie, you may want to look into the pre-tied version. Rather than having a lengthy discussion on just how to get that bow tie cinched around the neck, I have supplied you with a link to a youtube video from howdini. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/vui9Lzg7o_Q