UPDATE: Tying One On in 2011, Return of the Bow Tie!

After re-reading some of the old Gentlemanual posts, I've realized that Universal Skills #2: Tying One On got a few things wrong. Well, in particular, it got one thing wrong: bow ties.  To paraphrase what I wrote there, I basically poo-poo'ed the idea of wearing a bow tie outside of a tux as treading far too close to dangerous levels of geekdom.  Well, I have to say, it seems as if our ol' pal the bow tie has made quite a bit of a comeback, appearing not only in geeky circles, but also the world of high fashion. What I think is the most interesting about the bow tie revolution is that, while the bow tie seeks to shrug off its previous "geek attire" connotations, it is precisely through its association with a geek icon that it has become popular again.

Universal Skills #3 - The Five-Minute Biography

This skill goes out to all the first dates out there. First dates can be awkward, stilted and tricky.

Enter the Five-Minute Biography, a quick and easy way to present the details about yourself that you think the other person should know as well as get that sort of information from them for your own files. I can't take credit for the five-minute biography, but it was introduced to me by Kaycee who, near as I can tell, might as well have invented it.

The idea is simple: there are really only so many facts about you that are really pertinent to the other person. They really neither need nor want to know every fact about your upbringing on the first date. Other things like your job, education level, things that take up a big chunk of your time and pursuits of that nature that could either interest or influence your date are things you want to think about adding. (More after the break.)

After A Long Absence... People Are Still Reading

It's been almost four years since the last Gentlemanual post. For long years. Far too long of a time to go without anything to say on the topic of gentlemanly behavior.  I allowed this blog to languish far too long, but no more.  It was much to my surprise that I discovered recently, while working on another blog, that the Gentlemanual was still getting hits and page views.  Seeing those hits reminded me that I still have a lot to say on the subject of gentlemanliness and gentlemanly behavior in general.  And thus, I'm bringing the 'Manual back.  Over the next few months, I hope to return to posting here regularly to help gentlemen and prospective gentlemen with the myriad concerns for today's modern gentleman.  While I start getting my ideas for new posts and topics together, I'd love to hear what you, dear reader, would like advice on or have to say about gentlemanliness.  Drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you.