The Modern Gentleman

06 Jan The Modern Gentleman

Not so long ago in coffee shop not so far away… I was having an iced americano, and a conversation with my best friend, Gwen 1.

Now if you know Gwen, than you also know that she is a pretty classy chick. I have always been impressed with her elegance, and etiquette 2. On this fine day, she decided to share her secret with me… Gwen is a student of Miss Manners’ school of excruciatingly correct behavior 3. Why the hell she knows the proper etiquette for eating corn on the cob 4, is beyond me… but it certainly does make for an interesting conversational 5.

Miss Manners provides an interesting, and humorous guide to general etiquette, but does target a more feminine audience. I decided later that evening to search for a “gentleman’s guide” of somewhat similar nature. Pretty much every book I found, went over how a man should dress 6, shave 7, speak 8, etc… most of which are common sense. To be honest, nothing really stands out as an “all in one guide to being a gentleman”…but during my search, I did find a book which I find quite entertaining. The Modern Gentleman, A Guide to Essential Manners, Savvy & Vice is “more than just a waggish take on Emily Post. It is as refined and potent as Single-malt Scotch.”9 At times the advice given in this book can be a little questionable, but when you cover everything from introductions, to skinny dipping 10… I think it’s ok to stray off path a little.

As a substitute for music videos, and movie trailers… I’m going to start posting excerpts from the book from time to time. I need content, and some of you guys need a lesson in manners! 11

1 About a year ago…on Capitol Hill
2 This excludes the times when she scolds me for taking a sip of my cocktail, prior to the toast
3 This excludes when people drive slow in the passing lane.
4 Left to right
5 When I’m eating it right to left
6 Board shorts & flip flops
7 Five o’clock shadow
8 Pig Latin
9 quote from Atlanta Magazine, September 2002
10 “Lake side isolation: Nobody’s around, so it’s a day or night treat (watch for snapping turtles)”
11 This does not include eating corn on the cob…do that however you want!.