Random Musings

Congratters!»

Congratulations to Barack Obama on winning the US General Election. It was an enjoyable, if long, race. I can tell you this Irishman and his American wife were very happy indeed!
Only a few more months to wait before the next election campaign starts.

No One is Average Sized»

Greetings to all on this rather chilly Dublin evening.
I would like to have a little rant about mass produced clothing. In particular why it is that so many high street stores only make their clothes in the assumption everyone fits in to a handful of sizes. Take as an example the sizing of shirts. When [...]

Grooming

It Makes Perfect Scents»

Smelling good is just as important as looking good. The right cologne or aftershave can add a nice finishing touch to your outfit. I have always taken the view that most contemporary colognes and aftershaves (CK, Hugo etc) are either too strong and tend to smell similar, in essence they are all variations on a [...]

Food and Drink

The BBC Micro Cake - Nothing to do with being a gentleman*»

Recently I got married to a wonderful American named Jennifer. For a Irish lad who grew up in the UK it was quite an experience getting married in the states. One of steateside traditions I loved was the concept of a Grooms cake, something that just doesn’t happen this side of the pond.

A Frank Discussion On Cocktails»

Gentlemen.  As a frequenter of the “evening scene,” I am here to speak to you about your choice of drink.  Perhaps you feel lager makes you gassy, wine gives you too much a hangover or that a liqueur straight up just doesn’t do it for you.  So what’s the alternative but the cocktail! Now, I [...]

Consuming Alcohol in a Gentlemanly Fashion»

Alcohol is a funny old thing. It is psychoactive and will change your perception of the world around you. It can make you feel happy or make you feel sad and sometimes it can make you do things you’d rather forget. Such is it’s ability to affect your mind and body it would almost certainly [...]

Clothing

The Suit - The Centre of Every Gents Wardrobe»

When most people think of Gentlemen’s clothing, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the suit. Very few items of clothing have stood the test of time like the suit. Even though the cut and style of the mens suit has constantly evolved to suit the changing eras, the modern suit is surprisingly [...]

The Importance of Always Making an Effort to Look Great»

Clothes can have an amazingly powerful effect on how people perceive you. You could be an intelligent, rich captain of industry and yet have people blank you because your outfit doesn’t look the part. Likewise, a poor man can get treated like a VIP if his clothes say the right things. Looking great can also [...]

Gentlemanly Charcteristics

Gentlemanly Characteristics: Humility»

Some of the most universally hated traits a man can have is to be a show off, a bragger or to have a massive ego. Someone who displays such traits is clearly stating that they think they are better than others in some way. All this serves to do is to make people dislike or hate them and break up friendships in the process. Humility is the opposite of all that.

Gentlemanly Characteristics: Prudence»

It wasn’t for nothing that the Ancient Greeks considered prudence, the exercise of sound judgement, to be the prime virtue. More than any other personal characteristic, prudence is the one that can have the biggest impact on your life.
Prudence is all about making well reasoned judgements regarding practical matters. Modern life isn’t very conducive to [...]

Gentlemanly Characteristics: Joie de Vivre»

The phrase ‘Joie de Vivre’ is a French phrase that translates in to English as ‘The Joy of Living’. Someone who is said to have the Joie de Vivre is a person who loves the fact that they are alive and does not let the troubles of the world get them down.

Bettering Yourself

Know Thy Enemy»

Recently I wrote a post discussing why you should be confident in yourself rather then trying to be cool. In the posting I mentioned peer pressure and how it can force someone in to adopting an image or attitude that just doesn’t reflect their true personality. In this post I am going to expand on this and explain why sometimes your best friends can be your worst enemies and in turn your biggest barrier to becoming a true gentleman.

Dealing with Life’s Ups and Downs»

Something that far too many of us forget about is that life has it’s and downs. It is also fair to say that human nature causes us to dwell on the downs more than the ups. That is after all only natural. When things are going well, we can get on with our lives with [...]

Don’t Be Cool, Be Confident»

Men today are under tremendous pressure to keep up with the latest trends and project an image of being ‘cool’. The mass media does strongly imply that failing to keep up with the latest fashions can put you at risk of being accused of not being ‘with it’ or some other hip and trendy statement [...]

How to...

How to… Get Motivated and Get Things Done»

Very few of us are lucky enough to never have an issue with motivation. No matter how much try not to, there are times when we simply cannot bring ourselves to stand up and get things done. In this article I will help you get motivated by writing abotu some of the way you can get over a motivational slump.

How to… Entertain Guests - Part 1: The Basics»

Have you ever wanted to host a party, but have wondered just how to go about it? Do you find the thought of inviting people in to your home just a little bit scary. You will no doubt be worried that people may pass judgement on you based on the condition or decor of your home, or you might be a bit apprehensive about preparing food or drinks for so many people. In this first of a series of articles I will offer advice on how to go about entertaining guests in your own home.

How to… Make a Complaint that Gets Results»

If you’ve ever had your bank give you strife or suffered at the hands of an airline that seems to think the first 12 hours of your holiday should be spent in a departure lounge then I’m sure you’ve felt the urge to complain. It isn’t uncommon for many people to feel awkward or even [...]