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Daily Life

Rituals

In a world gone mad, it's important for a man to stake his claim to claim to sanity, and part of the way of doing that is to establish rituals. These are things that a gentleman does as part of the normal course of daily life, that provide a pleasant sense of routine, and reassurance that, regardless of the apparent doom descending on earth evident for the evening news, life goes on.

Coffee - As with everything; alcohol, eating, drinking, a little goes a long way. Set for the same time everyday, a morning or afternoon trip to the coffee shop, or just a cup at home, is a great way to take a break, and have a little something to look forward to as you begin your daily toils. After all, lunch is still hours away.

Cocktail – A drink before dinner gives you, and your stomach, a chance to relax before the evening meal. Whether dining alone or in company, it’s a nice way to signal the end of the day, and the beginning of a pleasurable evening. One is just fine; more than that, and, in combination with wine with dinner, you will have crossed the line from drinking to drunk. Holding out hope for a benevolent universe is the research that shows that a moderate amount of daily alcohol is good for you.

Dinner – is more than a meal, it should be an occasion for celebrating the end of another hard fought day. In families, this should be the occasion for joining together and exchanging news of the day, having philosophical discussions, family history lessons, or more. The TV should be off, in fact, it shouldn’t even be in the dining room. Kids don’t want to eat with the parents, or want to watch TV? So what? You’re the parent – they can get used to eating at the appointed time and, perhaps secretly, they’ll like it. Hopefully, the conversation and sense of conviviality will be so warm that conversation and everyone will linger after the plates have been put in the sink.

Cigars – Are they bad for you? Probably. But the occasional cigar, maybe once a week or so, may provide a pleasing time for reflection, an excuse to do nothing but think, and observe the world around you. And with a nice drink, after a rich meal, they taste just fine. Of course, a gentleman is careful to make sure that others are not bothered by the smoke or the smell, and in today’s super sensitive environment, smoking is best done at home, or in a club, or some other private enclave. If one is around others, one does not ask if smoking bothers them; the assumption is that it does, unless they volunteer otherwise.

Back then there were all these wonderful male bastions. My father would never shave at home; he'd go down to Charlie's Barber shop over by his office and pay two bits. I used to go down there too for my haircuts, read Field and Stream or Popular Mechanics while I waited. It was an institution. Men would go in there and conduct business. It was the same with hardware stores. And saloons. Guys go into saloons and settle all the business of the world. "That's all gone" notes Moe. "Barbershops became "hair salons". About the only place maybe still left are golf clubs. And look what's happening to them.


~ Harry Stein
American Writer
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