For my Australian Brothers (and any Sisters) on this page, where do you live? I would love to get together with any of you and have a dinner, or see a show. I am in the ACT (just outside of it actually) but would love to make a weekend, or a couple of days over the Christmas break, where we can catchup. I know we are in a totally different Time Zone compared to the US brothers and sisters and that makes the virtual catch ups harder to do, and the in person meet and greets are a long trip. So Please select your choice below for the state, and then let me know if this is something you are keen on.

This year has felt like one long plot twist. I was laid off, picked up side jobs, and somehow wrote books through the chaos. And because my bold ideas seem to arrive at the least practical moments, I also told my wife to leave her stable job and finally chase her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. Yes, while I was unemployed. I knew how wild that sounded, but it was still the right call. She earned her master’s degree with a 4.0 GPA and pushed through student teaching with steady patience. That has been one of the bright spots in a difficult season. Every year her best friend and I go on a holiday shopping trip. It is our tradition. We visit a few stores, hunt for the right gifts, and finish with Blanco Tacos for dinner. It is an odd little ritual, but it works. This year my definition of extravagant stretched farther than usual, and the gift ended up firmly in the expensive category. Her best friend did nothing to protect my budget. We visited Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Nordstrom. I drifted toward the loud pieces my wife usually likes, the ones that practically call attention to themselves. Her best friend kept pulling me away. Then she pointed at the sweater I was wearing, a very nice Armani with no visible branding, and said to the salesperson, “See. He does not need to shout. Why would she.” After that she delivered the line that stuck with me. “You already proved you can afford it. Now I want her to enjoy it.” Moments later she realized I own cashmere and alpaca while my wife owns neither. She turned to me with a look that said only one word, and she said it out loud. “Robert.” No affection. No softness. Just pure judgment aimed directly at my soul. At Louis Vuitton we found the right piece. A soft, understated cashmere sweater with a small tag at the back of the neck. Nothing loud. Nothing trying to show off. Just quiet quality. The salesperson added, “Pieces like this never get counterfeited. There is nothing loud to copy. The value is in how it is made.”

This last Sunday I went to the Nordstrom Icon and Ambassador Holiday Party, and the beginning of the evening could not have been more beautiful. I brought my wife’s best friend as my guest. I shop at Nordstrom often and she does not, so I wanted her to enjoy the full experience. We had registered ahead of time, checked in at the door, and joined the line that moved toward the entrance. As we stepped inside, the atmosphere felt festive and thoughtful. A live brass band played by the entrance while artificial snowflakes drifted through the air, which is amusing in San Diego but still charming. We walked along a red carpet as employees clapped and welcomed each guest. Someone placed a glass of champagne in my hand as we passed. It felt warm, celebratory, and well put together. Inside the party we stopped at the journal station. They were embossing names on the covers. My guest picked out a Peanuts themed journal and had her husband’s name added. He loves journals and Peanuts, so it was the perfect combination for him. Watching her light up over that gift was a highlight of the night. We continued through the event, trying hot chocolate (you would be in shock at these), which was excellent, and cannolis, along with hors d’oeuvres and sparkling waters. Everything felt generous and carefully arranged. For a while we were simply enjoying the evening. We talked about stopping at the bar, but before that I took her to the men’s fragrance section so she could test a few scents. That is when the night shifted. Two employees nearby were talking. A younger associate asked why the store felt so busy. The response came in a tone that was impossible to misunderstand. “They let the ambassadors in,” she said, and she shook her head with a level of disdain that carried the feeling of calling people peasants without using the word. My guest heard it clearly. She looked at me and said, “If ambassadors are spoken about like that, then what am I.” She had come as my guest, and that single comment hit her unexpectedly hard. It changed her entire experience in a matter of seconds.

It's another cold day here in the NE. So I spent a bit of time in my closet this morning thinking about what to wear and not be the "same thing" OOTD: Allen Edmonds - Navy Cashmere 1/4 zip David Donahue - Light blue micro dot dress shirt 34 Heritage - Charcoal Grey Flannel Trousers Mazarin - Dark Navy/medium Blue ribbed OTC wool dress socks Allen Edmonds - Dark Brown Suede Chelsea boots Anson - chocolate brown suede dress belt WOTD: Omega Speedmaster Professional with a brown strap SOTD Hermès Oud Alezan Hope you all are staying warm and have a fantastic day!!

https://youtu.be/4VLcsUDvqkg?si=Gfun-BMqdJkJIjmg Idk whom told China it was ok to use an angle grinder to cut hair but NO , this is def Not Ok