In many videos I watch and comments I read, I often see and hear comments in absolute. By this I mean a man MUST, NEVER, or ALWAYS. In my experience as an almost 54 year old man, nothing in life is absolute. My day begins with getting a family fed and out the door. Getting myself to work (either home or office), working my day, stopping at the grocery store for dinner items, cooking dinner, prepping lunches etc. At any step in between there may oil changes, household repairs, lawns to mow, firewood to chop, and the list goes on. While I do my best to look my best, from time to time, I will appear in public looking like I just crawled out of a hole or out from under a car. That's because I did. simply put, changing out of the clothes I "MUST" wear to accomplish tasks that cannot go ignored is next to impossible. Many of us, I imagine, are not the guy that calls "the guy that does the..." but rather, we are the guy! For the work I/we do, that cannot be ignored, please excuse the crocs, T's, and hoodie. Men are often not only called upon to find the solution but are also the very tool required to perform the labor. This is not a response to any one post or video but rather in response to an observation of many.

Good morning gentlemen, Have you ever been in a situation where you reacted instead of responding? When someone does or says something and you immediately come back at them, that is reacting not responding. But if you take a moment, pause think then you are responding and not reacting. But there is another side of this, not every situation requires you to react or respond. Because when you realize that that person’s actions are merely to get you out of character, or to get a reaction from you, your response or reaction is exactly what they want. When you come back at them, you are allowing them to control you. Sometimes you have to let a fool think they won. When you do not respond to their actions, they think you forgot. But they just don’t know; like a real gentleman, just took it to the chin and not the heart . You chose to let it go, because sometimes you gotta let it go just so you could grow. But they will know not to try that again. One of my favorite songs by Kenny Rogers “The Gambler”, in the song he says, “ You have to know when to hold them”, “know when to fold them,” “know when to walk away,” know when to run”. You have to know when to hold them accountable. You have to know when to fold their lies, their accusations, and their actions into revealing the truth. Know when to walk away because it’s just not worth it. And know when to run from a potential situations that will cost you more in the end. ( like arranging the furniture on the deck of the Titanic.). You are better than that, do not buy into someone’s foolishness.

I rarely get over to the shoe discussion but a recent exchange with @Steven Hotchkiss about three great shoes he inherited from his FiL inspired me. He got a horse bit black loafer, a burgundy captoe and a suede penny. Each of these shoes are absolute classics and have so many uses. In fact less popular today but nevertheless timeesss is a cordovan or oxblood (burgundy) leather. Because this color crosses the hump between outfits that are brown tans or outfits that are blue/greys, it is the most versatile color shoe a man can have in his wardrobe. In doing a little inspirational research on Pinterest for some combos I thought I would share to the whole community of that’s alright Steven. In American classic timeless menswear shoes are much less restricted than in many parts of the world. The two perfect examples are the loafer and the brogue. In England for example loafers (especially thinner soled ones) are kind of impractical apparently because of the persistent rain as well as the un-even pavement and muddy ground (although this last issue i find a bit odd since many cities in Italy are older than England and have all kinds of surfaces like cobble stones etc). The loafer fits perfectly with the American comfort sensibility-: looser sack fit suit, full cut oxford shirts, button down collars (which are fine with a suit by the way) full leg double pleated trousers etc. while a loafer can be worn with a suit ( as can a button down oxford shirt), unquestionably they are a significantly less formal accessory. Furthermore there are suit loafers and sport coat loafers. This last aspect is dictated by whether the shoe has a moccasin toe(aka apron toe) or raised lake (aka welted toe.) These descriptions can go down some weird rabbit holes- https://shoegazing.com/2023/03/26/guide-types-of-apron-front-and-split-toe-seams/ Basically weejuns are more dressed down than Alden’s.

Made a ton of progress on items that felt like they were getting clogged up. The new head of sales starts Monday and I am super pumped to get him going. Last pic is my double monks getting some needed love. I think my wholecuts for today may require the same. Today's outfit is summarized by none other than the best Enterprise captain: Captain Jean Luc Picard (not quite as good as the pirate voice) Captain’s Log — RMRS Outfit Entry • Shirt — DS‑044 (Charles Tyrwhitt): A white non‑iron poplin French‑cuff dress shirt with a semi‑spread collar, precise structure, and disciplined restraint. It serves as the neutral command layer—clear, deliberate, and wholly appropriate for moments requiring both diplomacy and resolve. • Undershirt — US‑003 (Pro Club): A dense white cotton crew undershirt, substantial enough to maintain opacity beneath strong lighting. It performs its duty without drawing attention—exactly as Starfleet engineering intends. • Slacks — SL‑011 (Peter Millar): Dark‑blue wool slacks with a subtle box texture, tailored for balance and mobility. They provide continuity with the jacket, forming a unified system rather than a collection of parts. • Suit Jacket — SJ‑002 (Peter Millar): A matching navy suit jacket with fine blue patterning, structured shoulders, and full lining. It projects command presence without excess—authority conveyed through clarity, not volume. • Tie — NT‑031 (Kirby Allison): A navy basket‑weave silk tie with white and black accents, restrained yet intellectually textured. Tied cleanly, it signals intent, discipline, and respect for established protocol. • Belt — B‑001 (Hanks): A black fully lined leather belt with a silver buckle, minimal and structurally sound. It exists to support the system, not to announce itself. • Footwear — DSh‑009 (TLB Mallorca): Black box‑calf whole‑cut Oxfords, Goodyear‑welted with an elegant almond toe. These shoes speak softly—but they speak of preparation, tradition, and seriousness of purpose.