The War on Cars
With their new podcast The War on Cars, hosts Doug Gordon, Aaron Naparstek and Sarah Goodyear had me at “Hello.”
The Real Cost of Jeans (and the Scourge of Stretch)
When I invest in clothing, I think more and more about sustainability. It reminds me of a belief I have about food: the further you take it from its natural state, the weirder it gets and the worse it is for you. As I see it, the same is true for clothing.
The November 2018 Spotify Playlist: Listen to the Women
This month’s set is from women who’ve rocked, rolled, grooved, wailed, hipped, hopped and kicked considerable ass.
Dear Freelancers: Steal Cleveland. It’s Available.
While Cleveland searches for an identity and a jobs savior, this is a great time for freelancers and other independent workers to take advantage of an affordable city with a lot to offer.
Sean Penn’s Face
I recently caught the first two episodes of The First, the new Hulu series starring Sean Penn as a respected astronaut who’s under pressure to lead another mission to Mars after a previous attempt ended in tragedy. The show, in my humble opinion, is actually pretty good. Unlike a two-hour movie, a television series offers the chance to go slowly and take more time with story, characters, relationships and nuance. The First, which was created by House of Cards (U.S.) creator and show runner Beau Willimon, looks like it’s in no rush. I am, thus far, engaged.
As I started to watch the show, Sean Penn immediately grabbed me. Not just because of his performance, which is good. He’s always been an actor who delivers, even in sub-par projects. What initially struck me most was his face.
“America the Beautiful” As I’ve Never Heard It
As an avid listener and supporter of public radio, I learn something new every day. (I actually learn many new things on a daily basis listening to NPR.)
Beyond getting news, one of the gifts of NPR is becoming enlightened to people, ideas and perspectives I’d never heard of or merely never considered. Along with being informed, I’ve been delighted, been amused, become enraged, been inspired and even brought to tears.
Re-Examining How To Be a Man
Magazines, blogs and society suggest that real men should be obsessed with boobs, beer, bourbon, beef, bacon, basketball, big cars, big houses and other big stuff. I'm not on board with that.
In Honor of Jimmy Burke, One of the Best Men I’ve Ever Known
There has been a handful of influential people in my life who helped shape my character, inspired me to be a better man and made me laugh in the process. Jimmy Burke was one of them.
My Thing About Cars
Based on what I’ve said, written, tweeted, etc., about cars, I seem to have cultivated the perception that I’m anti-car. I’m not. It would be more accurate to say that I’m simply not a fan of cars in the city. I’ve got absolutely no problem with people getting cars on intelligent car leasing for them to drive around.
Know Who You Are and Buy The Best You Can Afford
I get a lot of pressure from brands and readers alike that I have to try this suit maker, check out those shirts, review that company, take a look at this label, yada yada yada. But these days, almost every Tom, Dick and Watchmaker likes to play the ‘luxury’ card, framing their wares as premium goods for bros who want to look like they’re killing it.
My problem is that I’m neither a “luxury” person nor a person who needs or wants a lot of stuff. When it comes to solicitations that land in my inbox, I understand the confusion. Between the tailored suits, shirts, ties and shoes, I probably present like a luxury person, even though I’m not. But these are hyper-casual times where a shirt with a collar, pants that aren’t denim and shoes that aren’t sneakers are considered “dressing up.”