Advice from “1001 Rules for My Unborn Son”

I’ve only recently come across the blog 1001 Rules for My Unborn Son, whose advice I think any modern-day gentleman will find useful. The author of this blog posts a new rule regularly; he’s currently up to number 368.

Some of my favourites appear below:

16. You are what you do, not what you say.

20. Learn an instrument, preferably one that can be played at home in the company of friends.

58. Use the broiler. It’s an indoor grill. (I refer to the broiler as “The Inverted Grill”.)

80. Wear a sportcoat when traveling by plane. It has easily accessible pockets.

82. The most expensive restaurant is NEVER the best. (I learned this at Winston’s, which no longer exists.)

115. Short pants are for little boys. Decide for yourself when you are a man.

125. A t-shirt is neither a philosophy nor an advertisement. It’s a shirt. Wear it plain.

153. Traveling to a foreign city is an excuse to dress up, not down.

168. Be cool to the younger kids. Reputations are built over a lifetime.

169. Be nice to your sister. You are her confidante, cheerleader, and bodyguard.

186. Have a favorite song. It doesn’t have to be hip. (The best ones never are.)

198. Don’t trust the calendar. If it’s cold, wear a coat.

201. Order the local specialty.

206. Never turn down a girl’s invitation to dance.

222. Don’t boast about projects in progress. Celebrate their completion.

239. Never post a picture online you wouldn’t feel comfortable showing your mother, your boss, and the dean of admissions. (Alternately, you can work on your shamelessness.)

240. You will have a love life one day. Be discreet.

270. Stand up to bullies. You’ll only have to do it once.

276. Surround yourself with smart people.

296. Never turn down an invitation to speak in public.

301. Dress for the job you want, not for the one you have.

305. Don’t be so eager to leave the kids table.

311. Don’t date your bartender. (Or your barista or cafe waitress.)

325. When excusing yourself from the table, you need not give a reason.

330. Give credit. Take the blame.

349. It’s not enough to be proud of your ancestry. Live up to it.

357. Trust the concierge.

358. If you have to make more than one substitution, order something else.