Our guest contributor, Ann Williams, recently sent us this link from Business Insider, which contains the
Goldman Sach’s guide to being a real man.
We liked this a lot and agreed
with most of these excellent recommendations.
Today, on MiddleRage, we highlight just a few of our favs. Comments welcome.
1. Stop talking about where you went to college:
Christine’s view:
I don't know. This
may be a DC or a DC/NYC thing where I spent my formative years, but please.
Stop telling me about WHERE you went to college and the glory days of the
Princeton supper club, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, or the Yale
Club. Clearly, you are smarter than I am, and clearly you are stupider because
we have the same job and you paid 200k to get your education. We're very proud
of our pedestrian, low-brow STATE COLLEGE education. Save it for some one
who cares.
2. Burn your khakis.
Christine’s view:
Get a decent pair of
jeans or a suit. Come on. You don't have to look like my Midwestern dad.
Orange is the new black, and khakis are a fossil. If you went to
any of the aforementioned school referenced above OR even if you didn't, surely
you can afford ONE pair of hot jeans or ONE hot suit. Get with it.
Ann’s view:
I agree re: khaki issue. But I’d like for there to be some
clarity around what we mean by “decent pair of jeans.” If your only pair of
jeans looks like it lost a fight with a BeDazzler, then I’d rather you stuck
with the khakis. You know what girls like? Levis. You know what we hate?
Vanity. Put on your Levis, buy me a real beer, and let’s see where it goes.
3.
Never date an ex of
your friend.
Christine’s view:
This goes without saying. Come on. Do
you ever think (no matter how hot the guy) I could date someone my bff dated?
No way. Move on. There are MANY other girls. Who wants to compare notes?
Ann’s view:
As someone who has recently broken this
rule, I cannot express to you enough how important this rule is. You will
always, always be the asshole in this situation. Not worth it. Get over it and
find another girl.
4. People grow tired of the funny, drunk guy.
Christine and Ann’s views:
We are now officially
20 years out of college. Be the entrepreneur. Be the artist. Be the do-gooder. Be
yourself. But be something other than the drunk funny guy you were in
college. It's just sad. Holding your liquor is the other new black.
5. Tip more than you should.
Christine and Ann’s views:
Life is too short to
be the cheapskate. Tip 20% for average service and scale up from there. If you are going to go out for a nice dinner
and you can allegedly afford it, then tip appropriately. Even a bit
excessively. Now, that is hot.
6.
Don't split a check.
Christine and Ann’s views:
Really? Enough said here. I think the person who asks, pays -- at least
until a month or so into the relationship, when it’s okay to ease into a splitting
situation. (Except for special occasions, where the planner pays.) See rule
above about life being too short to be the cheapskate. If you ask a girl out
and end the night by asking her to split the bill, you’re a dick. Fact.
7. Be spontaneous.
Christine’s view:
Wow. Nothing is hotter than this. Do
something REALLY fun and really outrageous at the last minute. Take a road trip. You only live once! Do it.
8. No selfies. Aspire to post
pictures in the company of a beautiful woman.
Christine and Ann’s views:
Narcissism is out -- has been out since the 80s. You aint Gordon Gekko, and
no one likes him anymore anyway. We are tired of seeing nothing but photos of
YOU in Provence et al. Show us some PEOPLE. Show us some women. This one falls
into the vanity bucket. Please stop.
9. My personal favorite: The New Yorker is not high- brow.
Neither is The Economist.
UGH. Stop telling me about what you read
and show me what you KNOW. If you are really reading these magazines, you
should have learned something. Tell me about that.
