Gentlemen … think about how much you experience in the course of one week.  From the Sunday evening laundry piles, to the Monday from hell and all the way to getting tow up from the flow up on Saturday, there’s a lot that goes on in a man’s life.  There are moments that pass, choices to be made and lessons to be learned.  This is where I’m going to use a poorly utilized segue and explain to you that I’ve tried to distill my previous week into a random pile of tips for the professional hombre on-the-go.

Allow me to go ahead and offer the fact that I’m no specialist or expert regarding the items that are about to flow from my conscience.  I’m just a practical guy trying to pass on some practical knowledge and if I’m able to help at least one of you or at least give you a good laugh, I’ve succeeded.
Highway Driving: I’m sort of appalled about the way people drive in Cincinnati.  Sure, we’re a large metropolitan city , but we’re not Chicago.  There’s enough room on the roads for people to get to where they’re going if they would just follow the rule of the passing lane and cruising lane.  For those of you who are redonkulously late to the party or just need a reminder, the left lane is for passing (as in, you should not be in it unless you are PASSING those on your right) and every lane to the right is for cruising (preferably at least the speed limit, please).  
I notice that people tend to bunch up in packs and limit their outs when a certain matter hits the fan.  The only time I’m ever in a pack is when I’m stuck behind people who aren’t passing in the passing lane, or when I’m mutually speeding with other drivers who understand me.  If you’re speeding in a pack of five cars, they can’t pull ALL of you over, right?  By the way, I’m not endorsing speeding.  Wear your seat belts and all that good stuff too.  I’m serious.
Don’t Go There: Don’t ask a woman how old she is on her birthday.  It’s not life-altering knowledge and also not worth getting the stink-eye.
Get Decked Out: It goes without saying that a suit says a lot about you as a man.  It gives others a glimpse of your subtle creativity while conveying the fact that you care about your appearance at the given time/place.  Why not take it a step further?  Items such as pocket squares (my new favorite thing), accented watches, French cuff shirts/cuff links, tie clips and patterns can go a long way in setting you apart from the other office jockeys.  My pocket squares have been batting 1.000 in the comment leagues.
Dress Shoes: The other night, I asked my friend Andy at what point does a guy know when he needs to take his dress shoes in to be repaired.  He told me that every time he’s taken his shoes in, the shoe repair person told him that it would cost more to repair them than if he bought a new pair.  I laughed but gave him credit for trying.  In my more wasteful youth, I used to burn through dress shoes without care.  The dress shoes I wore to work were the same dress shoes I would grind out on a dance floor on the weekends and they were lucky if they got a half-arsed shine from one of those cheap shoe-store sponges.  Oh yeah, there once was a pair of loafers I ruined while mowing the lawn as well … don’t ask.
Clean your dress shoes at least once a week.  Invest in a brush, polish and polish cloth.  I just extended the life of my beloved Kenneth Cole oxfords that way and am happy that I did.  For tougher jobs or shoes closer to the end, don’t be afraid to experiment.  After I saved my oxfords, I used an automotive-grade leather cleaner/conditioner on my weekend loafers.  They’ve still pretty rough, but a lot better off than they were a week ago.
Laundry: On contrary to popular belief, you can mix your laundry if you know what you’re doing.  Chances are, you have clothes that don’t bleed.  I warm-wash color clothes (yes, even reds) with white clothes all the time.  It saves me time and is more efficient when I have select things I need to wash in a short period of time.  Proceed at your own risk on this one.  There are no reimbursements for pink shirts here.
Reach Out: Ask someone out on a date.  Why not?  If they say “no,” at least you know you gave it a shot and didn’t leave anything on the table.  If they say “yes,” you have an opportunity to see where things do or don’t go.  Either way, you end up with something; whether it’s a story, a lesson, an experience or, in the best case, a companion.
Standard Issue: All men should know how to tie a full windsor, change a flat tire, jump-start a car, make a fire without a lighter/matches (not fun), cook … SOMETHING, drive stick, tread water and know the difference between they’re/their/there/weather/whether/your/you’re/it’s/its. 
What did YOU learn this past week?  What is it that gets you through the day-to-day grind?

Remember, gentlemen.  Everything worth doing in life is worth doing well.  Best wishes to you in that regard.